$2,700 Main Event
Day 3 Completed
2025 RGPS Mission RunGood Thunder Valley
$2,700 Main Event
Day: 3
Event Info
2025 RGPS Mission RunGood Thunder Valley
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 3
Buy-in
$2,700
Prize Pool
$1,000,000
Entries
386
Level
29
Blinds
75,000 / 150,000
Ante
150,000
Entries
17
Players Left
1
Players Left 1 / 386
Filter
Level 29
: Blinds 75,000/150,000, 150,000 ante
Andrew Moreno’s journey to his first RunGood Poker Series title was not without its bumps in the road during the $2,700 Mission RunGood Million Dollar Main Event held at the Thunder Valley Casino and Resort. In the end, Moreno was the last one standing as he took down the title, the RGPS ring, and the first-place prize of $200,080.
In fact, it almost didn’t happen as Moreno shared with PokerNews that he had misgivings about coming to the tournament at all, due to scheduling issues with his flight and the more important fact that it would keep him away from his wife and two young children. Moreno chose to go through with his plan to play the main event, and it paid off for the accomplished poker professional.
Early Day 2 was fraught with adversity for Moreno as he endured a few tough hands that saw his stack shrivel when he folded a full house on the river to Haixia Zhang, and then folded during another big pot where Paul Vang showed a bluff. Moreno spoke about his tumultuous Day 2 that nearly derailed his title run.
“I got raised all in on the river, and I ended up folding, and the gentleman windmilled the bluff in my face. And the whole table was kind of in disbelief,” Moreno said. “It felt like the whole table was kind of laughing at me. And there was this moment where I felt my blood pressure rise and kind of like my brain go a little foggy.”
Despite these negative feelings, Moreno reset his mentality in the wake of that moment.
“I just told myself, okay, this is where you just get to show yourself how good you are,” Moreno said.
The reset in mentality paid off. From that point forward, Moreno began his ascension back into contention and finished the day third in chips as they came into the penultimate day with 17 left.
Moreno’s Day 3 was smooth sailing at the onset, but he hit yet another snag during the final table that saw him equalize with the remaining players as they entered dinner break. During another moment of doubt, Moreno leaned on his family, whom he missed dearly, to guide him back to his center.
“I was talking to my wife and my son, and it was just like this switch that I needed,” Moreno said. “My son is three, and I said, ‘Buddy, Dad is not feeling good right now. He’s stressed out. Do you have any advice for me?”
Moreno said his son replied, “We believe in you, Dad.” Moreno stated that after talking to his family, he came back from break relaxed and at peace with whatever was going to happen.
The journey to the title was, of course, about the poker, but Moreno shared that ultimately what made this win special was that it was a battle of an internal struggle as well as a poker struggle.
“I really faced myself at a couple different points in the tournament and was able to look myself in the mirror and say, ‘I know who I am and I know what I can do,’ and I was able to execute on that,” Moreno said. “That meant a lot to me.”
Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Country | Prize (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Andrew Moreno | United States | $200,080 |
| 2 | Hamed Valizadegan | United States | $139,240 |
| 3 | Joshua Prager | United States | $89,620 |
| 4 | Jackson Spencer | United States | $61,220 |
| 5 | Robert Grossglauser | United States | $47,030 |
| 6 | Shane Miller | United States | $39,130 |
| 7 | Stephen Hesse | United States | $32,750 |
| 8 | Michael Persky | United States | $26,350 |
| 9 | Dan Stavila | United States | $19,950 |
Day 3 Action
The day began with a flurry of knockouts in the first two levels. 2023 champion Tyler Patterson was the first victim of the day as he was unable to gain any traction and was eliminated in 17th place. Patterson was the first of a slew of knockouts as the second blind level of the day saw seven players hit the exit, including: Kais Mohammad, Joel Foscalina, Jonathan Wang, Paul Vang, Mahmoudreza Heshmati, Kao Saevang, and Thu Tran to get the tournament to a final table.
Dan Stavila was the next one out in ninth place after the players came back from the first break of the day courtesy of Moreno. Play hit a standstill as various players secured double-ups, but Michael Persky wound up being the next player to hit the payout desk when he was knocked out in eighth place by Robert Grossglauser.
Stephen Hesse was Grossglauser’s next victim as he went out right before the second break of the day when he ran into the pocket aces of Grossglauser. Shane Miller wasted little time getting his chips in following the break and lost a flip to Grossglauser, who scored his third knockout of the final table.
While the pace had been frenetic up until this point, the final table would hit a quagmire as players buckled down with their deep stacks. Jackson Spencer would break the stalemate when he coolered Robert Grossglauser with pocket kings versus jacks.
