$800 Main Event | 2026 The Gateway Poker Classic

Aug 09, 2026

Boyd Gets There the "Weird Way" to Bust Burch

David Salituro

Level 18 : Blinds 8,000/16,000, 16,000 ante

Dale Stafford raised to 40,000 in early position before Phil Boyd three-bet to 105,000 in middle position. Travis Burch then moved all in for 255,000 in the cutoff and Stafford folded. "Here comes my jacks," Boyd said as he called.

"At least you're flipping," Burch replied.

Travis Burch: A♠K♠ All in
Phil Boyd: J♦J♥

Burch hit top pair on the K♥10♥5♥ to take the lead, but the A♥ turn gave Boyd a flush. Burch needed to fill up on the river to survive, but he missed the 5♦ and was sent to the rail.

"Got there the weird way," Keith Heine told Boyd.

Horace Ingram, meanwhile, had a disastrous day today and has already been eliminated after beginning second in chips.

Tags: Dale Stafford Horace Ingram Keith Heine Phil Boyd Travis Burch

Aug 09, 2026

Mason Picks Up Kings to Double Off Lafata

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

David Salituro

Level 18 : Blinds 8,000/16,000, 16,000 ante

Sekhar Perla limped in from early position before Nick Lafata raised to 50,000 in middle position. Jonathon Mason then reraised to 150,000 in the big blind, and only Lafata called.

The flop came 2♠7♠4♦ and Mason bet 80,000. Lafata then raised to 200,000, Mason moved all in for 335,000, and Lafata called.

Jonathon Mason: K♠K♥ All in
Nick Lafata: 6♠5♥

Mason was ahead with his kings, while Lafata was on a straight draw. The 10♣ turn was safe for Mason, while the river came the J♣ to give him the big double up.

Tags: Jonathon Mason Nick Lafata

Aug 09, 2026

Knoche Pulls Ahead on the Turn For a Massive Double Off Janushanis

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

David Salituro

Level 18 : Blinds 8,000/16,000, 16,000 ante

Around 150,000 was already in the pot as Gene Janushanis and Jerry Knoche went to the turn on a board of 3♥8♦Q♥4♦. Janushanis then bet 120,000 from the button, and Knoche moved all in for 306,000 from the big blind. Janushanis took a minute before calling.

Janushanis turned over A♣Q♦ for top pair, but Knoche had turned two pair with 4♠3♠. "How?" Janushanis muttered to himself as the 6♠ completed the board on the river, earning Knoche the massive double up.

Tags: Gene Janushanis Jerry Knoche

Aug 09, 2026

Bakota Cracks Queens to Double

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

David Salituro

Level 18 : Blinds 8,000/16,000, 16,000 ante

Casey Blakeley raised to 40,000 in early position, Andrew Bakota moved all in for 121,000 in middle position, and Blakeley snap-called. "Ouch," Bakota said as they went to turn over their cards.

Andrew Bakota: A♠10♥ All in
Casey Blakeley: Q♦Q♠

Bakota was looking for an ace to stay alive, and he found one on the A♣9♠5♥ flop to take the lead. The rest of the board ran out 9♥J♥, and he doubled up.

Tags: Andrew Bakota Casey Blakeley

Aug 09, 2026

Dochwat Not Afraid to Get His Money In

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

David Salituro

Level 18 : Blinds 8,000/16,000, 16,000 ante

Louis Dochwat in the big blind and Stephen Dolle in early position got all their chips in the middle before the flop.

Stephen Dolle: A♠J♦ All in
Louis Dochwat: K♥Q♥

Dolle remained in the lead on the 9♠8♦9♥ flop, but Dochwat hit the K♣ on the turn to make two pair. The river was the Q♠, and Dochwat secured the pot.

The stacks were counted down, and Dochwat had Dolle's remaining 250,000 narrowly covered to earn the knockout.

"Action Jackson. I'm not afraid of this shit. I'll rather be lucky than good," Dochwat said.

At another table, Jason Simon was eliminated when Steph Martines hit an ace on the turn with ace-nine to crack Simon's pocket tens.

Tags: Jason Simon Louis Dochwat Steph Martines Stephen Dolle

Aug 09, 2026

Koch Spikes the Turn to Bust Level

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

David Salituro

Level 18 : Blinds 8,000/16,000, 16,000 ante

David Level moved all in for 94,000 in the hijack and Matthew Koch called on the button.

David Level: A♥5♦ All in
Matthew Koch: K♥Q♠

Koch picked up a straight draw on the J♣9♣2♦ flop, and the 10♣ turn gave him his straight and left Level drawing dead. The river was the 8♥, and Level was sent to the rail.

Tags: David Level Matthew Koch

Aug 09, 2026

"What a Runout"; Coliny Loses an Adventerous Race to Dulic

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

David Salituro

Level 18 : Blinds 8,000/16,000, 16,000 ante

Muharem Dulic raised to 33,000 in the hijack, Justin Coliny moved all in for 106,000 in the small blind, and Dulic called.

Justin Coliny: A♦K♦ All in
Muharem Dulic: 10♠10♦

The Q♦2♦10♥ flop gave Dulic a set, while Coliny picked up straight and flush draws. The turn was the K♣, while the A♣ river gave Coliny a no-good two pair as he stopped to snap a photo of the board before heading off to collect his payout.

"What a runout," a tablemate said.

Tags: Justin Coliny Muharem Dulic

Aug 09, 2026

Moria Falls to Fehlig

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

David Salituro

Level 18 : Blinds 8,000/16,000, 16,000 ante

Shabtai Moria moved all in for 81,000 from early position and Paul Fehlig called in the hijack.

Shabtai Moria: A♠8♦ All in
Paul Fehlig: A♣J♦

"Good luck, everybody," Moria told his tablemates after finding out he was dominated. The A♦Q♦3♦4♠5♦ board gave both players a flush, while Fehlig remained in the lead with his jack to send Moria to the rail.

Tags: Paul Fehlig Shabtai Moria

Aug 09, 2026

Prize Pool

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

David Salituro

Level 18 : Blinds 8,000/16,000, 16,000 ante

The 705 entries into this event built up a prize pool of $493,500. The final 86 players have already locked up $1,338, while the champion will take home $88,465.

Place	Prize	Place	Prize	Place	Prize
1	$88,465	9-10	$8,847	41-48	$2,116
2	$58,978	11-12	$7,077	49-56	$1,878
3	$43,436	13-14	$5,731	57-64	$1,689
4	$32,357	15-16	$4,700	65-72	$1,541
5	$24,383	17-20	$3,904	73-80	$1,425
6	$18,589	21-24	$3,284	81-86	$1,338
7	$14,340	25-32	$2,799
8	$11,196	33-40	$2,418