Event #10: $25,000 NLH
Day 2 Completed
Event #10: $25,000 NLH
Day 2 Completed
David Coleman closed out the 2026 U.S. Poker Open in style, winning Event #10: $25,000 No-Limit Hold’em for $420,000 after defeating Kristen Foxen heads-up.
The final event drew 48 entries, with just seven players returning for Day 2 to play down to a winner. It also carried major Player of the Series implications, as Cherish Andrews entered the final table with a chance to overtake Brock Wilson for the title — adding extra weight to every decision down the stretch.
| Place | Prize | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | David Coleman | $420,000 |
| 2 | Kristen Foxen | $264,000 |
| 3 | Richard Green | $174,000 |
| 4 | Darren Elias | $126,000 |
| 5 | Jesse Lonis | $96,000 |
| 6 | Cherish Andrews | $72,000 |
| 7 | Ebony Kenney | $48,000 |
Coleman’s path to victory started with a fast Day 1 after entering late. “I registered max late and within like 90 minutes I had around four starting stacks,” he said. “It’s always nice when you come in late and catch up with everybody immediately… everything was going my way.”
Coming into the final day with the chip lead, his approach stayed measured despite the pressure. “I had a small chip lead… so I had to pick my spots,” Coleman explained. “There were a couple of short stacks which really helped me leverage my chip lead… I won a bunch of all-ins, made some hands postflop, and everything kind of went my way.”
The win continues a strong run for Coleman, who has steadily built momentum over the past year. He had a strong showing at EPT Barcelona in 2025, which included four second place finishes. He then went on to win his first WSOP braclet and Trition title in December of 2025 at WSOP Paridise when he won the $125K NLH 7-Handed Triton Event for $3,113,000.
While his recognition continues to grow as one of the elites in the high stakes poker world, it’s not something he focuses on. “I’m not the one to care about that sort of thing… I’ll leave that to other people,” he said. “I think I’m getting some recognition at this point, but it’s not something that really drives me.”
With the summer approaching, Coleman plans to stay active in Las Vegas. “I’m gonna play a bunch of events, pick my spots… I’ll play almost all the big No-Limit and most of the big PLO,” he said. “It should be a good summer — I’m pretty excited.”
All eyes were also on Cherish Andrews, who entered the final table with a clear path to the Player of the Series title — she needed a win to pass her boyfriend, Brock Wilson.
After Ebony Kenney exited in seventh place, Andrews found herself as the clear short stack and began to make her move. She battled back with a pair of key double-ups, climbing to over one million in chips and putting herself back within striking distance.
However, momentum shifted after a bluff in a pot against Coleman didn’t get through, sending Andrews back down the counts. Shortly after, her run came to an end in sixth place.
With that result, Andrews fell just short of the points needed, officially locking up the Player of the Series title for Wilson — who secures back-to-back major PGT Player of the Series wins.
With just five players remaining, one of the biggest names in poker, Jesse Lonis, was eliminated in fifth place. He moved all-in with ace-three of diamonds against pocket fives but failed to improve.
Darren Elias was the clear short stack with four players left, but he managed to spin his stack up to second in chips.
However, a key mistake in a blind-versus-blind clash ended Elias’s run in fourth place after he committed over a million chips with ace-six against Coleman’s ace-nine.
Coleman continued to assert his dominance by frequently raising and shoving to apply maximum pressure on the shorter stacks. He then scored another knockout with ace-nine, eliminating Richard Green and setting up a heads-up battle with Foxen.
Coleman entered heads-up play with roughly a 6-to-1 chip lead and reduced Foxen’s stack to as low as 460,000 before she found a double-up to climb back over one million chips.
It then appeared Foxen might double again when she made trip queens on the river and bet 250,000. Coleman, holding just a pair of sixes, responded by shoving for Foxen’s remaining 500,000.
After using multiple time extensions, Foxen made a surprising fold, surrendering the pot and leaving herself extremely short-stacked.
Shortly after, Coleman finished the job by delivering a bad beat with queen-eight, cracking Foxen’s pocket tens to secure the title.
That concludes our coverage of the 2026 U.S. Poker Open. Stay tuned to PokerNews for more live updates and tournament coverage from around the world.
Kristen Foxen limped on the button, and David Coleman raised to put Foxen all in for 840,000, which Foxen quickly called to put herself at risk.
Kristen Foxen: 10♠10♥
David Coleman: Q♦8♠
Foxen was in a great spot for another double, but the board ran out Q♠9♦J♠Q♥4♠ and Coleman improved to trip queens to knock out Foxen in second place.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
7,200,000
500,000
|
500,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
Busted | |
|
|
||
Kristen Foxen was all in for 460,000 on the button with David Coleman putting her at risk from the big blind.
Kristen Foxen: A♠2♥
David Coleman: 8♣5♣
Foxen was ahead with her ace high, and stayed in front as the board ran out K♠3♦6♠10♠3♥ to secure the double up.
David Coleman limped in with 6♠3♦ and Kristen Foxen checked her option with Q♠2♠ to see a K♦J♥Q♣ flop.
Both players checked to see the 6♦ and Foxen bet out 120,000, which Coleman called.
The river was the Q♦ giving Foxen trips, and she bet out 250,000. Coleman then took some time, before raising to put Foxen all in for 750,000.
She used multiple time extensions, before finding a fold to give the pot to Coleman.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
6,700,000
530,000
|
530,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
500,000
530,000
|
530,000 |
|
|
||
The players have gone on a short break before the start of heads up play.
Richard Green moved all in for 960,000 on the button and was called by David Coleman in the big blind to put him at risk.
Richard Green: K♣Q♦
David Coleman: A♣9♣
It was a fair fight with Coleman ahead with his ace high, and when the board ran out 9♥4♦3♠A♠J♣ Coleman made two pair to knock out Green in third place.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
6,170,000
2,160,000
|
2,160,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
1,030,000
360,000
|
360,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
Busted | |
David Coleman raised to 855,000 in the small blind, and the big blind Richard Green moved all in for 860,000, which Coleman quickly called to put Green at risk.
Richard Green: A♥Q♦
David Coleman: J♦4♠
Green woke up with a premium, but Coleman still had two live cards to score the knockout.
The board ran out 6♦6♣7♦Q♠4♥ and Green paired his queen to secure the double up on the turn.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
4,010,000
860,000
|
860,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
1,800,000
860,000
|
860,000 |
|
|
1,390,000 | |
|
|
||
David Coleman raised to 855,000 in the small blind, and the big blind Richard Green moved all in for 860,000, which Coleman quickly called to put Green at risk.
Richard Green: A♥Q♦
David Coleman: J♦4♠
Green woke up with a premium, but Coleman still had two live cards to score the knockout.
The board ran out 6♦6♣7♦Q♠4♥ and Green paired his queen to secure the double up on the turn.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
4,010,000
860,000
|
860,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
1,800,000
860,000
|
860,000 |
|
|
1,390,000 | |
|
|
||