2026 NorCal Poker Championship | Seven-player ICM Agreement Concludes, Nicholas Elder Becomes Inaugural Main Event Champion

On August 31st, PokerNews announced the final results of the inaugural NorCal Poker Championship $1,100 Main Event. The tournament, held at the Graton Casino Resort in California, attracted 582 entries, creating a total prize pool of $567,450. After a fierce final day of competition, the remaining seven players opted to distribute the prize money via ICM (Independent Money Management). Nicholas Elder was officially declared the inaugural Main Event champion, taking home $47,205.

This victory holds special significance for Elder. It marks not only his first Main Event title in NorCal Poker Championship history, but also a major achievement for him as he returns to a major tournament after a period away from poker and a shift in his focus to family.

582 participants created a prize pool of $567,000.

The inaugural NorCal Poker Championship Main Event had a buy-in of $1,100, and ultimately attracted 582 entries, resulting in a total prize pool of $567,450.

Entering Day 2, 74 players still had a chance to compete for the championship. The elimination rate increased rapidly after the start of the final day, and by the first break, the number of players had been reduced to 45; after 8 rounds, when it was time for dinner break, only 14 players remained.

Main game core data

Phil Hellmuth and other notable players were eliminated in the early stages of Day 2.

After 74 runners returned to Day 2, many familiar faces were unable to continue their deep run.

Charles Himes, Bradley Anderson, and WSOP legend Phil Hellmuth were all eliminated early on the final day. As the number of players continued to dwindle, only 45 players remained by the first break.

After the dinner break, the elimination pace accelerated further. Walid Fahmy and Michael Persky were eliminated in 13th and 14th place respectively in the first hand after the resumption of play; about half an hour later, Rifki Yazid, Jeff Hoffman and Don Ro were also eliminated, and the nine-player final table was formed.

Elder was down to only about 6BB, but QJ reversed AQ to complete a crucial double-up.

One of the key turning points that enabled Elder to become champion occurred in Day 2, Level 20.

At that time, the blinds were 15,000/25,000 and 25,000 big blind ante. Elder, in the CO position, had only 305,000 chips left and chose to go all in; Victor Paredes called from the next position.

Both sides reveal their cards:

Flip the card:

Q♦ 6♥ 8♦

Both players hit a pair of Qs, but Paredes took a significant lead with an A kick, leaving Elder with only a slim chance to overtake.

The key turn card is dealt:

J♣

Elder hit a Jack, completing a two-pair run with Queens and Jacks to take the lead. The river card, a 5♣, did not change the situation, allowing him to double up and return to the game.

Elder recalled after the match that he was down to only about six big blinds at one point, and admitted that luck helped him at crucial moments. He said he tried to stay calm and reminded himself that no matter the outcome, "it's just a match."

Tuttle's chip leader advances to the final table, Elder is ranked second.

When the nine-player Final Table was formed, Ryan Tuttle was in first place with the most chips, while Elder was in second place with a chip lead of more than 1 million.

Richard Lockmanese was the first to leave the table. Jason Beahm was the first to be eliminated from the final table, and Lockmanese finished in 9th place with $9,400.

Peter Yang then finished in 8th place. Yang entered the crucial match with pocket fives, but Tuttle eventually hit a pair of Js to overtake him, and Yang finished in 8th place with 1 TP 4 T 12,000.

The final seven players reached the ICM agreement, and Elder officially became the first champion.

After Peter Yang was eliminated, the remaining 7 players continued the competition for about 40 minutes.

As discussions began regarding the possibility of an ICM Chop, the seven players ultimately requested a timeout to begin negotiations. Once an agreement was successfully reached, the tournament officially ended, and the remaining prize money was distributed according to ICM calculations.

Nicholas Elder ultimately achieved the highest score of $47,205 and was officially recognized as the inaugural NorCal Poker Championship Main Event champion.

Michael Hubbard won $46,730, Ramin Malekian won $45,690, and Ryan Tuttle, despite entering the final table as the chip leader, ultimately won $41,980 according to the ICM distribution.

NorCal Poker Championship Main Event Final Rankings

From temporarily leaving poker to becoming the first champion

Elder's championship story is different from that of the average long-term tour professional poker player.

Originally from Minnesota, he moved to Sacramento, California about two years ago. After getting married and starting a family, Elder temporarily left poker to focus on his family and life. This NorCal Poker Championship was even his first time competing at the Graton Casino Resort.

Elder said that he had been focusing on his family and building a stable life for some time, and this foundation has allowed him to return to the poker table and enjoy the game.

Despite winning the inaugural NorCal Main Event, he has no immediate plans to fully resume his intensive professional poker schedule. Elder revealed that he still has a busy schedule in the fall, but might consider traveling and participating in some tournaments in the winter.

The inaugural NorCal Main Event made history.

From 582 entries and a prize pool of 567,450 ($567), to the final 74-player elimination round on Day 2, the inaugural NorCal Poker Championship concluded with a seven-player ICM agreement.

Nicholas Elder was down to only about 6 big blinds at one point, and was even on the verge of elimination in a crucial all-in of QJ against AQ. However, he managed to double up with a J on the turn and eventually made it to the final 7 players, achieving the highest ICM distribution.

For a player who had temporarily left poker to focus on his family, becoming the first Main Event champion in the history of the tournament on his first trip to Graton Casino Resort made Elder's $47,205 score the most representative story of the inaugural NorCal Poker Championship.

Want to change Texas Holdem from "can understand" to "can win"?

If you want to learn more about Texas Hold'em, you can continue reading：

The Origins of Texas Hold'em: Why is it the World's Most Popular Poker Variant?
Texas Hold'em Hand Rankings and Showdown Rules (Beginner’s Essentials)
Texas Hold'em Betting teaching: Check / Bet / Call /Raise and Betting Strategy Analysis
The importance of Texas Hold'em position? Why is the back position more advantageous?
How to play Texas Hold'em? Novices learn Texas Hold'em rules, processes and betting teaching in 10 minutes
Texas Hold'em Starting Hands Strategy Guide: Which Hands to Play?
Texas Holdem Starting Hands Chart Tutorial: Complete Starting Hand Chart and Position Strategy
How to play Texas Hold'em? Complete rules and a hand's flow (Preflop / Flop / Turn / River)

Hunter Poker offers comprehensive tutorials, hand analysis, and strategy sharing to help players upgrade from simply "reading the cards" to understanding the range . This allows you to make better decisions in every hand.

▶️ In Facebook Follow Hunter Poker.
📘 In Youtube Follow Hunter Poker.

Want to learn more about Texas Hold'em gameplay and strategies?

Online Texas Hold'em free tournaments typically have no entry fee, making them ideal for beginners to familiarize themselves with the rules and for advanced players to test strategies and gain experience. View full brand profiles to learn about each platform's free tournament schedule, features, and target audience.

Go to learn more