The Women's Heads-Up event kicked off the new RGPS Dallas season with Shannon Lee taking the title

A new season of the RunGood Poker Series has kicked off in Texas with the PokerNews PowerStack Mystery Bounty tournament. Shannon Lee claimed victory, earning $17,842.

At the beginning of autumn in Grand Prairie, Texas, at the Palace Poker venue, a new season of the popular RunGood Poker Series (RGPS) — Golden Expedition — kicked off. The opening event was a new tournament: the $300 PokerNews PowerStack Mystery Bounty, which attracted 648 entries and a prize pool of $162,000. The main star of the tournament was Shannon Lee, for whom this victory became the most significant in her career: she received $17,842 for first place, additionally earned $3,100 in bounties, and also won her first RGPS championship ring and trophy. Start of the New RGPS Season: Mystery Bounty Format and Its Features The $300 PokerNews PowerStack Mystery Bounty tournament opened the fall calendar of the RGPS Golden Expedition. The RunGood Poker Series is known for its affordable buy-ins and friendly atmosphere, as well as for regularly hosting stops across the country. The venue — Palace Poker in Grand Prairie — had already hosted the RGPS in the spring during the Passport season, but this stage was the first for the new autumn series. The tournament saw 648 players, who faced six starting flights (Day 1). Seventy-nine players advanced to Day 2, and the final table determined the winner of the main prize and the ring. The total prize pool was $162,000, of which $64,800 was allocated to Mystery Bounty payouts — a format where players receive random prizes for knocking out opponents, with the amount unknown in advance. This approach adds an element of surprise and extra excitement: each knockout can bring either the minimum or the maximum amount from the bounty pool. Final Table: Women's Showdown and Prize Distribution The final heads-up featured two women poker players — Shannon Lee and Lynn Samples. Their duel ended rather quickly: Lee claimed victory and took the lion’s share of the prize pool. Here’s how the final table payouts were distributed: 1st place: Shannon Lee — $17,842 + $3,100 (bounty) 2nd place: Lynn Samples 3rd place: Kevin Small 4th place: Javier Urreiztieta 5th place: Ted Bodnar 6th place: Anwesh Baisyat 7th place: Peter Clive 8th place: Nicholas Burnett 9th place: (not specified) Special mention goes to Shannon Eason, who finished in 10th place but managed to claim the two largest Mystery Bounties of the tournament: first she drew the top prize of $10,000, and then the second largest bounty of $7,500. Thus, just from bounties, she earned an amount comparable to the first-place payout. Shannon Lee’s Return After a 15-Year Break The tournament winner, Shannon Lee, spoke about her long journey in poker. She started playing back in the 1990s, when poker was just beginning to gain popularity in the US. According to her, it was her stepfather who introduced her to the game: "My stepdad introduced me to poker in the 90s. I started reading poker books, then bought the WSOP app for Xbox 360. I played it until I learned how to win tournaments and build a bankroll in the game. After that, I moved on to live poker and often played home games in the early 2000s." However, after her daughter was born, Lee stepped away from poker for 15 years. Only when her daughter became a high school student did she return to the tables: "I didn’t play for a long time because I was focused on my family. I came back to poker about a year ago, and since then things have been going really well for me." The RGPS victory was not only her biggest in terms of prize money, but also brought her first championship ring in the series, which holds special significance for many players. Strategy in Mystery Bounty: Focus on the Final Result Shannon Lee shared her approach to the specifics of the Mystery Bounty format. Unlike some opponents, she didn’t focus on aggressive bounty hunting, but preferred to concentrate on making a deep run in the tournament: "The format didn’t change my strategy. I wasn’t chasing bounties, I was aiming for the final payout. If you get too caught up in knocking people out for bounties, you can lose your stack quickly. I just tried to go as far as possible, and considered the bounties a nice bonus." In the end, Lee collected three bounties totaling $3,100, with one of them being a large one — $2,500. She noted that she wasn’t worried about the number of bounties: "Whatever bounties I get, I get. The main thing is the tournament result." Women Dominate: Success at the Final Stage The final day of the tournament was a real triumph for women: three Dallas poker players — Shannon Lee, Lynn Samples, and Shannon Eason — took the top spots in payouts. Shannon Eason stood out in particular, as despite bubbling the final table (10th place), she managed to claim the two largest Mystery Bounties of the tournament — $10,000 and $7,500. This is a unique case where the bounty amount exceeds the payouts for most prize places. Shannon Lee noted that the atmosphere in Texas poker clubs contributes to women’s success: "There are a lot of women playing poker in Texas, and we’re really competitive. I think many men would agree that women here play at a high level. At the same time, our clubs are very friendly: no one tries to intimidate or push anyone out, everyone just enjoys the game." Tournament Table and Payouts Below are the results of the final table of the $300 PokerNews PowerStack Mystery Bounty tournament: 1st place: Shannon Lee — $17,842 + $3,100 (bounty) 2nd place: Lynn Samples 3rd place: Kevin Small 4th place: Javier Urreiztieta 5th place: Ted Bodnar 6th place: Anwesh Baisyat 7th place: Peter Clive 8th place: Nicholas Burnett 10th place: Shannon Eason — $10,000 + $7,500 (bounty) What This Means for PPPoker Club Players For PPPoker club members, this news offers several practical insights. First, the Mystery Bounty format, which is becoming increasingly popular in live series, is gradually being introduced in online clubs as well. It allows players not only to compete for final prizes, but also to earn additional payouts for knocking out opponents, with the reward amount always a surprise. This adds dynamism and makes the game more exciting — it’s worth trying such tournaments in your club. Second, Shannon Lee’s story shows that even after a long break, you can return to poker and achieve success if you maintain discipline and a strategic approach. You don’t have to chase every bounty — sometimes the best tactic is to aim for the final table and not risk your stack unnecessarily. Finally, the success of women at the RGPS final table is another reminder that poker is open to everyone, regardless of gender or age. The friendly atmosphere and support within PPPoker clubs can be the very factor that helps unlock every player’s potential, no matter their experience or time away from the game.