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Event #16: $1,700 U.S. Circuit Championship No-Limit Holdem
Day 3 Completed
2026 World Series of Poker
Event #16: $1,700 U.S. Circuit Championship No-Limit Holdem
Day: 3
Event Info
2026 World Series of Poker
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 3
Buy-in
$1,700
Prize Pool
$3,231,666
Total Entries
2,148
Level
37
Blinds
500,000 / 1,000,000
Ante
1,000,000
Entries
32
Players Left
1
Players Left 1 / 2,148
Filter
Level 37
: Blinds 500,000/1,000,000, 1,000,000 ante
In Event #16: $1,700 U.S. Circuit Championship No-Limit Holdem at the 2026 World Series of Poker (WSOP), Colorado's Antonio Vargas won a career-best $439,605 and his first bracelet after beating runner-up Kai Cohen in a lengthy heads-up battle.
The Circuit Championship drew 2,148 runners for a prize pool of $3,231,666. The final table also included recent Mini Mystery Millions final tablist Kartik Ved (3rd - $211,817), France's Malcolm Franchi (6th - $85,561), and American Shawn Daniels (7th - $64,681), who cracked aces twice on his way to the final table.
Vargas, who adds to $1.2 million in career earnings, sported a Jaka Coaching patch at the final table and had poker coach Faraz Jaka supporting him on the rail. The poker lessons paid off as he went wire-to-wire with his final table chip lead to win his first piece of WSOP gold.
"To be honest, it's probably gonna take me a couple of days to process it," Vargas told PokerNews in a winner's interview. "(I'm) very lucky to have gotten this far and to be able to beat 2,200 people in this event. So it's just very fortunate and lucky and (I'm) grateful to be able to ... close it out."
$1,700 U.S. Circuit Championship Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Antonio Vargas | United States | $439,605 |
| 2 | Kai Cohen | United States | $292,916 |
| 3 | Kartik Ved | India | $211,817 |
| 4 | Michael Plesa | Canada | $154,853 |
| 5 | Liubomyr Melnyk | United States | $114,465 |
| 6 | Malcolm Franchi | France | $85,561 |
| 7 | Shawn Daniels | United States | $64,681 |
| 8 | Scott Horvath | United States | $49,459 |
| 9 | Yannick Capocetti | Argentina | $38,258 |
Aces Cracked Twice on Day 3
The Day 3 highlights began way before the final table. In the second level of the day, Daniels cracked aces with ace-jack to send Japan's Peter Cross to the rail. Jacks were clearly lucky for Daniels, as just a few hours later he cracked the Rockets of Michael Bahls with queen-jack to make way for the unofficial final table.
The first out at the official final table was Yannick Capocetti, who fell in ninth place as his ace-four was far dominated by the ace-jack of Kartik Ved. After dinner break, Scott Horvath went out in brutal fashion as his pocket queens were cracked by the ace-nine of Michael Plesa.
The aces-cracking Daniels was out soon after, running into Vargas' flopped set. The eventual winner then went on a run that saw him knocking out Liubomyr Melnyk with a runner-runner straight and later cracking the queens of Kartik Ved to send the Indian bracelet winner out in third place.
Ved had already been having the summer of a lifetime, finishing third in the $550 Mini Mystery Millions for $200,000 after pulling two six-figure bounties.
Vargas was in control throughout the final table, but Cohen doubled up multiple times during heads-up play to put up a solid fight before a final confrontation that saw Vargas raising all in with a straight and getting called by top pair.
Vargas had a loud and passionate rail that, in addition to his coach Jaka, included a burley baritone singer who at one point belted out a song about Tony the Tiger, despite it being one in the morning. And Vargas was just as passionate about winning his first bracelet.
"The people that know, know that it means a lot to me," he said. "It just means everything to me right now."
That wraps up PokerNews coverage of the $1,700 U.S. Circuit Championship. Check out the live reporting portal for more coverage from the 2026 WSOP in Las Vegas.
Level 37
: Blinds 500,000/1,000,000, 1,000,000 ante
Antonio Vargas has taken down Event #16: $1,700 U.S. Circuit Championship No-Limit Holdem and claimed his first WSOP bracelet.
