Joao Simao crushes final table for 4th PGT title in final stretch of USPO

US Poker Open Event #8

April 18-20

ENTRIES ($15000) IN THE MONEY

61

9

PRIZE POOL $915,000

2ND PRIZE $183K

FIRST PRIZE $292.8K

5

Hendon Mob entries for Zach Bruch before his runner-up finish against Joao Simao on Monday. 

1st

VS

2nd

1st

Joao Simao

Prize

$292,800

Career Earnings: $17,664,407

PRIZE

2nd

Zach Bruch

Prize

$183,000

Career Earnings: $423,280

PRIZE

1st

Joao Simao

2nd

Zach Bruch

Final Hand

Prize

$292,800

Career Earnings: $17,664,407

PRIZE

Prize

$183,000

Career Earnings: $423,280

PRIZE

RESULTS

1. 1ST Joao Simao $292,800
2. 2ND Zach Bruch $183,000
3. 3RD Justin Zaki $128,100
4. 4TH Dylan Linde $91,500
5. 5TH Aram Zobian $68,625
6. 6TH Shannon Shorr $50,325
7. 7TH Paul Roy $36,600
8. 8TH Matthew Wantman $36,600
9. 9TH Sam Soverel $27,450

Final Hand

EXPAND GRAPHIC

It was smooth sailing for Joao Simao at the PokerGO Studio on Monday, where he wrapped up his fourth career PGT title at the US Poker Open. 

The Brazilian entered the final table with over 40% of the chips in play and the only player within smelling distance was PGT rookie Zach Bruch, who would later be the only one standing between Simao and victory. They were on top of a field of six that survived 61 entries on Day 1. 

No sweat for Simao

Shannon Shorr was out first, dropping to Bruch in the opening salvos of the day. Aram Zobian wasn't far behind, pocketing $68K for fifth place after his pocket queens were no good against Bruch's nines. 

Dylan Linde and Justin Zaki remained to challenge the top two, but Linde would leave in fourth and Zaki would fall in third after a hope spot double put Bruch on the ropes. Bruch held on while Simao extended his lead, bouncing Zaki with queen-ten. It was a 10-to-1 chip lead at the beginning of heads-up play, but Bruch couldn't do anything about it. 

Simao jumped into the fifth spot on the overall USPO leaderboard with the win, joining a group in chase of Brock Wilson and his two series victories. Behind Wilson is Jeremy Ausmus, who has four cashes but no wins, and Clemen Deng, who won Event #2 and cashed two other times. 

2026 US Poker Open leaderboard

1. Brock Wilson - 495 PGT points
2. Jeremy Ausmus - 399 PGT points
3. Clemen Deng - 284 PGT points
4. Cherish Andrews - 282 PGT points
5. Joao Simao - 266 PGT points
6. Alex Foxen - 245 PGT points
7. Justin Zaki - 242 PGT points
8. Qinghai Pan - 239 PGT points
9. Peter Placey - 224 PGT points
10. Kristen Foxen - 210 PGT points

Kristen Foxen battles back to win US Poker Open title as Golden Eagle race tightens Kristen Foxen notched her fifth title on the PokerGO Tour with a win today in Event #4 of the US Poker Open.

Mo Afdhal / August 25, 2026

Next up at the USPO is Event #9, a $15K playing out in the PokerGO Studio on Monday. That final table returns for a livestream on Tuesday while Day 1 of the $25K finale plays its first of two days. 

^{Images courtesy of Antonio Abrego/PokerGO.}