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Event #3: $5,000 NLH
Day 1 Completed
2026 U.S. Poker Open
Event #3: $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
$575,000
Total Entries
115
Level
24
Blinds
100,000 / 200,000
Ante
200,000
Entries
115
Players Left
6
Players Left 1 / 115
Filter
Level 20
: Blinds 40,000/80,000, 80,000 ante
To paraphrase Ethan "Rampage" Yau as he bagged his chips tonight at the 2026 U.S. Poker Open in Las Vegas, it's so much more fun to be lucky than to be good. The poker vlogger felt this way after being on the winning end of major suckouts that propelled him to bag a top stack inside PokerGO Studio at the end of Day 1 of Event #3: $5,000 NLH.
Also among the five players remaining is chip leader Sam Laskowitz, middling stacks Adam Hendrix and Cherish Andrews, and Michael Berk, who is at the bottom of the pack after being victim to both of Yau's suckouts.
The event, the final $5,000 buy-in tournament of the series, drew 115 runners for a prize pool of $575,000.
USPO Event #3 Final Table Chip Counts
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sam Laskowitz | United States | 3,750,000 | 47 |
| 2 | Ethan Yau | United States | 3,500,000 | 44 |
| 3 | Adam Hendrix | United States | 3,150,000 | 39 |
| 4 | Cherish Andrews | United States | 2,025,000 | 25 |
| 5 | Yifu He | United States | 1,025,000 | 13 |
| 6 | Michael Berk | United States | 925,000 | 12 |
Poker Vlogger Hits Two Crucial Cards
Yau busted out of the event early but had a lot more luck on his next bullet. He made it to the money but was at risk of going out in tenth place when he ran pocket jacks into the aces of Berk. But a flopped jack kept the popular vlogger and Pokemon card collector alive, and Berk would rue the day he ever let him double up.
With six players remaining in the final hand of the evening, Yau four-bet jammed ace-queen into Berk's ace-king. The end looked nigh for Yau after a blank flop and turn, but a queen landed on the river to bring a "WHEW!" from Yau and a defeated "Dude..." from Berk, who was at a loss for words and left the Studio before bagging what remained of his stack.
Yau wasn't the only player who got lucky on Day 1. The early stages belonged to Alex Foxen, who began his day with a deep conversation with Landon Tice, who has been on a spiritual kick and made comments like "love fulfills all rules" and "the covenant is only fulfilled with Jesus."
The conversation about spirituality inspired Foxen to snatch the souls of two opponents by hitting three-outers in big pots.
"You don't know what it's like being me," Foxen joked after one of the hands.
The money bubble burst as Jesse Kertland had his king-queen dominated by the ace-queen of Berk. Those who fell in the money include Justin Saliba, Jim Collopy and Dylan Linde.
Day 2 will kick off at 11:45 a.m. local time on Level 21 with blinds of 50,000/100,000/100,000, who will win the trophy and first-place prize of $143,750.
Event #3 Remaining Payouts
| Place | Prize |
|---|---|
| 1 | $143,750 |
| 2 | $89,125 |
| 3 | $63,250 |
| 4 | $48,875 |
| 5 | $37,375 |
| 6 | $28,750 |
Stay tuned as the PokerNews live reporting team will be back on-site tomorrow to see out Event #3: $5,000 NLH. Check out the live reporting hub for other highlights from the USPO series inside PokerGO Studio.
Level 20
: Blinds 40,000/80,000, 80,000 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
3,750,000
750,000
|
750,000 |
|
||
|
3,500,000
1,800,000
|
1,800,000 |
|
||
|
3,150,000
250,000
|
250,000 |
|
2,025,000
475,000
|
475,000 |
|
1,025,000
3,575,000
|
3,575,000 |
|
925,000
95,000
|
95,000 |
Level 20
: Blinds 40,000/80,000, 80,000 ante
Day 1 had ended at the completion of Level 20 with six players still remaining.
Stay tuned for a full recap of the day's action.
Level 20
: Blinds 40,000/80,000, 80,000 ante
Adam Hendrix opened to 160,000 and Michael Berk three-bet behind him to 450,000. Ethan Yau then four-bet jammed to bring a fold from Hendrix and a snap-call from Berk.
Ethan Yau: A♠Q♦ 
Michael Berk: A♦K♠
Yau was dominated and in trouble on the 7♠7♥3♥ flop and 8♥ turn, but the Q♣ landed on the river to give him the best hand.
"Dude..." Berk said as he stood from his seat, clearly frustrated after an earlier suckout against the same opponent.
"WHEW! We're back!" cheered Yau after winning the final hand of the evening.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
1,700,000
1,700,000
|
1,700,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
830,000
1,670,000
|
1,670,000 |
Level 20
: Blinds 40,000/80,000, 80,000 ante
Level 20
: Blinds 40,000/80,000, 80,000 ante
Sam Laskowitz opened to 310,000 in the small blind and Adam Hendrix called in the big blind,.
Laskowitz continued for 180,000 on the flop of K♣5♠5♣ and Hendrix called. Both players then checked on the 9♥ turn.
Laskowitz checked again on the 2♦ river and Hendrix bet 700,000. Laskowitz used a time bank and then folded.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
3,000,000
300,000
|
300,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
2,900,000
400,000
|
400,000 |
Level 20
: Blinds 40,000/80,000, 80,000 ante
David Stamm was all in for around 500,000 against Cherish Andrews.
David Stamm: A♠5♠
Cherish Andrews: A♥Q♠
Stamm was dominated and couldn't improve as the board ran out Q♦4♠7♣2♦4♥ to mark his elimination in seventh place for $23,000.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
2,500,000
2,300,000
|
2,300,000 |
|
Busted |
Level 20
: Blinds 40,000/80,000, 80,000 ante
| Seat | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michael Berk | United States | 2,500,000 | 31 |
| 2 | Ethan Yau | United States | 3,400,000 | 43 |
| 3 | Cherish Andrews | United States | 2,000,000 | 25 |
| 4 | Sam Laskowitz | United States | 2,700,000 | 34 |
| 5 | David Stamm | United States | 500,000 | 6 |
| 6 | Adam Hendrix | United States | 2,500,000 | 31 |
| 7 | Yifu He | United States | 4,600,000 | 58 |
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
4,600,000
3,500,000
|
3,500,000 |
|
|
3,400,000
1,400,000
|
1,400,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
2,700,000
300,000
|
300,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
2,500,000 | |
|
|
2,500,000
800,000
|
800,000 |
|
|
2,000,000
900,000
|
900,000 |
|
|
500,000
200,000
|
200,000 |
Level 20
: Blinds 40,000/80,000, 80,000 ante
Michael Berk open-jammed in the small blind and Mike Zulker called off in the big blind.
Mike Zulker: A♣7♦
Michael Berk: A♦Q♠
Zulker was dominated and couldn't improve as the board ran out J♠K♥6♦9♥3♥ to mark his elimination on the final table bubble.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
2,500,000
1,600,000
|
1,600,000 |
|
Busted |
