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Event #2: $5,000 NLH
Day 2 Completed
2026 U.S. Poker Open
Event #2: $5,000 NLH
Day: 2
Event Info
2026 U.S. Poker Open
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 2
Buy-in
$5,000
Prize Pool
$490,000
Total Entries
98
Level
24
Blinds
100,000 / 200,000
Ante
200,000
Entries
5
Players Left
1
Players Left 1 / 98
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Level 24
: Blinds 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante
High-stakes crusher Clemen Deng added another trophy to his collection today after outlasting the 98-entry field in Event #2: $5,000 NLH at the 2026 U.S. Poker Open inside the PokerGo Studio at ARIA Casino & Resort.
Deng started the day with the third-largest stack before flopping two pair against top pair to take the lead from start-of-day chip leader Michael Rossitto. From there, Deng only briefly lost the lead en route to defeating Peter Mugar heads-up for his third career PGT title and the $127,400 top prize.
Deng also earned 191 PGT points for the victory, moving him from 9th to 7th place on the PGT Leaderboard. The newly crowned champion wasted no time hopping in Event #3: $5,000 NLH in pursuit of more points following the victory.
Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Clemen Deng | USA | $127,400 |
| 2 | Peter Mugar | USA | $80,850 |
| 3 | Michael Rossitto | USA | $58,800 |
| 4 | Justin Vaysman | USA | $44,100 |
| 5 | Yifu He | USA | $34,300 |
| 6 | Vlastimil Pustina | Czechia | $24,500 |
| 7 | Aaron Messmer | United States | $19,600 |
The day began with Rossitto in the lead, Yifu He as the short stack, and the other three players close in chips. Very few hands went to showdown in the first level of the day, but in the second level, Deng and Rossitto played a massive pot that saw three bets go in on the queen-high flop. The rest of the chips went in on the turn, with Deng holding with two pair against Rossitto’s top pair to take the chip lead.
Deng quickly extended his lead by eliminating Yifu He and Justin Vaysman in fifth and fourth place, respectively, after which he held just over half the chips in play with three players remaining. Rossitto was then left with dust after losing a flip with pocket nines against Mugar’s jack-ten suited, and he hit the rail in third place after losing the rest of his stack in another flip, this time against Deng.
Heads-up play began with Deng holding nearly a 3:1 advantage over his opponent. Mugar got off to a great start after picking off two bluffs from Deng, the second of which saw Mugar to take the chip lead. His lead was short-lived, as soon after he attempted to bluff the river with a missed straight draw, only for Deng to call with a rivered two pair.
Deng had a 2:1 lead over Mugar following that hand, and Mugar got the rest of his chips in preflop soon after, holding ace-four to Deng's ace-seven. The final runout gave Deng trip sevens to secure the title, while Mugar was forced to settle for second, taking home $80,850.
That concludes the PokerNews coverage for this event, but be sure to check out our coverage for Event #3 which is currently underway, as well as our continuing coverage of the rest of the 2026 U.S. Poker Open.
Level 24
: Blinds 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante
Level 24
: Blinds 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante
Peter Mugar limped in from the button, Clemen Deng raised to 600,000 from the big blind, and Mugar shoved for a bit under 4,000,000. Deng called with a covering stack to put him at risk.
Peter Mugar: A♥4♣ 
Clemen Deng: A♦7♦
Mugar's ace was dominated, and the 7♣7♠10♠5♣K♣ runout gave Deng trips to win the final hand of the tournament, while Mugar was eliminated in second place.
Level 24
: Blinds 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante
Peter Mugar limped in from the button, and Clemen Deng checked from the big blind.
Both players checked the 6♠10♦K♠ flop, leading to the Q♥ turn. Deng check-called a 350,000 bet from Mugar.
On the 7♠ river Deng check-called another bet from Mugar, this time for 950,000. Mugar could only show a missed straight draw with J♥4♦, while Deng had two pair with Q♣7♦ to win the hand.
Level: 24
Blinds: 100,000/200,000
Ante: 200,000
Level 23
: Blinds 75,000/150,000, 150,000 ante
The final two players are taking a 10-minute break.
Level 23
: Blinds 75,000/150,000, 150,000 ante
Clemen Deng limped in from the button and Peter Mugar checked from the big blind.
The flop came Q♥4♣Q♠. Mugar check-called a 150,000 bet from Deng.
Mugar check-called a 550,000 bet from Deng on the 10♥ turn. On the 6♦ river Mugar checked and Deng shoved, covering Mugar who had 2,600,000 left. Mugar quickly called.
Deng was bluffing with J♥5♣, while Mugar had two pair with J♣10♦ to double into the chip lead.
Level: 23
Blinds: 75,000/150,000
Ante: 150,000
Level 22
: Blinds 75,000/125,000, 125,000 ante
Peter Mugar opened to 250,000 from the button and Clemen Deng defended from the big blind.
The flop came A♣9♣6♣, and Deng check-called a 125,000 bet from Muigar.
Both players checked the 9♦ turn, leading to the 8♠ river. Deng overbet to 1,300,000, and Mugar called. Deng could only show a bluff with 5♦3♣, while Mugar had aces up with A♥J♣ to take the pot.
