PS Open Philadelphia 2026: Jen Shahade and Michael McNicholas Take Home the Trophies, Main Event Smashes Initial Guarantee!

This year's PS Open builds on last year's successful debut, with seven prestigious trophies waiting for new owners. The festival schedule offers a wide range of tournaments, from the PS Cup with a $40,000 guarantee to the Main Event boasting a guaranteed $500,000 prizepool.

Key and Exciting Events at PS Open Philadelphia:

• PS Open High Roller (March 17 – 18): A two-day event with the festival's highest buy-in at $2,200.

• PS Open Main Event (March 18 – 22): The main attraction with a $1,100 buy-in, guaranteeing a massive $500,000 prizepool.

• Womens Event (March 20): A tournament with a $300 buy-in and a $10,000 guarantee.

• PS Open Cup (March 22): Featuring a $400 buy-in and a $40,000 guarantee, this event is a highlight of the festival's closing phase.

The biggest challenge this year was whether the Main Event could surpass last year's record, where the prizepool soared to $1.1 million. However, it fell short.

Women's Tournament Dominated by Jen Shahade

One of the most anticipated moments of the festival's opening phase was the $300 NLH Womens Event, held on Friday, March 20. The tournament, with a guaranteed prizepool of $10,000, attracted many talented female players vying for an iconic title.

The victory went to renowned chess grandmaster and poker pro Jen Shahade. Her dominance at the table confirmed that strategic thinking and precision are key in this type of tournament. A Philadelphia native, Jennifer adds another valuable success on home turf, taking home $3,790.

High Roller Conquered by Michael McNicholas

For those seeking higher stakes, the two-day $2,200 PS Open High Roller was on offer. With 73 entries, the prizepool climbed to $142,350. Participation exceeded last year's numbers by 12 entries, resulting in ten players cashing out.

Champion Michael McNicholas added to his collection of trophies, which previously included mainly WSOPC rings. He claimed the High Roller title after a heads-up deal with Michael Bohmerwald, pocketing $42,583.

Main Event Guarantee Smashed

The main attraction – the $1,100 Main Event – drew players from across the region. The initial guarantee of $500,000 was blown away as four opening flights generated a total of 893 entries, bringing the prizepool to $857,280.

Rajath Tangam from New Jersey, the chipleader heading into Day 2, dominated Day 1c and was the only player to surpass the one million chip mark (1,100,000). Trailing close behind are Day 1a winner Abel Gebeyehu (992,000) and final flight 1d leader Lingkun Lu (862,000). Still in contention are Women's Event champion Jennifer Shahade (419,000) and last year's defending champion Edward Leonard (496,000).

Out of 114 players advancing to Day 2, all are already in the money, with action continuing until one player lifts the winning trophy. The prize for the winner will be announced at the start of Day 2.

Top 10 Chip Stacks Before Day 2 (1,100$ Main Event):

Sources: PS, X, Flickr