2026 Winter Poker Open
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Tampa, Florida
Event 8
$1,700 WPO Championship
$300,000 Guaranteed
Entries:  419
Prize Pool:  $628,500
January 29 – February 1, 2026

The 2026 Winter Poker Open Championship was the big game on the schedule, and the $1,700 buy-in tournament drew 419 entries, more than doubling the $300,000 guarantee. After a long Day 2 filled with talented players, Yan Jiang won the title outright for $133,430.

Our players created a prize pool worth $628,500, and the last 53 players earned a piece of it coming back for Day 2. Ken O’Donnell returned with a huge chip lead, more than second and third-place stacks combined, but fell short in 12th place after a series of unfortunate hands.

Jiang took the lead when the field reached two tables, sporting a dominating stack, and she never lost until the heads-up battle with Kyle Sturgis. But that drop did not last long and she won the WPO title after a 45-minute match.

In addition to becoming our 2026 WPO Champion, Jiang is also the first female Championship/Main Event winner in Seminole Hard Rock Poker history, not just here in Tampa.

Congrats to Yan and thank you to everyone for making it such a great event!

$1,700 WPO Championship
Prize Pool:  $628,500  |  Structure  |  Payouts
Level 28:  75,000/150,000 with a 150,000 ante

Kevin Sturgis opened to 400,000 from the button and Yan Jiang three-bet to 1,200,000. Sturgis called, the flop was , and Jiang continued for another 1,200,000. Sturgis called, the turn was , Jiang announced all in, and Sturgis folded.

Seat 4: Kyle Sturgis – 4,200,000 (28 bb)
Seat 7: Yan Jiang – 12,550,000 (84 bb)

Jiang kept the pressure on at the point and Sturgis dropped further. On the final hand, Jiang moved all in from the button and Sturgis called at risk for 2,925,000.

Jiang:
Sturgis:

It was a fair fight and Sturgis needed his sevens to hold up to get back in the game. But Jiang took the lead when she paired her queen on the flop. Neither the turn nor the river were any help for Sturgis and he was eliminated in second place.

Jiang took the title and the $133,430 top prize.

1st: Yan Jiang – $133,430 + WPO Trophy
2nd: Kevin Sturgis – $82,440

$1,700 WPO Championship
Prize Pool:  $628,500  |  Structure  |  Payouts
Level 28:  75,000/125,000 with a 125,000 ante
Players Remaining:  2 of 419

Yan Jiang opened her button to 375,000 and Kyle Sturgis called. The flop was , Sturgis checked, Jiang bet 300,000 and Sturgis called.

The turn was and both players checked. The river was , Sturgis bet 1,300,000 and Jiang called. She showed for a pair of nines and Sturgis mucked.

Seat 4: Kyle Sturgis – 4,175,000 (33 bb)
Seat 7: Yan Jiang – 12,550,000 (100 bb)

Then Sturgis opened to 275,000 from the button, Jiang moved all in, and Sturgis called at risk for 4,175,000.

Sturgis:
Jiang:

It was a race and Sturgis needed his eights to hold to double and they were fine after the board to double back into a small lead.

Seat 4: Kyle Sturgis – 8,475,000 (68 bb)
Seat 7: Yan Jiang – 8,285,000 (66 bb)

$1,700 WPO Championship
Prize Pool:  $628,500  |  Structure  |  Payouts
Level 28:  75,000/125,000 with a 125,000 ante
Players Remaining:  2 of 419

Yan Jiang opened to 375,000 from her button, Kyle Sturgis called and the flop was . Sturgis check, Jiang bet 300,000 and Sturgis called.

The turn was and both players checked. The river was , Sturgis checked, Jiang bet 1,100,000 and Sturgis called.

Sturgis:
Jaing:

Sturgis won the hand with his paired king to close the gap.

Then Jiang opened her button again to 375,000 and Sturgis called. The flop was and both players checked. The turn was , Sturgis bet 500,000 and Jiang called.

The river was , Sturgis bet 1,300,000 and Jiang called.

