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

03-19-2026 15:03 UTC-4

Smurr More Than Doubles With An Ace

Liam Gannon

Level 6 : Blinds 400/800, 800 ante

Tim Ebenhoeh called from early position and Clinton Hubble raised to 2,500 in the cutoff. On the button, Ken Smurr moved all in for 25,400 which saw Henry Zou move all in for more in the big blind. Tim Ebenhoeh called to put himself at risk for 8,000 while Hubble showed an A♦ as he folded.

Tim Ebenhoeh: K♥Q♣
Ken Smurr: A♣4♣
Henry Zou: K♥K♦

The board ran out A♥7♠2♠4♠10♣ and the aces and fours were good for Smurr to more than double, leaving Zou short and Ebenhoeh out.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ken Smurr	60,000 31,600	31,600
Henry Zou	4,700 35,200	35,200
Tim Ebenhoeh	Busted

Tags: Clinton Hubble Henry Zou Ken Smurr Tim Ebenhoeh

Level: 6

Blinds: 400/800

Ante: 800

03-19-2026 14:41 UTC-4

Pelekh Doubles Through Ruscitti

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Liam Gannon

Level 5 : Blinds 300/600, 600 ante

Zinoviy Pelekh raised to 1,300 from the hijack and Terry Kocher called in the small blind. In the big blind, Kevin Ruscitti three-bet to 6,500 to see only Pelekh call.

The flop rolled out Q♦9♠8♥ and Ruscitti moved all in for 16,300 to see Pelekh call.

Zinoviy Pelekh: A♦Q♥
Kevin Ruscitti: J♥J♠

The board ran out 7♠8♠ and the queens up was good for Pelekh to double at the expense of Ruscitti.

At other tables, Stephen Wangler, Graham Gardner, and Dalton Potter, were eliminated in the tournament.

Player	Chips	Progress
Kevin Ruscitti	108,000 5,000	5,000
Zinoviy Pelekh	46,600 6,600	6,600
Stephen Wangler	Busted
Graham Gardner	Busted

Tags: Graham Gardner Kevin Ruscitti Stephen Wangler Terry Kocher Zinoviy Pelekh

03-19-2026 14:18 UTC-4

Stout Takes From Jensen; More Entrants

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Liam Gannon

Level 5 : Blinds 300/600, 600 ante

Adam Jensen raised to 1,200 from late position and both Steven Stout in the small blind and Cody Stewart in the big blind called.

The flop rolled out A♣A♠Q♦ and action checked around to Jensen who bet 2,200 to see only Jensen call.

Both players checked the turn 7♣ to the river K♦ where Stout bet 3,600 to a quick fold from Jensen.

Thomas Midena was eliminated at another table while players Alec Magdan and Brady Wieland entered the tournament.

Player	Chips	Progress
Adam Jensen	65,000 7,000	7,000
Steven Stout	48,500 8,500	8,500
Brady Wieland	40,000
Alec Magdan	40,000

Thomas Midena	Busted

Tags: Adam Jensen Alec Magdan Brady Wieland Cody Stewart Steven Stout Thomas Midena

Level: 5

Blinds: 300/600

Ante: 600

03-19-2026 14:00 UTC-4

Smurr Gets There Against Midena

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Liam Gannon

Level 4 : Blinds 300/500, 500 ante

Ken Smurr moved all in for 13,800 in early position and in the big blind, Thomas Midena called.

Ken Smurr: J♠10♥
Thomas Midena: A♦J♥

The board ran out 10♣6♥5♣3♣6♠ and the ten on the flop gave Smurr the best hand to survive.

Player	Chips	Progress
Thomas Midena	29,300 28,500	28,500
Ken Smurr	28,400 29,900	29,900

Tags: Ken Smurr Thomas Midena

03-19-2026 13:35 UTC-4

Ruscitti Spikes The River on Gardner

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Liam Gannon

Level 4 : Blinds 300/500, 500 ante

Action was picked up on the turn in a pot between Graham Gardner in the small blind and Kevin Ruscitti in first position.

The board read 8♠4♦2♥4♠ and Gardner checked over to Ruscitti who bet 3,500. Gardner responded by raising to 8,000 and Ruscitti called.

Gardner led out for 10,000 on the river Q♦ and Ruscitti raised to 33,000, which Gardner called.

Ruscitti turned over Q♥Q♠ for queens full of fours, which was good against Gardner's K♥K♣ for kings up. Ruscitti becomes the first player to cross the six figure mark in the tournament.

Shortly after, Terry Kocher was eliminated from the tournament and rebought to sit down at the same table he was eliminated from.

Player	Chips	Progress
Kevin Ruscitti	103,000 44,700	44,700
Terry Kocher	40,000 33,200	33,200
Graham Gardner	6,500 46,700	46,700

Tags: Graham Gardner Kevin Ruscitti Terry Kocher

Level: 4

Blinds: 300/500

Ante: 500

03-19-2026 13:16 UTC-4

Miller Leads at First Break (full)

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Liam Gannon

Level 3 : Blinds 200/400, 400 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Bryant Miller	79,300 12,300	12,300
Adam Jensen	72,000 32,000	32,000
Ken Smurr	58,300 29,500	29,500
Kevin Ruscitti	58,300 8,600	8,600
Thomas Midena	57,800 26,300	26,300
Cody Stewart	54,700 14,700	14,700
Michael O'Neill	54,000 7,000	7,000
Graham Gardner	53,200 13,200	13,200
Tim Ebenhoeh	42,500 4,000	4,000
Dalton Potter	41,300 1,300	1,300
Richard Terrill	40,000 22,600	22,600
Zinoviy Pelekh	40,000 40,000	40,000
Steven Stout	40,000 40,000	40,000
Henry Zou	39,900 10,600	10,600
Kenneth Khosravani	38,000 2,000	2,000
Alan Waller	37,800 37,800	37,800
Conor Caughey	37,300
Mike Sampson	35,400 4,600	4,600
Ron Puleo	31,500 8,500	8,500
Christopher Moon	28,300 11,700	11,700
Stephen Wangler	28,000 12,000	12,000
Pat Steele	23,500 100	100

Terry Kocher	6,800 19,300	19,300

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03-19-2026 13:00 UTC-4

Break

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Liam Gannon

Level 3 : Blinds 200/400, 400 ante

The players have gone on a 15-minute break.