Grossglauser would meet his demise after the first hand back from dinner break when his pocket fours fell victim to the pocket sixes of Moreno to be eliminated in fifth place. Despite that elimination, the play was meticulous as players picked their spots.
Four-handed play at the final table lasted for over two hours until the deadlock was broken when Jackson Spencer was eliminated in fourth place against Moreno.
Joshua Prager was the next to go in third place, setting up the brief heads-up battle between Hamed Valizadegan and Moreno, where Moreno finished the match in just a few hands to win the title.
That concludes our coverage of the $2,700 Mission RunGood Million Dollar Main Event, but stay tuned to PokerNews for coverage of other great events around the globe.
Level 29
: Blinds 75,000/150,000, 150,000 ante
After winning a double to start the heads-up match, Hamed Valizadegan wasted little time getting it in again shortly after.
Valizadegan began the hand with a limp from the button, and Andrew Moreno checked his option in the big blind.
Moreno checked the 7♥4♦3♠ flop before Valizadegan jammed for 2,200,000. Moreno quickly called to put Valizadegan at risk.
Hamed Valizadegan: 10♦7♦
Andrew Moreno: J♥7♣
Moreno had Valizadegan in trouble as they went to the turn and river.
The Q♣ turn did not change the standings, and the 8♦ river completed the board as Valizadegan was eliminated in second place.
Valizadegan earned $139,240 for his finish.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
15,440,000
2,240,000
|
2,240,000 |
|
Busted |
Level 29
: Blinds 75,000/150,000, 150,000 ante
It was the end of the road for Joshua Prager after he jammed from the button for 2,250,000 and was called by Andrew Moreno in the big blind to be at risk.
Joshua Prager: A♠10♥
Andrew Moreno: A♦3♥
Prager dominated Moreno's hand, but the flop was an ominous one as it fanned out 5♥10♠2♠ to give Moreno a gutshot.
The 4♠ turn was not what Prager wanted to see, as it gave Moreno the wheel. The 7♥ river was the last card Prager would see in the tournament.
Prager would earn $89,620 for his third-place finish.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
13,200,000
4,600,000
|
4,600,000 |
|
Busted |
Level 29
: Blinds 75,000/150,000, 150,000 ante
Jackson Spencer's tournament run came to an end when Andrew Moreno bet 2,000,000 from the small blind, which was enough to put Spencer all in. Spencer called for 1,500,000 from the big blind to be at risk.
Jackson Spencer: A♥K♣
Andrew Moreno: 8♦4♥
Spencer had a monster hand in the big blind, but Moreno was not far behind as they went into the runout. The 7♠2♣4♣ flop vaulted Moreno into the lead.
The 4♦ turn was a disaster for Spencer as Moreno upgraded to trips, which spelled the demise of Spencer. The meaningless A♦ hit the river to eliminate Spencer in fourth place.
Spencer earned $61,220 for his finish.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
8,600,000
3,500,000
|
3,500,000 |
|
Busted |
Level: 29
Blinds: 75,000/150,000
Ante: 150,000
Level 28
: Blinds 75,000/125,000, 125,000 ante
Playares are on break for 15 minutes. The blinds will resume at 75,000/150,000.
Level 28
: Blinds 75,000/125,000, 125,000 ante
Joshua Prager opened to 350,000 from the button, and Andrew Moreno defended his big blind.
The 8♠A♠6♥ flop led to a check from Moreno before Prager bet 400,000. Moreno called and sent them to a turn.
The 10♣ turn was checked again by Moreno. This time, Prager went all-in for approximately 1,700,000. Moreno folded to award the pot to Prager.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
5,100,000
450,000
|
450,000 |
|
|
3,500,000
600,000
|
600,000 |
Level 28
: Blinds 75,000/125,000, 125,000 ante
Andrew Moreno opened the hand with a raise to 250,000 from the button. Jackson Spencer pushed back from the small blind with a re-raise to 775,000.
Moreno paused for a moment before he shoved, which garnered a quick fold from Spencer.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
5,550,000
500,000
|
500,000 |
|
|
2,975,000
1,075,000
|
1,075,000 |
Level 28
: Blinds 75,000/125,000, 125,000 ante
Hamed Valizadegan opened to 250,000 from the button, and Jackson Spencer defended his big blind to send them to a flop.
Spencer checked the 7♥5♣3♣ flop, which led to a bet of 125,000 from Valizadegan. Spencer called to see a turn.
The 10♠ turn led to Spencer taking the lead with a bet of 375,000. Valizadegan took inventory before he made the fold to award Spencer the pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
4,050,000
625,000
|
625,000 |
|
|
3,300,000
450,000
|
450,000 |
