$800 Main Event
Day 2 Completed
2025 Oklahoma State Championship of Poker
$800 Main Event
Day: 2
Event Info
2025 Oklahoma State Championship of Poker
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 2
Buy-in
$800
Prize Pool
$291,900
Entries
417
Level
31
Blinds
125,000 / 250,000
Ante
250,000
Entries
32
Players Left
1
Players Left 1 / 417
Filter
Level 31
: Blinds 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante
Grant Hinkle already has a long list of poker accomplishments: a WSOP Gold Bracelet, over $1.7 million in live tournament earnings, and a WSOP Circuit Main Event title. Today, he added another accolade to that list after winning the $800 Main Event here at the 2025 Oklahoma State Championship of Poker.
He takes home $55,249 for his efforts, the fourth biggest live score of his career.
The Kansas City native only decided to play the event on a whim, but what a decision it turned out to be.
The Oklahoma State Championship of Poker returned to Hard Rock Casino Tulsa for the first time since 2019, and it featured a packed schedule of 21 trophy events, while all eyes were on this prestigious title.
A total of 417 entries were tallied for the event to generate a prize pool of $291,900, with just 32 returning for Sunday’s finale.
Eventually, it was Hinkle who held on the chips after lengthy heads-up match with Terry Harrell and an even longer three-handed battle with Anthony Finley.
Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Grant Hinkle | $55,249 |
| 2 | Terry Harrell | $38,167 |
| 3 | Anthony Finley | $27,869 |
| 4 | Rehman Zahid | $20,642 |
| 5 | Sarah Renko | $15,506 |
| 6 | Johnnie Place | $11,820 |
| 7 | John Smith | $9,146 |
| 8 | Eric Salazar | $7,181 |
| 9 | William Berry | $5,726 |
Winner’s Reaction
“I feel relief,” Hinkle admitted shortly after taking down the title, “I had a big chip lead three or four handed and it slipped away."
“You kind of envision yourself at the end and as soon as you do that, than all of a sudden it starts slipping away and I thought that was happening again,” Hinkle continued, “Just [feel] relief and gratitude that I battled back and was able to take it down.”
While Hinkle previously spent his entire focus on poker, life had other plans as he spends much more time away from the felt in recent years.
“It’s mostly kid activities for me. I’ve got a 15-year-old and an 11-year old, so they take up a lot of my time. Although they’re getting to the ages now that I can play a little bit more because as they get to teenage age, they don’t want to hang out with their parents as much,” Hinkle joked with a proud smile.
In a final table that lasted over six hours, Hinkle emphasized the importance of staying patient and picking his spots.
“It was mostly opponent specific [his aggression and strategy]. If I can get to showdown often I’ve got a good chance of winning, but if I get blown off it, it’s not a good feeling,” Hinkle explained regarding his postflop decisions.
It was a final table filled with massive swings and momentum shifts, but Hinkle’s experience allowed him to ride the waves.
“You just made sure that you’re still playing your best with the stack you have going forward each hand, and that you’re not going to punt after a tough situation. Just playing one hand at a time, even though it’s a frenzy inside [my head].
Hinkle was quick to give a shoutout to his support system for the help throughout the journey.
“[Thanks to] my wife and kids for letting me go down here. I’m looking forward to spending time with them tomorrow. Thanks to my RunGood family, they were cheering me on in the Telegram chat, so shoutout to them and all my friends.”
The Day’s Action
From a starting field of 417 runners, just 32 returned for today’s action with William Scarsdale holding the chip lead, although he would eventually bow out in 17th place.
The eliminations were fast and furious to begin the day, with several notable players hitting the rail early including Brent Gregory, Eric Bunch, John Reynolds, Todd Tucker, and Michael Perrone.
After just two hours, the field had been cut to its final 11 players.
Final Table Action
Following the elimination of Jim Wilson in 10th, the final nine players combined at a single final table with Anthony Finley holding the lead, followed by Hinkle.
William Berry and Eric Salazar were two of the most accomplished players remaining in the field, but they were also the first to hit the rail after entering the final nine with short stacks.
John Smith would then fall in seventh place before the final six players went on dinner break.
Johnnie Place was the next casualty in sixth. After defending the big blind, he would flop middle pair against the top pair of Terry Harrell and got the rest of his short stack into the middle but could not improve.
Almost an hour would pass before Sarah Renko was eliminated in fifth as the last woman standing in an impressive run, and Rehman Zahid would hit the rail in fourth shortly after.
Then began an extended three-handed battle as the chip lead changed on several occasions. It was almost all over in a single hand for a three-way all-in, but Terry Harrell scooped to eliminate Anthony Finley in third as he also doubled through Hinkle.
