A Change of Plans Pays Off in a Big Way
What began as a canceled trip turned into a poker payday for Nicholas Burris, who captured the RunGood Poker Series (RGPS) Tulsa Grand Prix $800 Main Event at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa. Burris navigated through a tough 469-entry field to pocket $65,435, claiming the lion’s share of the $328,300 prize pool.
Final Table Results
| Rank | Player | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nicholas Burris | $65,435 |
| 2 | Dexter Wise | $43,627 |
| 3 | Wesley Jones | $32,627 |
| 4 | John Heckenkamp | $24,104 |
| 5 | Bobby Randolph | $18,190 |
| 6 | Mika Evans | $13,869 |
| 7 | Freeman Allen | $10,684 |
| 8 | Terry Harrell | $8,318 |
| 9 | Jon Kreder | $6,544 |
Burris Makes the Most of His Shot
When his travel plans unexpectedly fell apart, Burris decided to take a friend’s advice and jump into the RGPS Main Event. That spontaneous decision ended up yielding one of the biggest scores of his career. A husband and father of three, Burris hasn’t been playing as frequently in recent years while focusing on family life — but his return to the felt couldn’t have gone better.
Burris said, “My oldest (son) loves poker, so he’s going to love the ring, and he’s just going to be grinning it up after this. It’s going to be hilarious.”
From Key Bluff Call to Total Control
The final table featured tense, tactical play, including a grueling six-handed stalemate that stretched for more than 90 minutes before another elimination. Burris’ breakthrough came when he called a river bluff by Mika Evans for a crucial double-up, soaring past 3.5 million in chips. From there, he never looked back — eliminating Evans (6th), Bobby Randolph (5th), John Heckenkamp (4th), and finally Dexter Wise (2nd) to lock up the championship.
Once the action got down to four-handed, Burris said he felt confident in his ability to close out the win.
A Career Milestone for Burris
This victory represents the second-largest cash of Burris’ career, surpassing his previous RGPS title from the 2019 Council Bluffs Main Event. The win now pushes his total live earnings past $400,000, according to The Hendon Mob.
“I have a little more right to go play,” Burris joked when asked if he planned to return to the circuit more often after this win.
Day 2 Action: Fast and Furious
Day 2 kicked off with plenty of fireworks as players traded big pots in pursuit of a slice of the six-figure prize pool. Notables such as Eric Bunch, Forrest Kollar, Marvin Donaldson, Craig Savage, and Rob Gardner all fell before the final three tables.
John Lopez, the Day 1a chip leader, and Bobby Randolph, who led Day 1b, both continued their strong performances deep into the tournament. Wesley Jones entered the final table as chip leader, but his momentum came to an abrupt halt when his pocket queens were cracked by Burris’ flopped full house — a decisive moment that shifted the tides and sent Burris barreling toward victory.
