Phuong Ta won the RunGood Poker Series Jacksonville and $71,353

Phuong “Peter” Ta became the champion of the RunGood Poker Series Jacksonville Main Event, claiming victory and taking home the top prize of $71,353.

Phuong “Peter” Ta scored a convincing victory in the RunGood Poker Series Golden Expedition Jacksonville Main Event with a $1,200 buy-in, becoming the champion and taking home the biggest prize of his poker career — $71,353. The tournament’s final table wrapped up only after 2 a.m., and the road to the title for the nail salon owner from Bluffton, South Carolina, was truly dramatic. RGPS Jacksonville Main Event Final Table Results The final table featured nine players, each of whom made it through a tough field of 394 entries. Here are the prize winners and their payouts: 1st place — Phuong Ta — $71,353 2nd place — Corey Major — $66,353 3rd place — Sandro Sa — $36,154 4th place — Dustin Bennett — $26,291 5th place — Sokol Curri — $19,361 6th place — Afnan Chowdhury — $14,469 7th place — Grant Palmer — $11,032 8th place — Mary Darnell — $10,434 9th place — Antwan Prince — $8,987 The tournament’s total prize pool was substantial, and the battle for the title was intense right up to the end. Phuong Ta’s Journey: From Short Stack to Champion Phuong Ta’s victory story began on Day 1 of the tournament. On the second starting flight (Day 1b), he was on the verge of elimination with just 3,000 chips — less than 10% of the starting stack. However, Ta managed a comeback: first tripling up, then doubling up, and eventually taking the chip lead. Phuong Ta has been playing poker for over 20 years, but only in the last 12 months has he started focusing more on tournaments. His previous major successes include a final table at the Wynn Fall Classic in Las Vegas in 2021, where he won $67,000, as well as a final table in the WSOP Circuit Main Event in Cherokee, North Carolina, last year. In 2023, he finished 14th in this very tournament at bestbet Jacksonville. At the start of this series, Ta had nearly $200,000 in live tournament winnings (according to Hendon Mob), but a major title had eluded him until now. Ta was determined to change that. According to his supporters, he had said in advance that he planned to win the tournament this year, even though his recent results had been disappointing. Despite his main job, poker remains his passion, and after this victory he intends to keep playing: “I always come back. I play for fun and love competing with strong players,” he shared after his win. Day 2: Early Bustouts and the Race for the Final Table The second day of play started with 50 participants, and Phuong Ta was the chip leader. Well-known players were eliminated early in the day: Blake Ellinghaus (WPT champion) — 48th place Kelley Slay — 47th place Ricky Patel (2024 runner-up) — 45th place Chris Conrad — 39th place Katerina Lukina (wife of Chris Conrad) — 37th place Caleb Powell — 32nd place Josh Adkins, another WPT champion, busted in 22nd place after his set lost to Sokol Curri’s straight in a big pot. Just short of the final table were Andrew Difeo (15th place), charismatic Sean Etheridge (14th place), and Edward Mroczkowski (12th place). Mike Scalice finished 10th, setting the final nine. Interestingly, last year’s champion of this tournament, Antwan Prince, started the final table as chip leader with a stack of 1,950,000 chips. Final Table: Lead Changes and Key Hands From the very start of the final table, things changed quickly. Phuong Ta took the lead after making a nut flush on the river against Antwan Prince. This loss was critical for Prince: soon after, he was all-in with A-5 against Corey Major’s pocket eights and couldn’t improve, finishing 9th. Mary Darnell, who qualified for the tournament via a $200 Flip n’ Go satellite, got it in with top pair aces, but Sokol Curri made a flush on the turn. Despite busting, Darnell turned her ticket into $10,434 for 8th place. Corey Major then extended his lead, knocking out Grant Palmer (7th place) and continuing to dominate the table. In one key hand, Major made a Broadway straight, cracking Palmer’s pocket aces. After that, he controlled nearly 65% of all chips at the table when four players remained. The Climax: Battle for the Title and Heads-Up But even such a big lead didn’t guarantee victory. Major tried to bluff on the river, but Sandro Sa called with a pair of aces, taking some chips from Major. Over the next 90 minutes, the final four battled for a spot in the top three. Dustin Bennett, left short-stacked, got it in against Ta, who made two pair on the turn and sent Bennett out in 4th place. Sandro Sa doubled up against Major with aces versus jacks, closing the gap. Then Sa doubled again through Ta, making a flush on the river against pocket sevens. Soon after, Ta was all-in with A-K against Sa’s pocket sixes, and