Erik Fast

1 week ago | cardplayer.com | Erik Fast

Coming into the final table of the 2025 U.S. Poker Open’s $25,000 series finale, there were two players remaining who could seize the USPO series championship away from Matthew Wantman with an outright victory: Shannon Shorr and Jose ‘Nacho’ Barbero. If any of the other five players that made day 2 were to come out on top, Wantman’s lead heading into the last event would hold. It was the maximum sweat for Wantman, as an extended three-handed battle ensued between Shorr, Barbero and Landon Tice.

1 week ago | cardplayer.com | Erik Fast

Alex Foxen has finished inside the top twenty in the final Card Player Player of the Year standings each of the past eight years. In fact, from 2018-24, he has placed no lower than ninth. The 34-year-old poker pro is back at it again in 2025, with a current ranking of third in the POY standings thanks to three titles and eight final-table finishes so far this year. Foxen’s latest victory saw him beat out a field of 81 entries in the penultimate event of the U.S. Poker Open.

1 week ago | cardplayer.com | Erik Fast

Brandon Wilson recorded his first six-figure live poker tournament score in the spring of 2023, finishing third in a $10,000 event at that year’s U.S. Poker Open for $111,600. Since then the rising high-stakes star from Illinois has cashed for more than $5.2 million on the circuit, including adding 14 more six-figure paydays. Wilson’s latest addition to that tally fittingly came during the 2025 USPO. Wilson defeated a field of 98 entries in the first of two $15,000 buy-in events on the schedule.

1 week ago | cardplayer.com | Erik Fast

Steve Buell secured the largest victory of his poker career on Monday, April 14. The longtime tournament grinder has live results dating back to 2009, but none as big as his win in the 2025 World Series of Poker Circuit Grand Victoria Casino $1,700 no-limit hold’em main event. The Wisconsin native outlasted 637 entries that turned up to the Elgin, Illinois venue to earn a new top score of $175,684 and his third WSOPC gold ring.

1 week ago | cardplayer.com | Erik Fast

Shannon Shorr made a huge laydown at the final table of event no. 5 at the 2025 U.S. Poker Open, getting away from trip nines with a seven kicker when he was up against the same trips with a ten kicker for Yifu He. The hero fold ultimately helped propel Shorr to the win in the $10,000 buy-in tournament. The 39-year-old poker pro based out of Las Vegas secured $220,400 as the champion, growing his career earnings to more than $15.9 million.