3-Bet: John Fagg, Kasey Orr & Jim Traber Win Live Titles!

In this 3-Bet report, we bring you an update from two live poker stops.

We start with the WSOP Circuit Choctaw Durant, where John Fagg (cover-left) championed a 2,130-strong field in Event #2: $600 NLHE The Gargantuan, banking a career-best $156,041 and his second circuit ring.

Kasey Orr (cover-center) took down the RunGood Poker Series Thunder Valley Main Event for $65,728 following a heads-up with Nicolaus Estrella (2^nd for $65,726).

60-year-old Jim Traber (cover-right) championed WSOP Circuit Event #8: $400 NLHE at Choctaw Durant to win a career-best $36,443.

John Fagg Wins Second WSOPC Ring in Event #2: $600 NLHE at Choctaw Durant For $156,041

John Fagg, a Carpenter from Terre Haute, Indiana, overcame a vast 2,130 entry-field in Event #2: $600 NLHE The Gargantuan at WSOP Circuit Choctaw Durant, winning a career-best $156,041 and his second WSOPC gold ring.

According to his Hendon Mob profile, the 38-year-old John Fagg boosted his live MTT tally to $366,338. Fagg had won his first WSOP Circuit ring in May 2012, when he topped a 320-entry field at Harrah’s New Orleans to win $36,472.

Comparing his recent win to his debut gold ring victory, Fagg said, “Oh, this one is bigger… This one’s bigger for sure, it’s just been a while. I haven’t been playing live poker at all in the last several years; Been playing online mostly.”

When asked how he stayed focused over such an extended period of play, Fagg said, “Just do it, I mean, the money, the ring, the win.”

The $600 buy-in event collected a $1,096,950 prize pool. The top 313 places were paid, and a min-cash was worth $834.

Final Table Results (USD)

1. John Fagg – $156,041
2. Brent Jones – $96,439
3. Vincent Chauve – $71,976
4. Dave Hamilton – $54,282
5. Jael Lewis – $41,371
6. Ruth Hall – $31,869
7. Scott Mikesell – $24,815
8. Curtis Connors – $19,534

Kasey Orr Wins Record-Shattering RGPS Thunder Valley Main Event For $65,728

The RunGood Poker Series $200K GTD Main Event at the Thunder Valley Casino drew a record-shattering 890 entries, collecting a whopping $445,000 prize pool (2.225X times its advertised guarantee).

The Reno, Nevada resident Kasey Orr pretty much dominated the action once the $575 buy-in Main Event got down to the last two tables, even eliminating seven players in a row to life the title. He eventually chopped the title heads-up with Nicolaus Estrella (2^nd for $65,726) to bank a career-best $65,728.

Orr was also awarded the RunGood Contenders trophy and an entry in the season-ending RunGood ProAm at the PokerGO studios in Las Vegas.

In his post-win interview, Kasey Orr said, “It feels good because, one, it’s the biggest victory I’ve ever had, and two, I’ve been playing for ten years never cashed in a tournament this size,” and added, “My wife is here with me, she is my biggest motivator. It’s an intense moment because I do want to start my poker career, and this is definitely kicking that off. I could almost cry right now.”

About his run, Orr added, “It wasn’t too easy to read people, but you basically know when someone’s shoving, they aren’t shoving lightly, there were a few spots where it got tricky, I folded a couple of good hands, and I ran some massive bluffs. I basically almost bluffed my way through the entire final table in tricky spots because mostly I had the range advantage and position.”

“It was just crazy. Going on a run like that on the final table is kinda what people dream of, where you can go on one of those runs.”

The Main Event paid out 112 places, and a min-cash was worth $780.

Some notables to cash the event (but fall short of the final table) included Jeff Platt, Blair Hinkle, Julie Cornelius, Dan ‘Wretchy’ Martin, and Bernard Lee.

Final Table Results (USD)

1. Kasey Orr – $65,728*
2. Nicolaus Estrella – $65,726*
3. Dustin Russell – $34,815
4. Jack Jenco – $26,075
5. Mike Hanson – $19,760
6. Ryan Awwad – $15,755
7. Theresa Cummings – $13,040
8. Daniel Hatch – $10,370
9. Balthazar Villa – $7,790

*denotes a heads-up deal

Jim Traber Champions WSOP Circuit Event#8: $400 NLHE at Choctaw Durant For $36,443

The WSOP Circuit Event #8: $400 NLHE at Choctaw Durant saw 60-year-old Jim Traber topping a 600-entry strong field to win his first WSOPC gold ring and a career-best $36,443. The win pushed Traber`s lifetime live tournament earnings to $92,561.

After the win, Traber said, “It’s crazy… You play a lot of poker. You never think you’re going to get to this point, but you do, and it’s really cool,”

A sports radio host, Trabber, said, “I play a lot of events. But, during football season, I can’t because I’ve got a lot of work. I can’t go from like September, October, November… January is when I start back up and look what happens.”

Traber also stated, “I won a satellite. I was up so late last night and didn’t sleep great. So, I’ll probably play the Main tomorrow. Maybe go celebrate with my wife a little bit today.”

While the win earned Trabber his first WSOP Circuit ring but it was not his first World Series ring. In 1982, he was picked by the Baltimore Orioles in Major League Baseball draft. After retiring from professional sports, Traber began his career in sports radio. He worked as a Fox Sports color analyst, covering the Arizona Diamondbacks during their World Series Championship run in 2001. For this, he was awarded an MLB World Series ring.

The top 91 places were paid with a min-cash worth $404.

Final Table Results (USD)

1. Jim Traber – $36,443
2. Dylan Easley – $22,523
3. Mauricio Acero – $16,712
4. Lisa Schuessler – $12,547
5. Mohammad Berenji-Nataj – $9,532
6. Shannon Stash – $7,329
7. Christos Georgakis – $5,704
8. Daxton Alexander – $4,494
9. Andrew Wong – $3,585

Images and Content Courtesy: WSOP and PokerNews