“Straight,” Sturgis said before tabling for the seven-high straight. Jiang mucked and Sturgis moved into the lead.

Seat 4: Kyle Sturgis – 8,550,000 (86 bb)
Seat 7: Yan Jiang – 8,200,000 (82 bb)

$1,700 WPO Championship
Prize Pool:  $628,500  |  Structure  |  Payouts
Level 27:  50,000/100,000 with a 100,000 ante
Players Remaining:  2 of 419

Cards are in the air for the heads-up battle between Kyle Sturgis and Yan Jiang for the WPO Championship.

Seat 4: Kyle Sturgis – 6,800,000 (68 bb)
Seat 7: Yan Jiang – 9,700,000 (97 bb)

1st: $133,430 + WPO Trophy
2nd: $82,440

$1,700 WPO Championship
Prize Pool:  $628,500  |  Structure  |  Payouts
Level 27:  50,000/100,000 with a 100,000 ante
Players Remaining:  3 of 419

In a seemingly innocent hand, Kyle Sturgis and Rafael Reis were heads-up with board out and reading .

Sturgis put his 1,900,000 stack in the middle and Reis had him at risk.

Sturgis tabled for aces and fives and Reis was left to lament the cooler with his smaller two pair with .

Reis was left very short and eliminated a few hands later, denied his chance to go back-to-back as our Champion.

Kyle Sturgis – 6,800,000 (68 bb)
Rafael Reis – Eliminated in 3rd Place ($59,470)

$1,700 WPO Championship
Prize Pool:  $628,500  |  Structure  |  Payouts
Level 27:  50,000/100,000 with a 100,000 ante
Players Remaining:  3 of 419

Rafael Reis open-shipped for 1,700,000 and Yan Jiang called.

Jiang:
Reis:

Reis was ahead for the double but had two live cards to dodge. Jiang picked up a diamond draw on the flop but Reis held after the turn and river.

Yan Jiang – 10,500,000 (105 bb)
Rafael Reis – 3,450,000 (35 bb)

$1,700 WPO Championship
Prize Pool:  $628,500  |  Structure  |  Payouts
Level 27:  50,000/100,000 with a 100,000 ante
Players Remaining:  3 of 419

Seat 4: Kyle Sturgis – 1,700,000 (17 bb)
Seat 7: Yan Jiang – 13,575,000 (136 bb)
Seat 8: Rafael Reis – 1,450,000 (15 bb)

1st: $133,430 + WPO Trophy
2nd: $82,440
3rd: $59,470

4th: Justin Fawcett – $43,580
5th: Brandon Padula – $32,460
6th: Robert LeBeau – $24,570
7th: Michael Hollander – $18,910
8th: Robert Capote – $14,810
9th: Bradley Robertson – $11,790

$1,700 WPO Championship
Prize Pool:  $628,500  |  Structure  |  Payouts
Level 26:  40,000/80,000 with a 80,000 ante
Players Remaining:  3 of 419

Justin Fawcett opened to 160,000 from his button and Yan Jiang moved all in from the big blind. Fawcett thought for a minute and called at risk.

Jiang:
Fawcett:

“I need to get lucky,” Fawcett said.

But the board ran out and he was eliminated in fourth place.

Yan Jiang – 13,575,000 (170 bb)
Justin Fawcett  –  Eliminated in 4th Place ($43,580)

$1,700 WPO Championship
Prize Pool:  $628,500  |  Structure  |  Payouts
Level 26:  40,000/80,000 with a 80,000 ante
Players Remaining:  4 of 419

Action folded to Brandon Padula on the button and he moved all in for 955,000. Yan Jiang moved all in over the top from the small blind to get a fold from Rafael Reis in the big.

Jiang:
Padula:

Padula had two live suited cards with a chance to double but Jiang moved further out front on the flop. The turn and river finished the board and Padula was eliminated in fifth place.

Yan Jiang – 9,715,000 (121 bb)
Brandon Padula  –  Eliminated in 5th Place ($32,460)