International news
Andrew Robl's stunning fold in the latest episode of High Stakes Poker has reignited the poker community's debate about the "best high-stakes fold of all time." This article compares two classic second-best folds by Robl and Doug Polk, analyzing which one is more impressive.
On August 14, 2026, the Onyx High Roller Series concluded with the $15,300 6-Max championship at the Merit Royal Diamond Hotel Casino & Spa in Northern Cyprus. American high-stakes player David Coleman defeated Italian player Italo Modena heads-up to claim the $270,000 champion's prize and his second tournament title of 2026. This achievement also officially pushed Coleman's live tournament winnings this year past $2 million. Originally scheduled for two days, the tournament was changed to a single day, resulting in a long and drawn-out battle with 62 participants that lasted until the early hours of the morning. The final prize pool reached $892,800, with the top nine players making it into the money, with a minimum payout of $30,000. 62 Players Compete for $890,000 Prize Pool in Onyx HRS $15,300 6-Max Although the tournament only had 62 entries, the table lineup included many players who are long-time regulars in international high roller tournaments. Tournament Data: Onyx HRS $15,300 6-Max Location: Merit Royal Diamond Hotel Casino & Spa Number of Entries: 62 Total Prize Pool: $892,800 Minimum Payout: $30,000 Champion: David Coleman First Prize: $270,000 Runner-up: Italo Modena Runner-up Prize: $181,000 Although Modena didn't win the championship, his performance in this Onyx series was quite consistent. He had previously reached the $10,400 Premiere final table and also qualified for the $25,000 Main Event final table. This 6-Max runner-up finish adds another $181,000 to his winnings. Onyx HRS $ 15,300 6-Max Final Ranking Player Country/Region Prize Money 1 David Coleman USA $ 270,000 2 Italo Modena Italy $ 181,000 3 Aleksandr Kirichenko Russia $ 128,000 4 Ravi Sheth UK $ 94,000 5 Nicholas Seward USA $ 67,400 6 Artsiom Lasouski Belarus $ 52,400 7 Orhan Ates Turkey $ 40,000 8 Geoffrey Mooney Australia $ 30,000 9 Aren Bezhanyan Armenia $ 30,000 The top five all achieved at least $ 67,400.
On August 13, 2026, the Potomac Summer Poker Open $500 Monumental Stack concluded at MGM National Harbor. This tournament, with 403 entries, ended in a rare fashion: after the final five players reached a prize-sharing agreement, the champion was not determined by hand, but by drawing the highest card to decide the trophy. Andrew Chang, who had the shortest chip stack at the time, revealed an Ace and was ultimately declared the official champion. Interestingly, although Chang won first place and the championship trophy, his actual share of $16,600 was the lowest of the five players' agreements. Jack Arnal, who had the most chips at the time, $22,882, missed out on the trophy during the draw. The $500 Monumental Stack tournament saw 403 entries, resulting in a total prize pool of $167,245. Day 2 began with 52 players remaining, all of whom were in the money. Dennis Backhaus, Matt Mullins, and Kash Corpening finished in 37th, 22nd, and 17th place respectively; Day 2 starting chip leader Shahab Shirazi finished in 18th. Tournament Data: Tournament: Potomac Summer Poker Open ($500 Monumental Stack) Buy-in: $500 Entries: 403 Total Prize Pool: $167,245 Day 2 Players: 52 Champion: Andrew Chang Champion Prize: $16,600* *The last five players reached a prize-sharing agreement; the champion trophy was determined by a draw. Final Table Rankings, Players, Country/Region, Prize Money: 1. Andrew Chang (USA) 1TP 4T 16,600* 2. Jack Arnal (USA) 1TP 4T 22,882* 3. Rick Aasen (USA) 1TP 4T 20,546* 4. Valentin Lita (USA) 1TP 4T 19,747* 5. Yonnas Banteamlak (USA) 1TP 4T 16,897* 6. Timothy Conrow (USA) 1TP 4T 6,871 7. Linda Swears (USA) 1TP 4T 5,195 8. James Freeman (USA) 1TP 4T 3,854 9. Kyle Dishongh (USA) 1TP 4T 3,184 *The top five prize money reflects the five-player prize-sharing agreement, therefore the actual prize money is not ranked according to the official rankings. Chang's dramatic fall from chip leader to shortest stack: Andrew Chang didn't actually stay short until the end. He entered the final table as the chip leader and eliminated Linda early on with pocket queens.
