Henri Perez Lopez: From Local Tournament Regular to RunGood Champion

Henri Perez Lopez entered the summer of 2026 as a relatively unfamiliar name outside Northern California poker circles. That changed at Thunder Valley Casino Resort, where he defeated a 1,096-entry field to win the $600 Hendon Mob Mid-Major Championship for $83,380.

The result gave Lopez his first RunGood Poker Series title and, by a wide margin, the largest recorded live tournament cash of his career. More importantly, it turned a longtime ambition into a defining poker achievement.

Who Is Henri Perez Lopez?

Henri Perez Lopez is a United States poker player whose recorded tournament history is closely connected to Thunder Valley Casino Resort in Lincoln, California.

Unlike many established tournament professionals, Lopez had little national media exposure before his 2026 RunGood victory. Available public records show a player who accumulated results gradually in regional events before breaking through on a much larger stage.

Lopez told PokerNews that he learned no-limit Texas hold’em when he was young, with friends and coworkers helping introduce him to the game while he worked at a restaurant. He maintained confidence that he could eventually win an important tournament, even as that breakthrough took time to arrive.

Reliable public information does not establish his age, birthplace, present occupation, or current residence. Those details should therefore not be treated as confirmed.

Early Tournament Results at Thunder Valley

Lopez’s connection to Thunder Valley predates his RunGood title by nearly a decade.

In July 2017, he finished 15th in a $160 no-limit hold’em bounty event during the Ante Up World Championship at the casino. The tournament drew 150 entries, and Lopez earned $192. Although modest compared with his later victory, the result helps document his participation in Northern California tournament poker years before his national breakthrough.

Historical Hendon Mob ranking pages also credited Lopez with tournament earnings before 2019 and listed him among players recording at least one victory in 2018. The currently indexed player page, however, appears incomplete or slow to incorporate all of his results. Career totals should consequently be treated as subject to database updates.

A WSOP Circuit Cash in 2026

Before his RunGood breakthrough, Lopez recorded a cash during the January 2026 World Series of Poker Circuit stop at Thunder Valley.

He finished 28th in a $400 eight-handed no-limit hold’em ring event, earning $802. The tournament attracted 268 entries. It was not a major score, but it provided another documented result at the same casino where he would produce his career-defining performance six months later.

Breakthrough at the Hendon Mob Mid-Major Championship

Lopez’s career changed during the 2026 RunGood Poker Series Passport Season Finale.

The $600 Hendon Mob Mid-Major Championship generated 1,096 entries and a $577,720 prize pool. Lopez advanced from an opening flight with 481,000 chips, the second-largest stack from that flight, before navigating the final day and reaching the championship table.

His ascent accelerated with five players remaining. After eliminating Gregory Pon in fifth place, Lopez held approximately twice as many chips as his nearest opponent. He then knocked out Aaron Overton in fourth and Jedidiah Hoffman in third, taking more than 85% of the chips into heads-up play against Ryan Awwad.

That advantage did not produce an easy finish.

Awwad doubled four times during heads-up play and eventually overturned the deficit, at one stage holding a two-to-one chip lead. Lopez responded by surviving several critical all-ins, including one in which pocket fours held against ace-seven. He later doubled again with ace-seven against pocket deuces after pairing his ace on the flop.

Lopez regained control after turning a straight against Awwad’s three of a kind. In the final hand, Awwad moved all in with eight-five suited, and Lopez called with ace-five of hearts. A heart on the turn completed Lopez’s flush and secured the title.

The victory paid Lopez $83,380. Awwad earned $55,000 as the runner-up, while Jedidiah Hoffman collected $41,000 for third place.

Henri Perez Lopez’s Major Poker Accomplishments

Lopez’s publicly documented résumé is still developing, but his most significant results include:

• Winning the 2026 RGPS $600 Hendon Mob Mid-Major Championship for $83,380.

• Defeating a field of 1,096 entries at Thunder Valley Casino Resort.

• Capturing his first recorded RunGood Poker Series title.

• Cashing in a 2026 WSOP Circuit ring event at Thunder Valley.

• Recording regional tournament results at the casino dating to at least 2017.

PokerNews reported that Lopez entered the RunGood final day with slightly more than $36,000 in recorded live earnings. The $83,380 victory therefore more than doubled his career total in a single tournament. Live earnings databases change as new results are entered, meaning any career figure should be tied to the date on which it was checked.

Playing Style and Tournament Reputation

There is not yet enough reliable public analysis to define Lopez by a broad label such as tight-aggressive, loose-aggressive, mathematical, or exploitative.

His RunGood final-table performance does reveal several observable qualities. Lopez accumulated chips through repeated eliminations, applied pressure while holding the lead and recovered after losing a commanding heads-up advantage. His willingness to continue competing after Awwad’s comeback proved especially important.

Lopez described himself as calm during the match and acknowledged that both players made strong decisions while luck also played a role. That assessment was consistent with a heads-up contest in which momentum shifted several times before the decisive hand.

A single tournament cannot establish a player’s complete strategic identity. It can, however, demonstrate resilience, and Lopez’s response to adversity became one of the clearest features of his championship run.

Why Henri Perez Lopez’s Victory Matters

Lopez’s win represents the kind of breakthrough that makes mid-major tournament poker compelling.

He was not an established high roller entering the event. He did not arrive with a résumé filled with televised final tables or major-tour trophies. Instead, he converted years of regional tournament experience into an $83,380 score against more than 1,000 entries.

The victory also illustrates the role tours such as RunGood and events carrying the Hendon Mob name play within the live poker ecosystem. Their moderate buy-ins allow regional players to compete for meaningful prize pools without entering events costing several thousand dollars.

For Lopez, the result changed the scale of his recorded career. It gave him a recognized tournament title, established a new personal best cash and placed his name alongside the champions of a nationally followed poker tour.

Where His Career Stands

Henri Perez Lopez remains an emerging player rather than a fully documented professional with an extensive public biography.

His future tournament schedule has not been publicly confirmed, and there is not enough verified information to project whether he will pursue poker professionally or continue competing primarily in regional events.

What is established is that Lopez has played tournaments at Thunder Valley for years and has now won the largest title of his recorded career at that venue. His next results will determine whether the 2026 Hendon Mob Mid-Major Championship becomes a singular breakthrough or the beginning of a larger tournament résumé.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Henri Perez Lopez?

Henri Perez Lopez is a United States poker player who won the 2026 RunGood Poker Series $600 Hendon Mob Mid-Major Championship at Thunder Valley Casino Resort.

How much did Henri Perez Lopez win?

Lopez earned $83,380 for winning the tournament.

How many entries were in the tournament?

The event attracted 1,096 entries and generated a $577,720 prize pool.

Who did Henri Perez Lopez defeat heads-up?

Lopez defeated Ryan Awwad, who received $55,000 for second place.

What was the final hand?

Awwad moved all in with eight-five suited, and Lopez called with ace-five of hearts. Lopez completed a flush on the turn to win the championship.

Does Henri Perez Lopez have a WSOP bracelet or Circuit ring?

No verified source reviewed for this profile credits Lopez with a WSOP bracelet or Circuit ring. He has recorded a cash in a WSOP Circuit event.

What are Henri Perez Lopez’s career poker earnings?

PokerNews reported that he had slightly more than $36,000 in live earnings before collecting $83,380 in July 2026. Database totals may change as results are added or corrected.

Sources

• PokerNews tournament recap and live reporting

• RunGood Poker Series official results

• The Hendon Mob poker database

• World Series of Poker tournament results

• Global Poker Index tournament records

• Ante Up Magazine tournament archives