Who Might Follow Brilliant Brock Wilson with U.S. Poker Open Glory?
The 2026 U.S. Poker Open is underway in Las Vegas, Nevada and PokerStake’s Brock Wilson and Jeremy Ausmus both battled it out for glory and bragging rights in the PokerGO Studio this weekend. At the end of the opening event, which cost $5,000 to play, it was Wilson who posed for the cameras, capturing the title and a top prize of over $120,000.
Opening Event Draws Large Field
“You better be putting all these hands on the vlog!”
Inside the PokerGO Studio at ARIA on the Las Vegas strip, there were 93 total entries in the opening event of the U.S. Poker Open. That meant just 14 players were paid, with legends of the felt such as Erik Seidel (10th for $13,950) and Kristen Foxen (9th for $13,950) two PokerStake sellers who made the money.
At the seven-handed final table, there was plenty of banter between both the PokerStake players who remained, with one hand between Jeremy Ausmus and Rebecca Ferguson seeing Ausmus use a time bank card before moving all-in on the river of a board showing J-8-5-8-5.
“You better be putting all these hands on the vlog, that’s all I’m saying.” Wilson quipped, to the amusement of the other players at the table.
Exits for Kent Stephens in seventh place for $18,600 and another PokerStake legend Chino Rheem in sixth place for $23,250 ended play for the day, with the final coming back to play down to a winner with Ausmus on a massive stack of 5.3 million chips, with Ferguson the short stack on just 790,000 chips.
Despite that, it was Roger Johnson who busted first, cashing for $32,550 in fifth place, his ace-four dominated to defeat by Ausmus’ ace-six. Four-handed play lasted less than an orbit, as Ferguson joined Johnson on the rail, winning $41,850 as her queen-jack was shot down by Wilson’s superior king-queen. A nine-high board was no help at all to the at-risk player and Wilson’s resurgence was a timely one, putting him back into contention, albeit a long way behind Ausmus at the top of chipcounts.
The Comeback Kid
With three players left, Wilson was the short stack but only a three-bet behind Justin Zaki. Soon after play reached the podium places, Zaki was all-in and at risk with ace-queen against the pocket sevens of Ausmus and while an ace landed on the flop, it was ultimately not enough to save Zaki, a seven on the turn giving Ausmus a winning set.
Heads-up had barely begun before Wilson, a 10:1 underdog, was all-in. Having ace-jack against Ausmus’ ten-eight, he was a favorite but although both men paired the A-Q-8 flop, a ten on the turn gave Ausmus two-pair and he only needed to fade the river for victory. A jack on the river saved Wilson, though, doubling up to 2 million chips against Ausmus’ 7 million.
The crucial hand played out when A board of A-K-J-Q-5 played out and Ausmus shoved the river. Wilson used three full time banks before putting in a stunning call with jack-six, saying as he did so: “If I call and lose this is winner’s tilt!” Instead, Ausmus tapped the table, turning over seven-three for an inspired bluff that almost worked perfectly.
On such fine margins are elite poker events decided, and Wilson went on to win, top pair earning him the lead shortly after before trips won him the tournament, the two men shaking hands warmly upon its conclusion.
“I’m definitely running good,” said Wilson afterwards to reporters. “I feel like when you’re winning it’s also easier to go with your reads, so I’m definitely going with a little more of my gut. It’s been working out. So it feels really good when you do what your gut wants you to do rather than just what you’re supposed to do.”
| PGT 2026 U.S. Poker Open $5,000 Event #1 Final Table Results: | |||
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
| 1st | Brock Wilson | United States | $120,900 |
| 2nd | Jeremy Ausmus | United States | $76,725 |
| 3rd | Justin Zaki | United States | $55,800 |
| 4th | Natalie Ferguson | United States | $41,850 |
| 5th | Rodger Johnson | United States | $32,550 |
| 6th | Chino Rheem | United States | $23,250 |
| 7th | Kent Stephens | United States | $18,600 |
Clemen Deng Wins Second USPO Event
In the second U.S. Poker Open event of the series, it was Clemen Deng who took the plaudits as the total field increased to 98 entries. Once again, plenty of PokerStake players performed admirably, with Erik Seidel cashing for the second successive event, winning $14,700 in ninth place. Others such as the returning Jeremy Ausmus (12th for $12,250) and Alex Foxen (14th for the same amount) gained a min-cash.
At the final table, players such as Aaron Messmer (7th for $19,600) and Yifu He (5th for $34,300) were eliminated before Michael Rossitto busted in third place for $58,800 to set the heads-up of Deng against Peter Mugar. The latter took a brief lead but Deng’s vast experience at this level told as he retook the lead and rode out the rollercoaster of the final duel to win $127,400 up top. Mugar’s deep run to second place was worth $80,850 as he missed out on the top but won a valuable PGT Points in the race to make the Top 40 who will qualify for the season-ending PGT $1m Championship freeroll.
With several more events to come in the 2026 U.S. Poker Open, you can invest in the next PokerStake players to win big, with poker’s winningest power couple Brock Wilson and the multiple GPI Female Player of the Year Cherish Andrews joined by high roller crushers Justin Saliba and Vladas Tamasauskas in selling to multiple events over the next week.
Head to the official 2026 U.S. Poker Open staking page on PokerStake now and choose your champion for the forthcoming action at the felt!
| PGT 2026 U.S. Poker Open $5,000 Event #2 Final Table Results: | |||
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
| 1st | Clemen Deng | United States | $127,400 |
| 2nd | Peter Mugar | United States | $80,850 |
| 3rd | Michael Rossitto | United States | $58,800 |
| 4th | Justin Vaysman | United States | $44,100 |
| 5th | Yifu He | United States | $34,300 |
| 6th | Vlastimil Pustina | Czech Republic | $24,500 |
| 7th | Aaron Messmer | United States | $19,600 |