The RunGood Poker Series (RGPS) is heading to San Antonio for the first time, with its Golden Expedition stop at The Lodge Card Club running November 5 to 15, 2026. The 11-day stop features 14 ring events, a $100,000 guaranteed $300 PokerNews PowerStack, and a $600 Main Event with at least $200,000 guaranteed. The Lodge is described as one of the biggest poker rooms in Texas and is known for action-packed cash games; the article notes this is not the Austin location of the same brand. For Texas players, it is a convenient chance to play a well-known regional tour without the cost of a Las Vegas trip. Our tournaments page helps you compare festivals across the country.
Why This Stop Matters
RGPS has built a reputation as a regional tour that offers moderate buy-ins, large starting stacks and a consistent structure from stop to stop. Its first appearance at The Lodge in San Antonio comes at an interesting time for Texas poker, where cardrooms are in the news for regulatory and enforcement reasons. A major series at an established room adds legitimacy and gives local players an event they can plan around.
PokerNews is scheduled to live-report the $600 Main Event, so results will be visible to followers around the world.
Key Events
The headline events are:
- $300 PokerNews PowerStack (No-Limit Hold'em): November 5-8, $100,000 guaranteed, 30,000 starting stack. There are five Day 1 flights from November 5 to 7, and the Day 2 finals begin November 8 at 11 a.m. The PowerStack is described as a staple at every RGPS stop.
- $600 Main Event: Day 1 flights begin November 12, with at least $200,000 guaranteed and 40,000 starting stacks. Seven Day 1 flights (A to G) run through November 15, with Flight G a turbo on November 15 at 9 a.m. The Day 2 finals begin November 15 at 2 p.m.
- $400 Closer Ring Event: November 15 at 4 p.m., 30,000 stack, $20,000 guaranteed. It is the final event of the stop.
- $200 Ladies Ring Event: November 8 at 5 p.m., 30,000 stack.
- $300 Seniors Ring Event: November 9 at noon, 30,000 stack, $10,000 guaranteed.
- $300 Big O (Omaha): November 9 at 2 p.m., 30,000 stack.
- $300 Five-Card PLO: November 10 at 2 p.m., 30,000 stack.
- $300 PLO: November 11 at 3 p.m., 30,000 stack, $20,000 guaranteed.
The Full Schedule
| Date | Time | Event | Stack | Guarantee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 5 | 5 PM | $300 PowerStack Flight A | 30,000 | $100,000 |
| Nov 6 | 11 AM | $300 PowerStack Flight B | 30,000 | $100,000 |
| Nov 6 | 5 PM | $300 PowerStack Flight C | 30,000 | $100,000 |
| Nov 7 | 11 AM | $300 PowerStack Flight D | 30,000 | $100,000 |
| Nov 7 | 5 PM | $300 PowerStack Flight E | 30,000 | $100,000 |
| Nov 8 | 11 AM | $300 PowerStack Day 2 Finals | n/a | n/a |
| Nov 8 | 1 PM | $300 Black Chip Bounty | 30,000 | n/a |
| Nov 8 | 5 PM | $200 Ladies | 30,000 | n/a |
| Nov 9 | 12 PM | $300 Seniors | 30,000 | $10,000 |
| Nov 9 | 2 PM | $300 Big O | 30,000 | n/a |
| Nov 9 | 5 PM | $300 ($150 per player) Tag Team | 30,000 | n/a |
| Nov 10 | 11 AM | $200 Six-Max | 30,000 | n/a |
| Nov 10 | 2 PM | $300 Five-Card PLO | 30,000 | n/a |
| Nov 10 | 5 PM | $300 Summit Stack | 30,000 | $30,000 |
| Nov 11 | 11 AM | $200 One Day NLH | 25,000 | n/a |
| Nov 11 | 3 PM | $300 PLO | 30,000 | $20,000 |
| Nov 12-14 | Various | $600 Main Event Flights A-F | 40,000 | $200,000 |
| Nov 13 | 9 PM | $200 Turbo | 25,000 | n/a |
| Nov 15 | 9 AM | $600 Main Event Flight G (Turbo) | 40,000 | $200,000 |
| Nov 15 | 2 PM | $600 Main Event Day 2 Finals | n/a | n/a |
| Nov 15 | 4 PM | $400 Closer | 30,000 | $20,000 |
The main-event flight times are 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. on November 12 and 13 (Flights A to D) and November 14 (Flights E and F), followed by the turbo Flight G on November 15 at 9 a.m.
Reading the Structure
Deep stacks. Most events start with 30,000 chips, and the Main Event starts with 40,000. Deep starting stacks give skilled players more room to outplay opponents, which tends to favour regulars over recreational players. If you want to learn how to use that room, our poker strategy hub and how to bluff guide cover the fundamentals.
Multiple flights. Seven Day 1 flights for the Main Event, plus five for the PowerStack, let players pick the schedule that suits them. The turbo Flight G is a shortcut for people who want a faster path to Day 2, but a turbo structure raises variance, so it suits players comfortable with shorter stacks. Our ICM explainer and pot odds explainer help with short-stack decisions.
Variety. Omaha, five-card PLO, six-max, tag team, ladies and seniors events give nearly every type of player something to enter. The tag-team event at $300 ($150 per player) is a social format. For game variety, see our Omaha guide and hold'em vs Omaha comparison.
Guarantees. The $100,000 PowerStack guarantee at $300 means a field of at least 334 entries before accounting for fees (simple division: $100,000 divided by $300 is roughly 333). The $600 Main Event's $200,000 guarantee needs a similar number of entries. These are simple back-of-envelope figures; the real break-even depends on how much of each buy-in goes to fees, which the announcement does not give. They are useful, though, for judging how realistic an overlay is.
The Texas Context
Texas has a complicated relationship with poker. Card rooms operate under a legal framework that has attracted attention, and recent headlines have covered police raids on poker clubs in the state. This RGPS stop is a separate story, but it highlights the demand for organised, branded live poker in the region. For the game that dominates Texas rooms, see our Texas hold'em page, and for the difference between live and online options, our online poker vs live poker comparison is a useful read.
What This Means for Players
Budget for the series. With 14 ring events, it is easy to overspend. A realistic plan might target the PowerStack or the Main Event plus one or two side events. Our bankroll management guide explains how to set a tournament budget.
Choose your flight carefully. Weekend flights tend to draw bigger fields, which can lower your chance of a deep run but increase the prize pool. Weekday flights may offer softer competition per player.
Pay attention to fees and structure. A 40,000 starting stack in the Main Event gives more play than a 25,000 stack in a One Day or Turbo event.
Play the format you know. If you prefer Omaha, the Big O, five-card PLO and PLO events are options. If you prefer hold'em, the PowerStack and Main Event are the core.
Consider cash games. The Lodge is known for cash games, so players who bust early can find action. See our cash games page and cash games vs tournaments comparison for strategy.
Outlook
RGPS's first stop at The Lodge in San Antonio is a worthwhile addition to the autumn calendar. With a $100,000 guaranteed PowerStack, a $200,000 guaranteed Main Event and a wide mix of side events, the series gives Texas players a convenient, reasonably priced option. The Main Event final table on November 15 will be the highlight, and PokerNews coverage will make it easy to follow the action.