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$3,000 NLH Main Event
Day 1a Completed
2026 Potomac Summer Poker Open
$3,000 NLH Main Event
Day: 1a
Players Left 124 / 228
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Chip Counts
Chip Counts
5
343,000
Level 15
: Blinds 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante
A big river call helped David Van Noy jump over Justin Liberto and take the chip lead after Day 1a of the Potomac Summer Poker Open $3,000 Main Event.
Van Noy was faced with an all-in shove from Nicholas Verderamo and found a call for his last 130,000 with aces and tens to win the massive pot and double up. Van Noy kept up the momentum from there, and he ended up atop the leaderboard with 655,000 as 20 players survived the event’s opening flight.
Day 1a Top Ten Chip Counts
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | David Van Noy | United States | 655,000 | 82 |
| 2 | Justin Liberto | United States | 638,000 | 80 |
| 3 | Ed Hill | United States | 495,000 | 62 |
| 4 | Casey Hatmaker | United States | 351,000 | 44 |
| 5 | Yabetse Wedeneh | United States | 343,000 | 43 |
| 6 | James Morris | United States | 340,000 | 43 |
| 7 | Samuel Rosen | United States | 325,000 | 41 |
| 8 | Ari Katz | United States | 325,000 | 41 |
| 9 | Alex Grace | United States | 309,000 | 39 |
| 10 | Patrick Martorella | United States | 309,000 | 39 |
Liberto was right behind him with 638,000. The two-time WSOP bracelet winner busted early in the day, but his second bullet went much better, including when he made quad sixes to earn a double up.
Ed Hill (495,000), Casey Hatmaker (351,000), and Yebetse Wedeneh (343,000) round out the top five. Hatmaker nearly didn’t make it through the day until he spiked a set of jacks on the river to double up late in the last level of the night.
Faraz Jaka took his seat right at the end of late registration and managed to bag up 186,000. James Morris, meanwhile, finished with 340,000 while multi-tabling with a blackjack tournament downstairs on the main casino floor. Others through to Day 2 include last year’s fourth-place finisher Samuel Rosen (325,000), Ari Katz (325,000), Verderamo (247,000), and Christian Harder (151,000).
Justin Arnwine will have to try again tomorrow if he wants to add this title to his sizeable collection, as he ran into Rosen’s kings late in the day. Monumental Stack champion Andrew Chang, Daniel Iachan, Matthew Su, Kyle Dishongh, and Russ Dunlevy also busted. Political pundit and podcast host Tim Pool joined the fray today and flopped two pair against Verderamo’s kings, but Verderamo spiked a king on the river to make a set and send Pool to the rail.
A total of 100 players entered on Day 1a. Tomorrow’s final flight is expected to be much bigger as players continue to chase a piece of the $750,000 guaranteed prize pool. The action picks up at 11 a.m. as a new crop of hopefuls descend on the MGM National Harbor.
PokerNews will be back tomorrow to follow all the action, so stay tuned for live updates.
Level 15
: Blinds 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante
Level 15
: Blinds 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante
Day 1a has ended with 20 players remaining out of 100 entries.
Stay tuned for chip counts and a recap of the day's action.
Level 15
: Blinds 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante
James Morris limped in from under the gun before Joseph Crowley moved all in for 90,000 in the hijack. The button called all in for less, and Morris folded.
All-In Player: 7♥7♣ 
Joseph Crowley: A♠K♣
The at-risk player remained in the lead on the 2♦9♦J♣ flop, but Crowley hit the K♦ on the turn to move in front. The river was the K♥, and Crowley earned the knockout.
At another table, Faraz Jaka bet 8,000 from the button on a flop of 7♣7♥9♦ and Christian Harder raised to 21,000 in the big blind. Jaka called.
Both players checked the 10♥ turn, and Harder also checked the K♥ river. Jaka then moved all in for 110,000, and Harder folded.
"For the vlog," Jaka said as he took a video of his hand.
"You mean we can see what you had on your vlog," Samuel Rosen asked him.
"Unfortunately," Jaka replied.
Level 15
: Blinds 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante
Tournament officials announced that players will see five more hands before bagging up their chips for the night.
Level 15
: Blinds 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante
Ari Katz raised to 12,000 in the hijack, Christian Harder three-bet to 34,000 in the cutoff, and Katz called.
The flop came Q♦10♣8♥ and Harder bet 25,000. Katz then raised to 79,000, and Harder folded.
At another table, Casey Hatmaker had opened to 12,000 in the hijack and the button called before James Morris three-bet to 48,000 in the small blind. Hatmaker then moved all in for 175,000, and Morris called.
Casey Hatmaker: J♦J♣
James Morris: A♦K♠
Hatmaker was racing for his tournament life, but he fell behind on the K♦4♦5♠ flop as Morris hit top pair. The turn was the Q♥, but Hatmaker spiked a set on the J♥ river to win the pot and double up.
Level 15
: Blinds 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante
Ari Katz raised to 12,000 under the gun before Justin Arnwine moved all in for 130,000 in middle position. Samuel Rosen reshoved on the button, and Katz got out of the way.
Justin Arnwine: A♣J♥
Samuel Rosen: K♦K♥
Rosen had woken up with kings, and Arnwine was left looking for an ace to survive. The board ran out 8♥3♣4♣10♠3♠, and Arnwine found no help as he was sent to the rail.
"I win that pot, Sam, if you don't wake up over there," Katz said to Rosen.
Level 15
: Blinds 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante
Faraz Jaka moved all in for 27,000 from middle position and Christian Harder called in cutoff.
Faraz Jaka: A♦10♣
Christian Harder: 5♠5♣
Harder remained in the lead on the Q♠3♦3♥ flop, but Jaka caught the A♥ on the turn. The river was the K♠, and Jaka doubled up.
Level 15
: Blinds 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante
Joseph Crowley bet 12,000 from the button on a flop of 3♠9♦10♠, Casey Hatmaker moved all in for 79,000 in the big blind, and Crowley called.
Casey Hatmaker: J♥10♣
Joseph Crowley: K♠K♣
Hatmaker had flopped top pair, but he needed help against Crowley's kings. The 10♥ fell on the turn to give him trips, while the river was the 5♦ and Hatmaker doubled up.
