Hamid Izadi Wins Back-to-Back WSOPC Main Events as Scott Stewart Conquers Lake Tahoe
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Two WSOP Circuit Main Events wrapped up on the same day, Monday, November 2, 2026, and both produced headline stories.
At Caesars Southern Indiana, Hamid Izadi successfully defended his title. It was his fourth career WSOPC Main Event win, which ties the all-time record. At Caesars Republic Lake Tahoe, Scott Stewart came back from a 3-to-1 heads-up deficit to win his first Circuit Main Event and ninth ring, while 21-time ring winner Ari Engel fell in fourth.
WSOPC Main Events at a Glance
| Detail | Caesars Southern Indiana | Caesars Republic Lake Tahoe |
| Buy-in | $1,700 | $1,700 |
| Entries | 282 | 435 |
| Prize Pool | $427,230 | $659,025 |
| Places Paid | 43 | 44 |
| Winner | Hamid Izadi | Scott Stewart |
| First Prize | $93,060 | $125,279 |
| Runner-up | Robert Hankins ($63,040) | Tyler Parker ($85,336) |
| Final Day | November 2, 2026 | November 2, 2026 |
Hamid Izadi Makes WSOP Circuit History in Southern Indiana
A rare title defence
Defending a poker tournament title is one of the hardest things to do in the game, and Hamid Izadi just did it. A year after beating all-time ring leader Maurice Hawkins heads-up to win the 2025 Caesars Southern Indiana Main Event for $111,179, Izadi returned and won it again.
This time he topped 282 entries for $93,060, making him the first player to win this Main Event in consecutive years.
Tying Maurice Hawkins’ record
The win gave Izadi his 11th WSOP Circuit ring and his fourth WSOPC Main Event title. That makes him only the second player in Circuit history to win four Main Events, alongside Maurice Hawkins.
Izadi didn’t hide his ambitions afterwards. Speaking about Hawkins’ tour-leading 26 rings, he told Poker.org: “I’m going to catch him soon.” He also said he plans to target the next Circuit stop at Choctaw.
Hamid Izadi’s four WSOPC Main Event wins
| Year | Stop | Prize |
| 2024 | Harrah’s Pompano Beach | $245,225 |
| 2025 | Caesars Southern Indiana | $111,179 |
| May 2026 | Harrah’s Cherokee | $332,405 (career best) |
| Nov 2026 | Caesars Southern Indiana | $93,060 |
How the final table played out
Izadi started the final day as chip leader with nine players left and never gave up the top spot.
- Debbie Lee (9th) ran into a flopped flush from Jake Gribbins.
- Donald Crabtree (8th) lost A-7 against Brad Albrinck’s 5-4 suited.
- Christopher Selph (7th) lost pocket eights to Gribbins’ jacks.
- Christopher Dame (6th) lost A-10 against Albrinck’s kings.
- Izadi took his first knockout when his pocket threes beat Bradley Tait’s J-10 (5th).
- Izadi then won a huge cooler: his 7-3 full house beat Jake Gribbins’ ace-high flush (4th).
- Robert Hankins’ A-J beat Brad Albrinck’s A-9 to end the two-time Main Event winner’s run in 3rd.
The final hand
Heads-up was a match between old friends. Hankins, who won this same event in 2016, had slipped to about 26 big blinds.
Izadi raised on the button with A♣10♣, and Hankins three-bet all in with A♥6â™ . The board ran out A♦K♦7♥Kâ™ 7♣. Both players made two pair, but Izadi’s ten kicker played, and the title was his again.
Caesars Southern Indiana Main Event: Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Prize |
| 1 | Hamid Izadi | $93,060 |
| 2 | Robert Hankins | $63,040 |
| 3 | Brad Albrinck | $43,680 |
| 4 | Jake Gribbins | $30,880 |
| 5 | Bradley Tait | $22,270 |
| 6 | Christopher Dame | $16,400 |
| 7 | Christopher Selph | $12,340 |
| 8 | Donald Crabtree | $9,480 |
| 9 | Debbie Lee | $7,450 |
Hamid Izadi in numbers: 11 WSOPC rings, 4 Main Event titles, nearly $3.2 million in career earnings, and 85th in the 2026 Card Player Player of the Year race with 4 titles and 10 final tables this year. He’s based in Marietta, Georgia.