The heads-up match featured short stacks as cagey play continued for over an hour. Eventually, Hinkle would jam the button with queen-jack suited and Harrell called off his final 12 big blinds with ace-five. Hinkle would turn a flush to seal it, and he was able to breathe a sigh of relief after winning an absolute war of a final table.
That does it for PokerNews’s coverage of the 2025 Oklahoma State Championship of Poker. Stay tuned as we continue to provide updates from tournaments around the world and bring you the latest in the poker world.
Level 31
: Blinds 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante
Grant Hinkle jammed the button and Terry Harrell called off his roughly 3,050,000 stack from the big blind.
Terry Harrell: A♣5♥ 
Grant Hinkle: Q♦J♦
Harrell was ahead with ace-high as the 10♣8♦2♦ flop gave Hinkle a gutter and a flush draw. No waiting was required on the 3♦ turn as Hinkle completed his flush, and the 3♣ river was just a formality as the two shared a sporting handshake after a hard-fought battle.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
12,500,000
4,925,000
|
4,925,000 |
|
||
|
Busted | |
Level 31
: Blinds 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante
Grant Hinkle opened the button to 500,000 and Terry Harrell defended his big blind.
On the Q♥8♦4♥ flop, Hinkle continued for 650,000 before Harrell check-raised to 1,500,000, and Hinkle called.
Harrell then checked to the 3♦ turn before Hinkle jammed for 3,325,000, and Harrell laid it down.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
7,575,000
1,475,000
|
1,475,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
4,925,000
1,475,000
|
1,475,000 |
Level 31
: Blinds 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante
Terry Harrell was all-in for 3,075,000 from the button at risk against Grant Hinkle.
Terry Harrell: A♦6♦
Grant Hinkle: A♣K♦
Hinkle had to dodge just three outs to get his hands on the trophy but the 8♣6♥3♠ flop paired Harrell's kicker. The board ran out 9♦3♣ as Harrell doubled with the worst of it to even the stacks.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
6,400,000
2,150,000
|
2,150,000 |
|
|
6,100,000
2,150,000
|
2,150,000 |
|
|
||
Level 31
: Blinds 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante
With around 1,600,000 in the middle on the turn with the board reading 7♦5♠2♦9♥, Grant Hinkle bet 1,200,000 from the big blind before Terry Harrell jammed for 3,325,000 effective and Hinkle called off his stack.
Grant Hinkle: 10♣9♠
Terry Harrell: A♦2♥
Hinkle was ahead with top pair but had to dodge five out which he did on the 8♦ river to double into the lead.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
8,250,000
3,750,000
|
3,750,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
4,250,000
3,750,000
|
3,750,000 |
Level 31
: Blinds 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante
Several small pots have been traded during heads-up as just 50 big blinds sit on the table at the new level.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
8,000,000
1,600,000
|
1,600,000 |
|
|
4,500,000
1,600,000
|
1,600,000 |
|
|
||
Level: 31
Blinds: 125,000/250,000
Ante: 250,000
Level 30
: Blinds 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante
Terry Harrell jammed the button for 2,400,000, Anthony Finley called all-in for 1,400,000 from the small blind, and Grant Hinkle called from the big blind to put both players at risk.
Harrell had accidentally exposed his cards prior to Hinkle making his decision, leading to him making the call.
Anthony Finley: A♣Q♣
Terry Harrell: J♣8♠
Grant Hinkle: K♠9♣
It was a flip for all the chips as somehow everyone had live cards. The 10♠4♣2♥ flop kept ace-high in front until the 8♦ turn paired Harrell. The 7♠ completed the board, and Harrell held on to double through Hinkle and eliminate Finley.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
6,400,000
5,200,000
|
5,200,000 |
|
|
6,100,000
2,000,000
|
2,000,000 |
|
|
||
|
Busted | |
Level 30
: Blinds 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante
After Grant Hinkle had taken the chip lead, Terry Harrell took it right back the following hand.
Harrell opened the button to 450,000 and Hinkle defended his big blind.
On the 10♥6♣5♦ flop, Hinkle led for 500,000, Harrell raised to 1,000,000, and Hinkle called.
Hinkle checked the 6♥ turn, Harrell jammed, and Hinkle snapped off his 2,525,000 stack.
Grant Hinkle: A♥6♦
Terry Harrell: A♠A♣
Hinkle made trips to crack the aces of Harrell and he could not find the one-outer on the 8♣ river as Hinkle takes a commanding lead.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
8,100,000
2,350,000
|
2,350,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
1,200,000
2,550,000
|
2,550,000 |
