$1,200 Main Event Day 1ab | 2026 Great Lakes Poker Classic

03-19-2026 20:52 UTC-4

Midena Doubles Through Chan

Liam Gannon

Level 13 : Blinds 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante

Justin Chan raised to 8,000 from under the gun and on the button, Thomas Midena moved all in for 39,000. Action folded back around to Chan who called to put Midena at risk.

Thomas Midena: K♣K♠
Justin Chan: A♠J♣

The board ran out Q♣7♣3♠2♥5♥ and the kings held up for Midena to survive.

Player	Chips	Progress
Justin Chan (CA)	154,000 14,000	14,000
Thomas Midena	78,000 17,000	17,000

Tags: Justin Chan Thomas Midena

03-19-2026 20:43 UTC-4

Schutten Can't Crack Steele

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Liam Gannon

Level 13 : Blinds 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante

Brek Schutten moved all in for 53,000 from early position and action folded around to the big blind where Pat Steele called.

Brek Schutten: Qx10x
Pat Steele: AxQx

No help was brought to the WPT and WSOP champion and he became the first casualty of post registration while MSPT hall of famer Pat Steele got richer.

Player	Chips	Progress
Pat Steele	176,000 55,000	55,000

Brek Schutten	Busted

Tags: Brek Schutten Pat Steele

03-19-2026 20:36 UTC-4

Player	Chips	Progress
Bnayahu Nisanov	318,000 51,000	51,000
Alec Magdan	294,000 76,000	76,000

Abbas Haidar	225,000 225,000	225,000
Conor Caughey	152,000 4,000	4,000
Justin Chan (CA)	140,000 100,000	100,000
Pat Steele	121,000 46,000	46,000

Christopher Moon	106,000 13,000	13,000
Mike Sampson	102,000 24,000	24,000
Kenneth Khosravani	89,000 52,000	52,000
Ron Puleo	85,000 8,500	8,500
Cody Stewart	77,000 14,000	14,000
Thomas Midena	61,000 18,000	18,000
Brek Schutten	53,000 6,000	6,000

Brian Barnes	40,000

Registration Closed

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Liam Gannon

Level 13 : Blinds 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante

A total of 47 entrants came out to play the 11:00 a.m. flight of the Great Lakes Poker Classic $1,200 Main Event.

The tournament clock currently reads 14 players remaining and play will continue until the end of Level 15 or until just five players remain.

Level: 13

Blinds: 2,000/4,000

Ante: 4,000

03-19-2026 20:16 UTC-4

Break

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Liam Gannon

Level 12 : Blinds 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante

The players have gone on a 15-minute break.

03-19-2026 20:10 UTC-4

Moon bets out Puleo

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Liam Gannon

Level 12 : Blinds 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante

Action was picked up on the flop in a single raised pot between Ron Puleo in the hijack and Christopher Moon in the cutoff.

The flop rolled out K♦8♣6♣ and Puleo bet 6,000 to see Moon call.

Both players checked the 4♣ on the turn to the Q♣ where Puleo checked over to Moon who bet 20,000.

Puleo wasted little time in folding and the MSPT Battle Creek champion took down the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Christopher Moon	119,000 6,000	6,000
Ron Puleo	93,500 41,500	41,500

Tags: Christopher Moon Ron Puleo

03-19-2026 19:58 UTC-4

"Pick Me Dealer!"

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Liam Gannon

Level 12 : Blinds 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante

Steven Stout raised to 6,000 from middle position and in the big blind, Brek Schutten defended.

"Pick me dealer!" joked Schutten as the flop rolled out K♣9♠2♥. Schutten checked over to Stout who bet 4,000 and Schutten called.

Schutten repeated the chant on the turn as a 5♦ saw both players check.

On the river 10♣, Schutten moved all in for 22,500 which saw Stout recheck his hand before tossing it into the muck.

"I guess she picked me," Schutten said as he raked in the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Steven Stout	68,000 51,000	51,000
Brek Schutten	47,000 7,000	7,000

Tags: Brek Schutten Steven Stout

Level: 12

Blinds: 1,500/3,000

Ante: 3,000

03-19-2026 19:41 UTC-4

Smurr Falls to Nisanov

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Liam Gannon

Level 11 : Blinds 1,500/2,500, 2,500 ante

Ken Smurr called in the hijack and in the cutoff, Alec Magdan raised to 7,500. In the big blind, Bnayahu Nisanov three-bet to 21,000 which prompted Smurr to move all in for 109,000. Magdan folded and Nisanov counted out the stack before putting it into the middle.

Ken Smurr: A♦Q♥
Bnayahu Nisanov: 10♠10♦

The board ran out K♠J♦4♦7♥9♦ and the tens held up for Nisanov to see Smurr exit the tournament.