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$400 PokerNews Cup
Day 2 Completed
2026 PokerNews Cup Thunder Valley
$400 PokerNews Cup
Day: 2
Event Info
2026 PokerNews Cup Thunder Valley
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 2
Buy-in
$400
Prize Pool
$306,340
Total Entries
901
Level
31
Blinds
200,000 / 400,000
Ante
400,000
Entries
88
Players Left
1
Players Left 1 / 901
Filter
Level 31
: Blinds 200,000/400,000, 400,000 ante
After a dominant opening flight of the $400 PokerNews Cup at Thunder Valley Casino Resort, Xiong Thao decided to change his approach for the final day. Despite successive recent months filled with big results, the local regular did not want this tournament to slip away.
“I almost feel like for myself, I tend to self-sabotage sometimes," Thao, known to friends as Peter, told PokerNews moments after winning fourth RunGood Poker Series ring at the RGPS Passport Season Finale. "Because I'm like, oh man, I have all the chips, I'm expecting myself to win. And then all of a sudden it's like, oh man, I did too many things, I thought I could get away with all these things. I've made a bluff here and there, and then before I know it, I'm out in 18th."
"But, you know, changed it up this time and just kind of was very present, was very in the moment and didn't let any moment get too big or too small."
Thao navigated those moments like the seasoned champion that he has become, outlasting a field of 901 entries to take home the top prize of the $306,340 prize pool. He entered heads-up against Farzad Abbaszadeh and closed it out for the title, along with the PokerNews trophy.
The fourth and most recent RGPS ring comes one day short of a calendar year after his first, when he took two victories at the season-ending series last summer in this very room.
The other also came at Thunder Valley, winning the $300 No Limit Hold'em event at the RGPS Dream Factory last December. The first-place prize of $48, 340 ranks as Thao's fourth-largest career score according to The Hendon Mob.
$400 PokerNews Cup Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Xiong Thao | United States | $48,340 |
| 2 | Farzad Abbaszadeh | United States | $32,000 |
| 3 | Vijesh Suseela | United States | $23,800 |
| 4 | Elijah Obel-Jorgensen | United States | $17,800 |
| 5 | Khamla Kounlavouth | United States | $13,500 |
| 6 | Vy Nguyen | United States | $10,300 |
| 7 | Jeevandeep Singh | United States | $7,900 |
| 8 | Christopher Johnson | United States | $6,100 |
Wire-to-Wire Win
Thao entered the final day leading the remaining 88 contenders by a wide margin, having bagged almost 40 starting stacks on Day 1a. Nobody from the other three flights was able to catch him, and that trend continued as the field was rapidly trimmed down.
Thao quickly scored a pair of early knockouts to pad his stack even further, and maintained his spot among the chip leaders as the final table neared. He entered the final nine sitting sixth in chips, and watched Christopher Rudd, Christopher Johnson, Jeevandeep Singh and Vy Nguyen all exit to lock up a five-figure score.
From there, Thao took over as he knocked out every other player on his way to victory. Khamla Kounlavouth fell to Thao in fifth place, followed by Elijah Obel-Jorgensen as his next victim in fourth.
Thao then took care of Vijesh Suseela in third, before his heads-up duel with Abbaszadeh ended fittingly with a dominant spot for the final knockout. Thao's friends rushed over to congratulate him, something that is quickly becoming a familiar feeling over the past year.
RunGood Success
Thao is clearly no stranger to success at Thunder Valley, but his RunGood prowess also took him to Japan. The newest RGPS ring winner took down a qualifier to the 2026 RGPS Passport Japan series in April, but had to put that trip on hold.
"Initially I won the invitational, which had a $2,000 package to Japan. But then I had a wedding and then a couple of other family events during that weekend of the tournament that I was supposed to go play."
"So (they) gave me the money for the package, and then I just rescheduled for just literally two weeks ago. Just got back two weeks ago, and it was amazing."
After creating memories in Japan, Thao captures his latest in the long line of recent wins and earns a big trophy to take home. When asked where he plans to keep it, that was still to be determined.
"I don't right now, but I'm gonna have to make the room for it, of course."
That concludes our coverage of the first weekend at Thunder Valley, but PokerNews live reporting will return this week for the $600 The Hendon Mob Mid-Major Championship. Also be sure to check out other events around the poker world, as the coverage calendar continues to fill up.