Scott Stewart Wins His First WSOPC Main Event in Lake Tahoe
A ninth ring and a first Main Event
Out west at Caesars Republic Lake Tahoe, Scott Stewart beat 435 entries to win the $1,700 Main Event for $125,279. It was his ninth WSOP Circuit ring and his first Circuit Main Event title.
Stewart, the 2024 WPT World Championship winner, now has more than $6.2 million in career earnings. Card Player counts this as his 22nd career title from 274 recorded cashes.
A win with extra meaning
The title carried special weight. Stewart had also made this final table in 2022, finishing sixth. That year his close friend Jarod Minghini won the event and dedicated the victory to his late brother Bobby, who had passed away weeks earlier.
Four years later, Stewart won the same title with Minghini cheering him on from the rail. Afterwards, Stewart credited his friends for keeping him relaxed and playing his best poker.
Ari Engel falls short of ring #22
The final table included Ari Engel, one of the most successful players in Circuit history, chasing his 22nd ring.
- Engel opened the day by knocking out James Czarnecki (6th) when his pocket jacks beat A-K.
- He briefly took the chip lead after winning a big pot against Stewart with threes full of tens.
- He then lost a flip with pocket tens against K-Q and slid down the counts.
- Engel was eliminated in 4th for $41,941 when his Kâ™ 3â™ lost to Tyler Parker’s A♣7♣.
The heads-up comeback
Tyler Parker knocked out Harshvardhan Baghel (3rd, $59,251) when his pocket sevens made a full house. That gave Parker a 3-to-1 chip lead going into heads-up.
The turning point came on a 6♦6♥5♣ flop, with another six on the turn and a 9♥ on the river. Parker moved all in, putting Stewart at risk. After a long think, and a sip from a bottle of whisky placed by Minghini, Stewart called with A♠9♣ for sixes full of nines. Parker showed Q♥7♦, a bluff, and Stewart took a big chip lead.
In the final hand, the chips went in on a 10♥9♠3♥ flop. Parker had 10♣7♥ for top pair, but Stewart held 10♠3♠for two pair. The 3♣ turn gave Stewart a full house and the title.
Caesars Republic Lake Tahoe Main Event: Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Prize |
| 1 | Scott Stewart | $125,279 |
| 2 | Tyler Parker | $85,336 |
| 3 | Harshvardhan Baghel | $59,251 |
| 4 | Ari Engel | $41,941 |
| 5 | Vishnu Chada | $30,278 |
| 6 | James Czarnecki | $22,301 |
| 7 | Brad Slama | $16,765 |
| 8 | Jason Mitchell | $12,870 |
| 9 | Kyle Grosshanten | $10,093 |
Notable cashes: Jarod Minghini (43rd), Ian Steinman (39th), TK Miles (33rd) and Michael Lech (12th) all made the money in Lake Tahoe.
Key Takeaways
- Hamid Izadi is now tied with Maurice Hawkins for the most WSOPC Main Event titles (4). He’s won three of them in just over a year.
- Scott Stewart finally got his Lake Tahoe Main Event, four years after his best friend won the same title.
- Ari Engel stays on 21 rings after a fourth-place finish.
- Both runners-up made big scores: Tyler Parker earned a career-best $85,336, and Robert Hankins passed $1.7 million in career earnings.
What’s Next on the WSOP Circuit
The 2026 WSOP Circuit continues with several stops in November:
| Stop | Dates |
| Playground (Canada) | November 4–16, 2026 |
| Dusk Till Dawn (UK) | November 4–12, 2026 |
| Grand Victoria | November 5–15, 2026 |
| Caesars New Orleans | November 20–30, 2026 |
In Europe, the WSOP Super Circuit King’s in Rozvadov runs until November 11. Read how [Robbie Bull won the €5,000 High Roller ring] there.
FAQs
Who won the 2026 WSOP Circuit Southern Indiana Main Event?
Hamid Izadi won the $1,700 Main Event at Caesars Southern Indiana on November 2, 2026, for $93,060, defending his 2025 title.
How many WSOPC Main Events has Hamid Izadi won?
Four. He won Pompano Beach (2024), Southern Indiana (2025 and 2026) and Cherokee (2026). That ties Maurice Hawkins’ record.
How many WSOP Circuit rings does Hamid Izadi have?
11 rings.
Who won the 2026 WSOPC Lake Tahoe Main Event?
Scott Stewart won the $1,700 Main Event at Caesars Republic Lake Tahoe for $125,279 and his ninth ring.
Where did Ari Engel finish in Lake Tahoe?
Fourth place, for $41,941. He stays on 21 Circuit rings.
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