with both straight and flush draws, he made a flush on the river to stay alive. Sa soon found himself in trouble: all-in with A-5 against Major’s A-K, he survived with a five on the river, but in the very next hand his A-10 couldn’t beat Major’s Q-J — a queen on the flop gave Major top pair, and Sa finished 3rd. Heads-Up: Deal and Phuong Ta’s Victory At the start of heads-up, Ta led with 7,725,000 to Major’s 4,100,000. Corey Major managed to double up and even take the lead after flopping trip kings. By this point, the tournament was in its 14th hour, and it was close to 2 a.m. The players agreed to a deal, each locking up $66,353, with $5,000 and the champion’s title left to play for. After the deal, Ta started playing more aggressively, frequently shoving and putting pressure on Major. In the decisive hand, Major was all-in with 8-6, and Ta called with an ace. An ace hit the flop, and by the turn it was clear Major had no outs — Ta became the tournament champion. The RGPS Jacksonville win is the biggest achievement of Phuong Ta’s poker career. Now his photo will join the autographs of famous players on the walls of the bestbet Jacksonville poker room, which has hosted WPT stops and other major series for nearly 15 years. Context: RunGood Poker Series and the bestbet Jacksonville Venue The RunGood Poker Series (RGPS) is a popular live tournament series that attracts strong players from across the country. The Jacksonville stop was held at bestbet Jacksonville, a venue known for hosting major events, including WPT stops. This year, the series’ main event drew 394 entries at a $1,200 buy-in, ensuring a solid prize pool and tough competition. bestbet Jacksonville is one of the largest poker clubs in the region, regularly hosting prestigious tournaments. Over the years, many well-known pros have played here, and the poker room’s walls are decorated with autographs of past champions. Key Final Table Players and Their Tournament Journeys Phuong Ta — the champion, who made a comeback from 3,000 chips on Day 1b to victory and the biggest prize of his career. Corey Major — led confidently with four players left, knocked out several opponents, but lost to Ta in heads-up. Sandro Sa — doubled up several times, made the top three, but lost a key coin flip to Major. Dustin Bennett — finished 4th, losing to Ta in a hand where Ta made two pair. Sokol Curri — made a mark on Day 2 by busting Josh Adkins, but finished 5th. Afnan Chowdhury — 6th place after Major’s dominance. Grant Palmer — busted after a Broadway straight hand against aces. Mary Darnell — qualified via Flip n’ Go, finished 8th and earned $10,434. Antwan Prince — last year’s champion, started the final table as chip leader but was the first finalist to bust. Final Table Payouts Place Player Prize 1 Phuong Ta $71,353 2 Corey Major $66,353 3 Sandro Sa $36,154 4 Dustin Bennett $26,291 5 Sokol Curri $19,361 6 Afnan Chowdhury $14,469 7 Grant Palmer $11,032 8 Mary Darnell $10,434 9 Antwan Prince $8,987 Key Hands and Final Table Dynamics The final table was marked by dramatic swings. The chip lead changed hands several times, and big stacks didn’t guarantee success. Some key moments: Phuong Ta, short-stacked on Day 1b, managed to triple up and double up, which set him on his winning path. Antwan Prince, who started the final table as chip leader, quickly lost his advantage after losing a flush to Ta and busted in 9th place. Corey Major dominated four-handed play, knocking out Chowdhury and Curri, but then lost several big hands, including a bluff against Sandro Sa. Sandro Sa doubled up twice, but in a crucial all-in lost to Major and finished 3rd. In heads-up, Ta and Major agreed to a deal, after which Ta played more aggressively and closed out the match for the win. What This Means for PPPoker Club Players For PPPoker club members, this story is a clear example that even from the toughest situations, you can come out on top. Phuong Ta was on the brink of elimination with just 3,000 chips, but thanks to smart play and composure, he not only got back in the game but won the tournament. This proves that in poker, it’s important not to give up and to seize every opportunity for a comeback. This tournament also shows how important it is to adapt to table dynamics and be able to change your playing style. Ta wasn’t afraid to take risks when needed and used aggression in heads-up to finish off his opponent. For PPPoker players, it’s useful to train not only technical skills but also mental resilience to handle long sessions and sudden swings. Finally, Mary Darnell’s success, qualifying for the tournament via a Flip n’ Go satellite, proves that even with a small investment you can compete for big prizes. PPPoker clubs regularly host satellites and quick-entry formats — don’t miss your chance to get into major events and show what you can do!