Level 31
: Blinds 200,000/400,000, 400,000 ante
Xiong Thao has gone wire-to-wire to win the $400 PokerNews Cup at Thunder Valley, carrying the largest Day 1 stack to victory to take home $48,340.
Thao outlasted a field of 901 entries, defeating Farzad Abbaszadeh heads-up to earn the PokerNews trophy and RunGood Poker Series ring.
Stay tuned for a recap of the final day, along with reaction from the champion.
$400 PokerNews Cup Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Xiong Thao | United States | $48,340 |
| 2 | Farzad Abbaszadeh | United States | $32,000 |
| 3 | Vijesh Suseela | United States | $23,800 |
| 4 | Elijah Obel-Jorgensen | United States | $17,800 |
| 5 | Khamla Kounlavouth | United States | $13,500 |
| 6 | Vy Nguyen | United States | $10,300 |
| 7 | Jeevandeep Singh | United States | $7,900 |
| 8 | Christopher Johnson | United States | $6,100 |
Level 31
: Blinds 200,000/400,000, 400,000 ante
Xiong Thao announced all in on the button, and Farzad Abbaszadeh checked his cards before making the call. That represented the first all in showdown of the heads-up battle, with Abbaszadeh at risk.
Farzad Abbaszadeh: K♠5♣ 
Xiong Thao: K♣6♦
Thao had Abbaszadeh pipped, and remained in front after the A♥8♣3♦ flop. Thao then hit the 6♣ turn to leave Abbaszadeh drawing dead, and the Q♣ river completed the board.
The two players shook hands, as Abbaszadeh finished in the runner-up position.
Level 31
: Blinds 200,000/400,000, 400,000 ante
Xiong Thao raised to 900,000 on the button, and Farzad Abbaszadeh defended his big blind to see the 3♥A♠2♠ flop. Abbaszadeh checked, and Thao continued for 500,000.
Abbaszadeh slid in a call, and both players checked the 4♠ turn. Abbaszadeh checked again on the 9♥ river, and Thao checked it back.
Abbaszadeh showed A♣A♦, and Thao nodded as he mucked his cards.
Level 31
: Blinds 200,000/400,000, 400,000 ante
Farzad Abbaszadeh limped on the button, and Xiong Thao raised to 1,000,000 in the big blind. Abbaszadeh called, and the J♦K♦8♦ flop was fanned out.
Thao bet another 1,000,000, forcing a fold from Abbaszadeh.
On the next hand, Thao opened to 900,000 on the button and Abbaszadeh called in the big blind. The 3♦3♠7♥ flop saw Abbaszadeh checked, folding again when Thao bet 500,000.
Level: 31
Blinds: 200,000/400,000
Ante: 400,000
Level 30
: Blinds 150,000/300,000, 300,000 ante
Xiong Thao checked the 5♣8♦2♠ flop from the big blind, and Farzad Abbaszadeh did the same on the button. Thao led out for 600,000 on the J♠ turn, and Abbaszadeh made the call.
Thao slid out another 600,000 on the 6♦ river, and Abbaszadeh took a moment before sticking in the call. Thao showed 10♣9♦ for a missed straight draw, and Abbaszadeh tabled K♥5♥ for a pair of fives to take the pot.
Level 30
: Blinds 150,000/300,000, 300,000 ante
In the very next hand, Vijesh Suseela moved all in for 3,025,000 under the gun and Xiong Thao called from the big blind.
Vijesh Suseela: A♦9♥
Xiong Thao: Q♥10♥
Suseela got it in good but fell behind on the 6♥Q♠5♠ flop. Neither the 4♠ turn nor 7♣ river helped Suseela and his run came to an end in third place.
Level 30
: Blinds 150,000/300,000, 300,000 ante
Xiong Thao raised to 600,000 under the gun and Elijah Obel-Jorgensen called from the small blind. Farzad Abbaszadeh came along from the big and it was three-way action to a flop of 3♦6♣6♦.
Two checks saw Thao continue for 300,000, Obel-Jorgensen check-jammed for around 3,700,000, and Abbaszadeh got out of the way. Thao snap-called and the hands were turned up.
Elijah Obel-Jorgensen: K♦2♦
Xiong Thao: 10♥6♥
Thao had flopped trips but Obel-Jorgensen had a flush draw. The 8♦ turn completed the flush draw, but Thao was drawing live to a full house.
The 3♥ river did in fact pair the board to fill him up and send Obel-Jorgensen out the door in fourth place.
