button in SafariEvent #7: $10,000 NLH
Day 1 Completed
2026 U.S. Poker Open
Event #7: $10,000 NLH
Day: 1
Players Left 5 / 70
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Chip Counts
Level 18
: Blinds 25,000/50,000, 50,000 ante
The fourth and final $10,000 buy-in event of the 2026 U.S. Poker Open drew 70 entries, and after 17 levels, just five players remain in contention for the lion’s share of the $700,000 prize pool.
Alex Foxen ended the night atop the counts with 4,820,000, well over half the total chips in play. Foxen began pulling away from the rest of the field after delivering a brutal beat to Cary Katz on the stone bubble. Catz was all-in on the turn with a set of sevens against Foxen's top two pair, and a board-pairing ten on the river confirmed Katz as the bubble boy while vaulting Foxen into the chip lead. From there, Foxen earned many more pots without showdown through relentless aggression en route to bagging the largest stack.
Foxen is most closely followed by Jeremy Ausmus, who will be making his third final table of the series in this event. Qinghai Pan, Michael Berk and Aram Zobian round out the final five.
Final Table Seat Draw
| Seat | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alex Foxen | United States | 4,820,000 | 96 |
| 2 | Qinghai Pan | United States | 820,000 | 16 |
| 3 | Michael Berk | United States | 485,000 | 10 |
| 4 | Aram Zobian | United States | 545,000 | 11 |
| 5 | Jeremy Ausmus | United States | 2,095,000 | 42 |
Among the players to make the money tonight but fall before the final five were Chino Rheem (10th - $21,000), Sean Winter ($9th - $21,000) and Shannon Shorr ($28,000).
The final five players have each locked up at least a $52,500 payday, while the $210,000 top prize awaits the eventual winner.
Final Table Payouts
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $210,000 | ||
| 2 | $136,500 | ||
| 3 | $94,500 | ||
| 4 | $70,000 | ||
| 5 | $52,500 | ||
| 6 | Sam Laskowitz | United States | $38,500 |
| 7 | John Andress | United States | $28,000 |
The action resumes tomorrow at 11:45 a.m. with 33 minutes left on Level 18 and the blinds at 25,000/50,000 (50,000). The final table will be streamed on the PokerGO YouTube channel.
Stay tuned to PokerNews for live updates and continued coverage of the 2026 U.S. Poker Open.
Level 18
: Blinds 25,000/50,000, 50,000 ante
The final five players have bagged their chips, and play has ended in Day 1 of Event #7.
Stay tuned for a recap of the night's action.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
4,820,000
20,000
|
20,000 |
|
||
|
2,095,000
505,000
|
505,000 |
|
||
|
820,000 | |
|
|
||
|
545,000
405,000
|
405,000 |
|
||
|
485,000
200,000
|
200,000 |
Level 18
: Blinds 25,000/50,000, 50,000 ante
Sam Laskowitz raised to 100,000 from middle position, leaving 50,000 behind. Qinghai Pan defended from the big blind.
The flop came J♥6♠8♦. Pan bet and Laskowitz called with his last 50,000.
Sam Laskowitz: A♠3♦ 
Qinghai Pan: Q♥6♦
Pan's pair of sixes remained ahead as the rest of the board ran out 4♦K♠, confirming Laskowitz as the final elimination of the night.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
820,000
50,000
|
50,000 |
|
|
||
|
Busted | |
Level: 18
Blinds: 25,000/50,000
Ante: 50,000
Level 17
: Blinds 20,000/40,000, 40,000 ante
With the board reading J♥4♥2♥8♥ and around 300,000 in the middle, Jeremy Ausmus checked from the big blind, and Alex Foxen bet 270,000 from under the gun. Ausmus called.
Foxen bet 1,050,000 on the 10♥ river which was enough to get a fold from Ausmus.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
4,800,000
1,400,000
|
1,400,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
2,600,000
185,000
|
185,000 |
|
|
||
Level 17
: Blinds 20,000/40,000, 40,000 ante
Alex Foxen shoved from the small blind, covering Qinghai Pan who had 365,000 in the big blind. Pan called, putting himself at risk.
Qinghai Pan: A♠7♠
Alex Foxen: 9♣6♣
The 10♣10♠K♠6♠J♣ runout gave Pan the nut-flush to double through Foxen.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
3,400,000
300,000
|
300,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
770,000
265,000
|
265,000 |
|
|
||
Level: 17
Blinds: 20,000/40,000
Ante: 40,000
Level 16
: Blinds 15,000/30,000, 30,000 ante
Players are being sent on a 10-minute break.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
3,700,000
400,000
|
400,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
2,415,000
20,000
|
20,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
950,000
115,000
|
115,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
685,000
55,000
|
55,000 |
|
|
525,000
105,000
|
105,000 |
|
|
505,000
40,000
|
40,000 |
|
|
||
Level 16
: Blinds 15,000/30,000, 30,000 ante
Michael Berk opened from under the gun, and Alex Foxen called from the button.
The flop came 2♦8♣6♣. Berk check-called a 50,000 bet from Foxen.
Berk check-called a 225,000 bet from Foxen on the K♦ turn. On the 4♦ river, Foxen bet enough to put Berk all-in and Berk folded, leaving himself around 25 big blinds.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
3,300,000
275,000
|
275,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
740,000
360,000
|
360,000 |
