$400 Deep Stack No-Limit Hold’em
$100,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 12: 1,000/2,000 with a 2,000 ante
Day 1A Players Remaining: 37 of 120
Players are back in their seats, ready to grind through the last three levels of the day, and we have a new front-runner. Joel Gola was leading for most of the day but dipped to third with 211,000 while Max Harris stormed way out front with 337,000.
Allan Dungo is between the two with 240,000 and a few more teasing 200K stacks.
$400 Deep Stack No-Limit Hold’em
$100,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 11: 1,000/1,500 with a 1,500 ante
Day 1A Players Remaining: 38 of 117
The final break is here, one last chance to catch a breather before the last push to build a bag for Day 2. We have around 38 players remaining of the 117 entries; it fluctuates as players bust and/or re-enter.
They will return to play three more levels before survivors put chips in bags.
$400 Deep Stack No-Limit Hold’em
$100,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 9: 500/1,000 with a 1,000 ante
Day 1A Entries: 110
Players returned to action after the dinner break with 110 entries in the field so far, and Joel Gola is still at the top of the chip counts. He leads the way with 242,500 followed by Pasquale Caiazza with 214,500 and two-time SHRP major champ Allan Dungo in third with 208,000.
They are scheduled top lay six more levels today, with a break in the middle, before survivors bag up for Day 2 on Sunday.
Big stacks and some random counts from around the room:
Joel Gola – 242,500 (243 bb)
Pasquale Caiazza – 214,500 (215 bb)
Allan Dungo – 208,000 (208 bb)
Courtland Twyman – 113,000 (113 bb)
James Salmon – 110,000 (110 bb)
Greg Pessine – 96,500 (97 bb)
John Esser – 88,000 (88 bb)
Rosman Marquez – 68,500 (69 bb)
Nathan Thrush – 64,000 (64 bb)
Jamie Wiegrefe – 57,000 (57 bb)
Matthew Zarcadoolas – 57,000 (57 bb)
Michael Newman – 55,500 (56 bb)
Richard Leger – 45,000 (45 bb)
Gary Gelman – 44,500 (45 bb)
Scott Zakheim – 43,000 (43 bb)
Paul Domb – 37,500 (38 bb)
Roni Zelichonok – 34,500 (35 bb)
$400 Deep Stack No-Limit Hold’em
$100,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 8: 400/800 with a 800 ante
Day 1A Entries: 95
Players will enjoy a 40-minute dinner break after Level 8 runs its course while tournament staff pull the black chips out of play. Time to refresh and get ready for the last stretch of the day with six more levels to run up a Day 2 stack.
In case you didn’t know, you can now order food from The BŌL to your table, among other items on the Poker Room menu, or you can grab something and sit in the cafe lounge area.
$400 Deep Stack No-Limit Hold’em
$100,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 7: 300/500 with a 500 ante
Day 1A Entries: 95
Players are back in action after the break and we have one huge stack in the room. It belongs to Joel Gola, our 2026 WPO LHPO Championship runner-up, and he was already good with 200K at the break.
Then he sent someone else out at the start of Level 7 and closing on 300K. He has 292,000 to lead the field with Zach Toney two seats away in second with 199,000.
Here’s a look at some of the big stacks and some others in the field:
Joel Gola – 292,000 (487 bb)
Zach Toney – 199,000 (332 bb)
Pasquale Caiazza – 139,800 (233 bb)
Natalie Alvarrao – 91,100 (152 bb)
Courtland Twyman – 85,500 (143 bb)
Jamie Wiegrefe – 66,700 (111 bb)
Gary Gelman – 59,200 (99 bb)
Sean Phillippi – 31,700 (53 bb)
Roni Zelichonok – 31,500 (53 bb)
Paul Domb – 30,400 (51 bb)
Julian Wohlgemuth – 29,900 (50 bb)
Scott Zakheim – 28,500 (48 bb)
Nathan Thrush – 28,400 (47 bb)
Alex Borukhovich – 27,300 (46 bb)
Matthew Zarcadoolas – 25,900 (43 bb)
Eugene Katchalov – 17,400 (29 bb)
Richard Leger – 16,000 (27 bb)
$400 Deep Stack NLH
$100,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 6: 300/500 with a 500 ante
Day 1A Entries: 85
The second break of the day is right around the corner and players will get another breather from the action. They will return to play two more levels before the dinner break.
We will take this opportunity to walk the six active tables and see who’s having a good day.
$400 Deep Stack NLH
$100,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 5: 200/400
Day 1A Entries: 83
We have a nice little turnout for a Thursday afternoon with 83 entries in the field. That puts the $400 Deep Stack on a path to smashing the $100,000 with two big weekend flights to go.
Some early friends in the Poker Room include Matthew Zarcadoolas, Sean Phillippi, Paul Domb, Pasquale Caiazza, Nathan Thrush, Gary Gelman, Eugene Katchalov, Richard Leger, Harrison Riggiero, and Courtland Twyman.
$400 Deep Stack NLH
$100,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 1: 100/100
The first multi-flight event on the 2026 Deep Stack Poker Series schedule gets underway today with Flight A of Event 3 at 11 am. The $400 Deep Stack features a $100,000 guaranteed prize pool and a long, slow structure for max value.
Players sit with huge 30K stacks and all Day 1 levels last 40 minutes, increasing to 60 on Day 2 and 90 minutes at the start of Level 27. Late registration and re-entries are available until the start of Day 2 on Sunday at 11 am.
Action will continue through Level 14 and survivors return on Sunday.
Primary Event Schedule
11AM: Event 3 Day 1A – $400 Deep Stack NLH (Re-Entry)
Secondary and Satellite Schedule
6PM: $150 Multi-Event DSPS Satellite (1-in-10)