Six weeks in the past, Lucas Jumalon’s life modified endlessly when he gained the 2026 World Series of Poker predominant occasion, and its $10 million first-place prize. Since that victory in early August, the 22-year-old from Spokane, Washington has largely stayed out of the highlight.
He broke the silence when he confirmed up as a part of a record-breaking subject within the World Series of Poker Circuit $1,700 buy-in predominant occasion at Texas Card House Austin. Jumalon entered the third and remaining day of a event with 2,090 entries as chip chief with 18 gamers remaining. The day in the end wasn’t practically as variety as Jumalon’s 2026 WSOP predominant occasion run, and he ended up on the rail in 14th place ($19,030).
But one other younger participant in his twenties stepped into the highlight in Austin, as Eric Chang earned a career-defining $433,670 payday and the victory. Chang outlasted the biggest $1,700 buy-in WSOP Circuit predominant occasion subject within the tour’s historical past, and it was price greater than eight occasions his earlier greatest stay event money. The Texas-based professional and Columbia University graduate made a number of comebacks on his option to the title and his second WSOP Circuit ring.
“I was down to a big blind twice in this tournament,” Chang instructed PokerOrg’s Mike Patrick, “And we somehow sun-runned our way here. I said from Day 2 that if I doubled, I’m going to win this tournament, and I really felt it. So, it’s a dream come true.”
Another Big One In Austin
Chang’s win comes within the second ever WSOP Circuit predominant occasion ever run at Texas Card House Austin. The inaugural WSOP Circuit occasion in Austin drew 1,709, with native professional Thomas Brabham beating a subject of 1,709 on his option to a $368,545 win again in May of this 12 months.
The turnout elevated by greater than 22 p.c for the tour’s return 4 months later. Across three beginning flights, 2,090 entries swelled the prize pool to $3,166,350, simply clearing the $2 million assured prize pool.
Of that sizable turnout, 315 gamers reached the cash. When day 2 play kicked off on Sunday, Chang was one of many shortest stacks within the room. Chang managed to show that right into a wholesome stack heading into day 3 among the many 18 remaining contenders.
Over the course of a protracted day 2, Chang outlasted quite a lot of notables who made top-100 runs, together with Dan Stavila (82nd – $5,270), Kitty Kuo (seventy fifth – $5,875), Jon Turner (twenty eighth – $12,730), Terrance Reid (twenty seventh – $12,730), and Andrew Moreno (twenty third – $15,330).
Beyond Jumalon, the day 3 subject additionally included long-time event standout Aaron Massey and 13-time WSOP Circuit ring winner John Holley. But most eyes have been on the recently-crowned world champion.
Back In Action
Over the final couple of years, Jumalon had made a number of journeys to play event poker in Texas, whereas within the midst of getting his diploma from Grand Canyon University.
After taking a while to get pleasure from his WSOP predominant occasion win, Jumalon elected to return to the felt in Austin. At the beginning of day 3, he was the chip chief with 18 gamers left. There have been some components of deja vu, and a sense that maybe Jumalon in some way hadn’t exhausted the magic within the run of his life in early August.
But a few sadly timed bluffs, a missed flush draw, and a tricky runout in the end spelled a brief day 3 for Jumalon. Jumalon was the aggressor all the best way down on a 10♣4♥3♥2♥2♦ board, holding A♥9♠, and Ryan Brown was joyful to name right down to the river, after which shove, with a flopped set of threes.
Jumalon doubled up a brief stack, after which the remainder of his stack collapsed with 14 gamers left. On a 6♠6♣4♥10♥J♥ board, Jumalon led all the best way down, and wager all however one huge blind from his stack on the river. When Taylor Fortini shoved, Jumalon folded to take his probability to attempt to spin it up. On Jumalon’s remaining hand, his flopped pair of sixes bumped into Fortini’s turned flush to finish his hopes of an unimaginable return to motion.
On the best way right down to the ultimate desk, each Holley (fifteenth – $19,030), and Massey (eleventh – $31,530) fell to the rail. Among the ultimate desk of 9, solely Brant Jolly had over $1 million in prior lifetime event earnings. The different eight gamers had six figures price of outcomes, starting from $156,702 on the low finish, as much as $848,440.
Chang’s Moment To Shine
There was a digital three-way tie for the chip lead between Fortini, Brown, and Eric Tang at the beginning of the ultimate desk, with Chang in a distant fifth place. Chang largely stayed out of the best way till six gamers remained. Then, he discovered an important double-up via Tang. Chang flopped an ace-high flush draw, after which turned an ace to go away Tang with only one out. The river was a ten, but it surely was the 10♦, giving Chang a profitable diamond flush.
Fortini ran pocket eights into Anil Jivani’s pocket aces to exit in sixth place ($90,600), in a pot that helped construct Jivani into a substantial chip lead. Then Chang doubled up once more, flopping two pair and turning a full home with Q♦9♥, incomes one other large pot when Brown rivered an ace together with his A♠Okay♦.
Chang dipped briefly when Brown doubled again in a coin flip, however Chang then surged forward when his A♦Okay♦ was ok to remove Tang and his A♣J♣ in fifth place ($116,580). The swings continued when Jivani coolered Chang with an ace-high diamond flush towards Chang’s queen-high diamond flush, after which was again to the grind.
Jivani and Chang every earned an elimination to succeed in heads-up play; Jivani led with 46 million to Chang’s 35 million. Chang pulled out forward early within the match, after which, with all of Jivani’s chips within the center, his A♦9♣ survived a wild 9♠8♠2♠Q♦Q♣ runout to beat Jivani’s A♠5♦ and shut out the event.
This win earned Chang 1,080 Card Player Player of the Year factors, in his second qualifying event results of 2026 in direction of the yearlong leaderboard offered by CoinPoker.
Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Payout | POY Points |
| 1 | Eric Chang | $433,670 | 1,080 |
| 2 | Anil Jivani | $289,110 | 900 |
| 3 | Venkat Chivukula | $211,440 | 720 |
| 4 | Ryan Brown | $156,455 | 540 |
| 5 | Eric Tang | $116,580 | 450 |
| 6 | Taylor Fortini | $90,600 | 360 |
| 7 | Simon Britton | $70,530 | 270 |
| 8 | Kimberly Stone | $51,540 | 180 |
| 9 | Brant Jolly | $40,100 | 90 |
Photo Credits: Poker.Org, WSOP
