Level: 18
Blinds: 25,000/50,000
Ante: 50,000
Level: 18
Blinds: 25,000/50,000
Ante: 50,000
Zach Bruch was first to act and raised to 120,000. Justin Zaki on his left then took some time, before three-betting to 500,000, leaving 120,000 behind. It folded back to Bruch who moved all in, and Zaki made the call for his tournament life.
Justin Zaki: A♣J♦
Zach Bruch: K♣10♥
It was a fair fight, with Zaki in front with his ace high. The board would run out A♦J♣8♠7♥2♣ and Zaki would improve to two-pair to double up through Bruch.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
3,405,000
100,000
|
100,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
1,455,000
620,000
|
620,000 |
|
|
1,340,000
700,000
|
700,000 |
|
|
720,000
100,000
|
100,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
710,000
80,000
|
80,000 |
|
|
||
It folded Zach Bruch in the small blind, and he raised to 80,000 with Q♦3♦. Justin Zaki in the big blind looked down at A♥A♣ and three-bet to 190,000.
Bruch didn't take much time to muck and give the pot to Zaki.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
3,305,000
100,000
|
100,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
2,075,000
40,000
|
40,000 |
|
|
820,000
100,000
|
100,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
790,000
100,000
|
100,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
640,000
60,000
|
60,000 |
Joao Simao opened to 80,000 from the cutoff with Q♥3♥, and Dylan Linde on the button three-bet to 500,000 with 9♠9♣ and leaving just 60,000 behind. It folded back to Simao who confirmed Linde's stack before mucking his hand.
The very next hand Joao Simao was first to act and raised to 80,000 with 7♠7♥, and Dylan Linde on his left three-bet to 500,000 again, this time holding A♣K♥ leaving 240,000 behind. It folded back to Simao who gave it some more thought this time but still found the fold to give the pot to Linde.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
3,205,000
260,000
|
260,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
2,035,000
100,000
|
100,000 |
|
|
920,000
175,000
|
175,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
890,000
85,000
|
85,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
580,000
100,000
|
100,000 |
Action folded to Shannon Shorr on the button, and he raised to 190,000, leaving just 15,000 behind. Zach Bruch in the small blind then three-bet all in, which got the big blind Justin Zaiki out of the way, and Shorr called to put himself at risk.
Shannon Shorr: J♥10♥
Zach Bruch: A♦4♣
Bruch was in front with his ace high and would stay in front as the board ran out 9♣2♣6♣3♠3♣ to make a flush and knock out Shorr in sixth place.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
3,465,000
140,000
|
140,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
2,135,000
65,000
|
65,000 |
|
|
805,000 | |
|
|
||
|
|
745,000 | |
|
|
||
|
|
480,000
80,000
|
80,000 |
|
|
Busted | |
|
|
||
Level: 17
Blinds: 20,000/40,000
Ante: 40,000
Cards are in the air for the final table of Event #8 of the U.S. Poker Open.
You can watch the stream on PokerGo.
The 2026 U.S. Poker Open continues inside the PokerGO Studio at ARIA Resort & Casino in Las Vegas with Event #8: $15,000 No-Limit Hold’em, where 61 entries combined to create a $915,000 prize pool. Nine players reached the money and locked up $27,450, but now the focus shifts to the $292,800 top prize as just six players return for Day 2.
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joao Simao | Brazil | 3,325,000 |
| 2 | Zach Bruch | United States | 2,070,000 |
| 3 | Aram Zobian | United States | 805,000 |
| 4 | Dylan Linde | United States | 745,000 |
| 5 | Justin Zaki | United States | 560,000 |
| 6 | Shannon Shorr | United States | 225,000 |
Out in front is Joao Simao, who bagged a commanding 3,325,000 to lead the way into the final day. Simao is no stranger to these high-stakes stages, with more than $17 million in career tournament earnings and three PokerGO Tour titles to his name, including a marquee victory in the 2022 $103,000 Super High Roller Bowl for $1,110,000.
Sitting closest to him is Zach Bruch, the only other player to cross the seven-figure mark with 2,070,000. Bruch, an entrepreneur by trade, is one of the more unknown quantities remaining with only five career cashes on his Hendon Mob but has put himself in prime position to contend for the title against some of the world's best.
The rest of the field is packed with experienced pros, including Aram Zobian, Dylan Linde, Justin Zaki, and Shannon Shorr, all of whom have the resumes to make a late push.
The final six have all locked up $50,325, but eyeing the top prize of $292,800.
| Palce | Prize |
|---|---|
| 1 | $292,800 |
| 2 | $183,000 |
| 3 | $128,100 |
| 4 | $91,500 |
| 5 | $68,625 |
| 6 | $50,325 |
The final six players will return at 11:45 a.m. local time today to play down to a winner, with cards-up coverage streaming on PokerGO beginning at 1 p.m. Action will resume in Level 17 at the 20,000/40,000(40,0000 blind levels.
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.
Event #8: $15,000 NLH
Day 2 Started