button in SafariJoao Simao Runs Hot Late to Bag Big Chip Lead
The 2026 U.S. Poker Open continued inside the PokerGO Studio at ARIA Resort & Casino in Las Vegas with Event #8: $15,000 No-Limit Hold’em, where a field of 61 entries generated a $915,000 prize pool. A total of nine players earned a min-cash of $27,450, with $292,800 awaiting the eventual winner.
Out in front, Joao Simao leads the way after bagging the biggest stack, while Zach Bruch is the only other player to surpass the seven-figure mark, sitting in second place as the field narrows toward a champion.
End of Day 1 Chip Counts
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joao Simao | Brazil | 3,325,000 | 83 |
| 2 | Zach Bruch | United States | 2,070,000 | 52 |
| 3 | Aram Zobian | United States | 805,000 | 20 |
| 4 | Dylan Linde | United States | 745,000 | 19 |
| 5 | Justin Zaki | United States | 560,000 | 14 |
| 6 | Shannon Shorr | United States | 225,000 | 5.5 |
Familiar Faces Fall Short as Day Unfolds
As has been the case throughout the series, the PokerGO Studio was once again filled with many of the game’s biggest names, all jockeying for position as the U.S. Poker Open Player of the series race continues to heat up.
Several players near the top of the leaderboard saw their runs cut short, including Brock Wilson, Cherish Andrews, Alex Foxen, Kristen Foxen, and Jeremy Ausmus, all of whom failed to cash in Event #8. Their early exits leave the door open for others to make a move in the standings as the series progresses.
They were joined on the rail by a number of other notables who fell short of the money, including Nick Schulman, Jesse Lonis, and Jeremy Becker.
Brutal River Bursts the Bubble
The bubble burst in dramatic fashion as Brandon Wilson was eliminated by Simao after a tough river. Facing an all-in for his tournament life, Wilson used five time extensions before calling with A♣J♠, ahead of Simao’s Q♥8♥.
The board ran out 4♠2♦4♣10♠Q♣, pairing Simao on the river to send Wilson out just shy of the money and lock up a $27,450 min-cash for the final nine players.
Late-Night Drama Keeps Simao Rolling
Following the elimination of Sam Soverel in ninth place and Matthew Wantman in eighth, the final table was officially set. But the action didn’t slow down, highlighted by a wild hand between Simao and Bruch.
On a board of Q♠K♣4♥5♣3♠, Simao faced a massive river shove and burned through all 13 of his time banks—nearly six and a half minutes—before ultimately folding. Bruch later revealed the bluff with A♣6♣, while Simao admitted he had laid down a better ace-high.
Simao quickly rebounded to close out the night in style, tangling in a massive pot with Paul Roy. After calling with A♣Q♣ against Roy’s J♦J♣ on the flop, Simao was chasing with two overs and a flush draw. The turn K♠ changed nothing, but the A♠ spiked on the river to give Simao the pot and send Roy to the rail, capping off a rollercoaster finish to the day.
Remaing Payouts
| Palce | Prize |
|---|---|
| 1 | $292,000 |
| 2 | $183,000 |
| 3 | $128,100 |
| 4 | $91,500 |
| 5 | $68,625 |
| 6 | $50,325 |
The final six players will enjoy a day off before returning on Monday at 11:45 a.m. local time to play down to a winner, with cards-up coverage streaming on PokerGO beginning at 1 p.m.
Be sure to stay tuned to PokerNews for live updates and full coverage of the U.S. Poker Open, as well as major tournaments from around the globe.