Stay tuned for a recap of the day and interview with the winner.
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Antonio Vargas | United States | $439,605 |
| 2 | Kai Cohen | United States | $292,916 |
| 3 | Kartik Ved | India | $211,817 |
| 4 | Michael Plesa | Canada | $154,853 |
| 5 | Liubomyr Melnyk | United States | $114,465 |
| 6 | Malcolm Franchi | France | $85,561 |
| 7 | Shawn Daniels | United States | $64,681 |
| 8 | Scott Horvath | United States | $49,459 |
| 9 | Yannick Capocetti | Argentina | $38,258 |
Level 37
: Blinds 500,000/1,000,000, 1,000,000 ante
Antonio Vargas on the button raised to 2,000,000 and Kai Cohen called in the big blind.
The flop came 5♠10♠J♦. Cohen check-called Vargas' continuation bet of 2,700,000. After action was passed to him again on the Q♦ turn, Vargas didn't let up and fired a hefty 8,000,000 into the pot. Cohen thought for a few seconds and called.
On the river 2♥, Cohen checked, and Vargas shoved all-in for 36,500,000 sending Cohen to the tank.
Cohen took his time to consider his option then made the call. Cohen tabled Q♠3♠ but Vargas showed K♣9♥ for a straight and for the championship.
Level 37
: Blinds 500,000/1,000,000, 1,000,000 ante
Antonio Vargas made up from the button and Kai Cohen jammed all in from the big blind, Vargas double checked his cards and made the call.
Kai Cohen: A♠5♠ 
Antonio Vargas: J♣8♣
No help for Vargas on the 2♣10♥6♠4♥5♥ run out and Cohen was shipped the pot for a double up.
Level 37
: Blinds 500,000/1,000,000, 1,000,000 ante
In a limped pot the flop came Q♦7♦7♣, Antonio Vargas checked from the big blind and Kai Cohen bet out for 1,500,000. Vargas flat-called.
The turn brought the 5♠ and Vargas check-called once more, this time for 3,500,000.
On the A♠ river, Cohen fired again, this time for 3,200,000. Vargas thought for a short time and made the call.
Cohen tabled 10♥9♠ and Vargas 10♦3♦. With both player's ten kicker playing, the pot was chopped.
Level: 37
Blinds: 500,000/1,000,000
Ante: 1,000,000
Level 36
: Blinds 400,000/800,000, 800,000 ante
Kai Cohen opened to 1,600,000 on the button, and Antonio Vargas called in the big blind. The flop came J♠7♥6♥.
Cohen continued for 2,800,000 after a check from Vargas. The chip leader called.
Both players checked the 5♣ turn, leading them to the 4♠ river. Vargas fired 9,000,000, confusing Cohen as to what he may have. Cohen took a few seconds to mull things over, visibly perplexed. He made a one-chip call then mucked his hand after seeing Vargas turn over 6♦8♠ for a straight,.
Level 36
: Blinds 400,000/800,000, 800,000 ante
Kai Cohen made it 1,600,000 from the button and Antonio Vargas made the call.
On the 6♦2♥7♦ flop, Vargas check-called Cohen's 800,000 continuation-bet for the players to see the J♦ come on the turn.
Vargas checked to Cohen once more, who fired out for 3,200,000. Vargas made the call.
The river brought the 3♣ and once again Vargas checked it to Cohen, who didn't slow down and fired off a third barrel of 7,600,000. Vargas tanked for a while before he released his hand to send Cohen yet another pot on the comeback trail.
Level 36
: Blinds 400,000/800,000, 800,000 ante
Antonio Vargas made up from the button and Kai Cohen checked his option.
Action went check check on the 9♠2♠K♦ flop to see the 3♠ come on the turn.
Cohen led out for 1,600,000 and Vargas made the call for the dealer to flip over the 4♣ as the river.
Cohen fired out a river bet of 3,600,000 and, after tanking for a short while, Vargas made the call. Cohen tabled 9♥7♠ for second pair and Vargas sent his cards into the muck, whilst the dealer sent the pot to Cohen.
