Day 1 of Event #1: $10,500 NLH at the 2026 Poker Masters in Las Vegas ended with six players still in contention and Michael Rossitto holding the chip lead.
Rossitto finished the opening day with 3,300,000 chips, equal to 83 big blinds. The American, who has more than $5.5 million in recorded live tournament earnings, sits ahead of Myles Mullaly and Sam Laskowitz, the only other players to finish the day with more than two million chips.
Justin Zaki, Daniyal Gheba and Justin Vaysman completed the final six, although all three will return with stacks below one million.
Rossitto Takes Control of the Final Six
The remaining field is led by three American players with sizeable stacks. Mullaly finished with 2,445,000, while Laskowitz ended Day 1 on 2,155,000.
The gap becomes much larger after the top three. Zaki bagged 955,000, Gheba finished with 585,000 and Vaysman will return as the shortest stack with 310,000.
Event #1: $10,500 NLH Day 1 Chip Counts
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michael Rossitto | United States | 3,300,000 | 83 |
| 2 | Myles Mullaly | United States | 2,445,000 | 61 |
| 3 | Sam Laskowitz | United States | 2,155,000 | 54 |
| 4 | Justin Zaki | United States | 955,000 | 24 |
| 5 | Daniyal Gheba | United States | 585,000 | 15 |
| 6 | Justin Vaysman | United States | 310,000 | 8 |
Poker Legends Add a Different Feel to Day 1
The field included many familiar high-stakes regulars, including Sean Winter, Brock Wilson and David Coleman, but several veteran names also appeared.
Steve Zolotow and Erik Seidel were among those in action. Both players have long histories in poker and were regulars at the famous Mayfair Club in New York.
Zolotow lasted longer than Seidel but was still eliminated before reaching the money. Seidel was unable to make a deep run in this event despite enjoying success in another discipline recently, having finished second in his first backgammon tournament in more than four decades.
Later in the session, attention in the room briefly shifted toward the NFL overtime game between the Los Angeles Rams and Buffalo Bills, with several players following the action closely between hands.
Adrian Mateos Eliminated in Brutal Bubble Hand
The money bubble produced one of the most dramatic hands of the day.
Adrian Mateos was eliminated in 13th place after having pocket aces cracked by Craig Mason. Mason flopped a set of nines and sent the Spanish professional out just short of the paid positions.
The result denied Mateos another opportunity to add points and prize money to his strong 2026 campaign.
Mason did not remain in the tournament much longer. He later became the first player eliminated from the final table when his king-queen failed to hold against the suited king-seven of Sam Laskowitz.
Laskowitz completed a flush and sent Mason out in seventh place, setting the official final six for Day 2.
$218,400 Awaits the Poker Masters Champion
Day 2 will begin at noon local time on Level 18, with blinds at 25,000/50,000 and a 50,000 big blind ante.
Every returning player has already secured at least $39,000, while the eventual winner will take home the trophy and a top prize of $218,400.
Final Payouts
- 1st place: $218,400
- 2nd place: $140,400
- 3rd place: $101,400
- 4th place: $74,100
- 5th place: $54,600
- 6th place: $39,000
With Rossitto holding a clear chip advantage and three players returning with fewer than 25 big blinds, the opening Poker Masters event is set for a decisive final day.
