button in SafariThe Ladies Steal the Show on Day 1 of the U.S. Poker Open Finale
The final event of the 2026 U.S. Poker Open is officially underway. Event #10: $25,000 No-Limit Hold’em drew 48 entries, setting the stage for one last battle between a stacked group of high-stakes regulars. With just seven players making the money, each guaranteed at least $48,000, and $420,000 up top, there’s plenty on the line — especially with crucial Player of the Series points still up for grabs.
As the field played down, one detail stood out — the only three women who entered the field all made deep runs, with Kristen Foxen, Ebony Kenney, and Cherish Andrews each securing a cash and advancing to the final table.
With the final table now set and the stakes only getting higher, it’s all to play for heading into the closing day. David Coleman leads the way after Day 1, bagging the biggest stack and putting himself in prime position to close out the series with a win.
Event #10 Final Table Chip Counts
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | David Coleman | United States | 1,945,000 | 78 |
| 2 | Kristen Foxen | Canada | 1,760,000 | 70 |
| 3 | Richard Green | United States | 1,250,000 | 50 |
| 4 | Darren Elias | United States | 775,000 | 31 |
| 5 | Jesse Lonis | United States | 740,000 | 30 |
| 6 | Cherish Andrews | United States | 545,000 | 22 |
| 7 | Ebony Kenney | United States | 185,000 | 7.5 |
Day 1 Action
With 48 entries and plenty of talent in the room, not everyone could make a run. Several players took their shot but fell short of the money, including Bill Klein, Jimmy D’Ambrosio, Nick Schulman, and Seth Davies, among many others.
As play moved closer to the bubble, things got tight, with a $48K mins cash on the line. With nine players remaining, Darren Elias got it in against Cary Katz and flopped quad queens, leaving Katz drawing dead on the flop. Katz was crippled, and exited in ninth place shortly after, bringing the field to the stone bubble.
After a long period of time with no knockouts, another all-in produced a similar result.
Jesse Lonis got his chips in with pocket aces against Andrews, then went on to flop a set and river quads to double up and book his spot in the final table.
Bubble Bursts, Player of the Series Race Comes Into Focus
The bubble brought more than just the usual tension — it also had major implications for the Player of the Series race.
After Clemen Deng was eliminated, the race was narrowed down to just two players: Brock Wilson and Cherish Andrews.
Wilson, who came into the event with two titles already to his name, was in control of his own destiny once Deng got knocked out with 13 players remaining — a sixth-place finish or better would have been enough to lock up the series. But things didn’t go his way. After being reduced to a short stack, he committed with king-three and ran into king-nine, failing to improve and exiting in eighth place on the bubble.
That result left the door open for Andrews.
Now, the path is simple — if Andrews goes on to win the event, she will overtake Wilson and claim the Player of the Series title.
It sets up an interesting dynamic heading into the final table, with Andrews chasing not just the trophy, but the chance to pass Wilson — her own boyfriend — at the very end of the series.
Play will resume at 12:45 p.m. local time inside the PokerGO Studio at ARIA Resort & Casino, with the livestream getting underway on the PokerGO YouTube Channel at 2 p.m.
Action will pick back up in Level 13, with 13 minutes remaining on the clock, and will continue until a winner is crowned.
Be sure to stay tuned to PokerNews for the conclusion of the event, along with live updates and coverage from tournaments around the world.