Two Flights Down, Two to Go in PokerStars Open Philadelphia Main Event
The first two days of the 2026 PokerStars Open Philadelphia $1,100 Main Event produced lots of action, with 269 entrants taking their shot at earning a bag for Day 2.
The next chance begins today at 11:15 a.m. local time, as Day 1c takes over the poker room at Live! Casino & Hotel Philadelphia with the guaranteed $500,000 prize pool firmly in play.
The two completed flights produced 34 survivors, with plenty more players set to join that list and battle for the money on Day 2. The tournament staff is expecting a busy day, coming off a pair of dramatic nights so far.
The overall chip leader after the first two days is Abel Gebeyehu (992,000), who soared to a big lead over Angel Lopez (651,000) on Day 1a. Next on the leaderboard is Day 1b leader Michael Hager (637,000), rounding out the top three spots for everyone to shoot for today.
$1,100 Main Event Top Ten Overall Chip Counts
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Abel Gebeyehu | United States | 992,000 |
| 2 | Angel Lopez | United States | 651,000 |
| 3 | Michael Hager | United States | 637,000 |
| 4 | Michael McNicholas | United States | 610,000 |
| 5 | Anthony Pagan | United States | 504,000 |
| 6 | Edward Leonard | United States | 496,000 |
| 7 | Mykhailo Lendel | United States | 482,000 |
| 8 | Robert Hwang | United States | 481,000 |
| 9 | Aaron Shapiro | United States | 470,000 |
| 10 | Casey Hatmaker | United States | 433,000 |
Among the notable names to qualify already are defending PokerStars Open Philadelphia Main Event champion Edward Leonard (496,000), while PokerStars Ambassador Jennifer Shahade will carry 419,000 into the final day.
The third of four starting flights follows the same structure as the opening two days, with players looking to navigate 40-minute levels and finish in the top 12.5% percent of the field. Day 1c will finish at that point, with survivors bagging up in the money before returning on Sunday, March 22 for Day 2.
Players will begin with 40,000 chips, seeing an opening blind level of 100/100 to start the day. Breaks will be 15 minutes long, scheduled after every three levels of action while a dinner break will commence following Level 9.
Late registration remains open until the start of Level 13, with unlimited reentries permitted throughout each flight. The surviving players will join those who bagged up on the opening two flights, to battle in the money on Sunday, March 22.
$1,100 Main Event Remaining Schedule
| Date | Day | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Mar. 20 | Day 1c | 11:15 a.m. |
| Mar. 21 | Day 1d | 10:15 a.m. |
| Mar. 22 | Day 2 | 11:15 a.m. |
Don’t miss the start of a busy weekend at Live! Philadelphia, where the PokerNews team continues to provide live coverage on the road to crowning the newest PokerStars Open champion.