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Event #2: $5,000 NLH
Day 1 Completed
2026 U.S. Poker Open
Event #2: $5,000 NLH
Day: 1
Event Info
2026 U.S. Poker Open
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 1
Buy-in
$5,000
Prize Pool
$490,000
Total Entries
98
Level
24
Blinds
100,000 / 200,000
Ante
200,000
Entries
98
Players Left
5
Players Left 1 / 98
Filter
Level 18
: Blinds 25,000/50,000, 50,000 ante
The 2026 U.S. Poker Open continued today here at the PokerGo Studio at ARIA Resort & Casino with Event #2: $5,000 NLH. The second of three $5,000 events this series drew 98 entries, creating a $490,000 prize pool. After just over 18 levels of play, just five players remain in contention for the trophy and $127,400 top prize.
Michael Rossitto ended the day atop the counts with 3,455,000, good for nearly 60 big blinds going into the second and final day. Rossitto started to emerge as one of the bigger stacks in the room during the money bubble, before firmly establishing himself as chip leader at the final two tables after flopping a set to eliminate Poker Hall of Famer Erik Seidel. Rossitto will be chasing his second PokerGo title in this event, having won his first in a $10,000 event at last year's U.S. Poker Open.
Clemen Deng also ended the day with a big stack and has momentum on his side after cashing the first event of the series yesterday.
Event #2 Final Table Seating Positions and Chip Counts
| Seat | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Clemen Deng | United States | 2,410,000 | 40 |
| 2 | Justin Vaysman | United States | 2,755,000 | 46 |
| 3 | Yifu He | United States | 1,520,000 | 25 |
| 4 | Peter Mugar | United States | 2,110,000 | 35 |
| 5 | Michael Rossitto | United States | 3,455,000 | 58 |
Day 1 action
The event featured a mix of top pros and local grinders looking to take a shot at bigger buy-ins. Notable players to fall before the money today include Kristen Foxen, Brad Owen, and Andrew Lichtenberger.
Brock Wilson also hopped in today shortly after defeating Jeremy Ausmus to claim his third PokerGo title in just one month. Wilson couldn't find similar success in this event, and was eliminated after losing a preflop race with ace-jack against Chino Rheem's queen-nine suited shortly after registration closed.
Alex Foxen took the chip lead as the money bubble approached, and during hand-for-hand play he applied relentless pressure to his opponents to extend his lead further. Clemen Deng stopped Foxen's momentum dead after two massive hands, first holding top two pair against a smaller two pair from Foxen, before pulling off a gutsy hero-call with queen-high against Foxen's missed straight draw. Those hands saw Foxen go from massive chip leader to short-stack and at risk of bubbling himself.
Foxen managed to outlast Vinny Lingham, who earned the unfortunate title of bubble boy after his king-ten suited failed to overcome Rossitto's pocket jacks. Foxen was out soon after, earning a min-cash for his efforts.
Others to make the money but fall before the end of the night include Jeremy Ausmus (12th - $12,500), Ebony Kenney (10th - $14,700), and Erik Seidel (9th - $14,700).
Play will resume at 11:45 a.m. local time on Monday, with the final five returning with 30:00 left on Level 19 (30,000/60,000 (60,000)). Stay tuned to PokerNews for full coverage of the 2026 U.S. Poker Open, including live updates, chip counts, and highlights.
Level 18
: Blinds 25,000/50,000, 50,000 ante
Level 18
: Blinds 25,000/50,000, 50,000 ante
The final five players have bagged their chips, and play has ended for Day 1 of Event #2: $5,000 NLH.
Stay tuned for full end-of-night chip counts and a recap of the night's action.
Level 18
: Blinds 25,000/50,000, 50,000 ante
Peter Mugar opened from under the gun, Vlastimil Pustina shoved with a short stack from the small blind, and Mugar called with a covering stack from the big blind to put him at risk.
Vlastimil Pustina: A♠7♠ 
Peter Mugar: Q♥Q♣
Pustina was in bad shape with just one overcard to Mugar's pocket queens, but he picked up a ton of outs with the nut-flush draw on the 10♥6♠10♠ flop. He failed to improve from there as the rest of the board ran out 2♣8♣, confirming Mugar as the final player to be eliminated tonight.
Level 18
: Blinds 25,000/50,000, 50,000 ante
Aaron Messmer was left short-stacked after an unsuccessful bluff against Clemen Deng. Soon after, Messmer raised to 250,000 from the hijack, leaving 5,000 behind. Michael Rossitto raised from the big blind and Messmer called, putting himself at risk.
Aaron Messmer: A♠4♣
Michael Rossitto: 5♦5♣
The board ran out J♦7♣J♥6♠8♥, keeping Rossitto's fives in front to eliminate Messmer.
Level 18
: Blinds 25,000/50,000, 50,000 ante
| Seat | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Clemen Deng | United States | 1,100,000 | 22 |
| 2 | Justin Vaysman | United States | 2,800,000 | 56 |
| 3 | Vlastimil Pustina | Czechia | 845,000 | 17 |
| 4 | Aaron Mesmer | United States | 1,475,000 | 30 |
| 5 | Yifu He | United States | 1,680,000 | 34 |
| 6 | Peter Mugar | United States | 1,350,000 | 27 |
| 7 | Michael Rossitto | United States | 3,200,000 | 64 |
Level 18
: Blinds 25,000/50,000, 50,000 ante
Craig Mason shoved for 245,000 from the button. Clemen Deng called from the small blind, Justin Vaysman clicked it to 430,000 from the big blind, and Deng called.
The flop came 9♠3♥10♦. Deng checked, Vaysman bet 185,000, and Deng folded.
Craig Mason: J♦9♥
Justin Vaysman: A♠10♣
The rest of the board ran out K♣3♣, keeping Vaysman's pair of tens in front to send Mason to the rail on the final table bubble.
Level: 18
Blinds: 25,000/50,000
Ante: 50,000
Level 17
: Blinds 20,000/40,000, 40,000 ante
Erik Seidel shoved from under the gun for around 400,000, and Michael Rossitto called from the small blind with a covering stack to put the Poker Hall of Famer at risk.
Erik Seidel: A♣K♠
Michael Rossitto: 8♥8♠
The flop came A♠2♥8♣, giving Seidel top pair while Rossitto was a massive favorite with middle set. Seidel found no help as the rest of the board ran out 10♣3♥, ending his run in 9th place.
