Week 15 ETBPL Update: New Leaders, a Crowded Bubble, and the Clock Is Ticking
Five weeks. Seventy points still on the table. And a leaderboard that looks nothing like it did a month ago. Welcome to the Week 15 update for the Elite Tampa Bay Poker League — where the race for Las Vegas just shifted into another gear.
We had some familiar faces subbing for members this week.
Andrew for James McKinnon
Jakob Parks for John Coleman
Following is some of the action:
Final Table
Ondrei Ronhaar 9th
League week 15 final table finish
4/26/26
1 Karl Man
2 Juan Rodriguez
3 Rob Fulton
4 Jay Capitano
5 Ray Mancini
6 Billy McPhillips
7 Saif Keshwani
8 Kevin James
9 Ondrei Ronhaar
Where are we at Week 15?
The Lead Pack (Top 7 — but nothing is locked up yet)
Juan Rodriguez has surged to the top of the leaderboard at 74 points after back-to-back 2nd-place finishes in Weeks 14 and 15 — the hottest player in the room right now. He was quiet for most of the middle of the season but has caught fire at exactly the right time and now leads the league. Evan Pantano sits just 1 point back at 73 and has been the model of consistency all season — he’s cashed in 11 of 15 weeks and hasn’t had a truly cold stretch. Josh Nicholson and Jay Capitano are 3rd at 72 after a 4th-place finish in Week 15, staying right in the thick of it. Saif Keshwani, who led this league for most of the season, has gone cold — he scored zero in Weeks 11 through 14 before finally getting back on the board with a 7th-place finish in Week 15 to hold 4th at 70. The gap between 1st and 4th is now just 4 points, meaning the top of this leaderboard could look completely different by Week 20.
The most remarkable story in the top tier is Karl Manouchakian, who has rocketed from outside the top 20 to 5th place at 66 in just a few weeks. He’s won or chopped in three of his last five weeks and is averaging 14 points per appearance lately — but he’s only played 13 of 15 weeks and must show up every remaining week to stay qualified. Evan Vancavage and Jason Barnett/Steve Trizis are tied at 6th with 59 points — both steady all season but both scoreless in recent weeks and at risk of being overtaken if they don’t get back on the board tonight.
The Bubble (8th Place — Billy McPhillips / Jordan Joekel, 57 pts)
Billy and Jordan have moved up to claim the 8th spot at 57 after a 6th-place finish in Week 15. They’ve been remarkably consistent — they’ve cashed in 8 of 15 weeks and haven’t had more than two consecutive zeroes all season. With 70 points still available they’re in a solid position, but the players immediately below them are hungry and capable.
The Hot Pursuit (Positions 9–14 — the most important race in the league)
Chrissy Holubeck at 9th with 56 is just 1 point off the bubble — but she has gone cold, posting zero points in each of the last five weeks after a strong start to the season. She has the points history to prove she can run hot, but she needs to find something tonight or the bubble will move away from her. Maribeth Hilliard at 10th with 54 is 3 back and has been quietly steady — she’s cashed in several key weeks and is right on the edge of the conversation. James McKinnon and Ryan Harfouch are both at 51 and tied for 11th — McKinnon earned his points in big bursts early and mid-season while Harfouch has been more recent, with his best poker coming in Weeks 10 through 12. Neither has scored recently and both need a result soon.
Ray Mancini has been one of the most consistent closers in the field, cashing in five of the last six weeks to climb to 13th at 48 — he’s 9 back with 70 available and is very much in this. And Andra Zachow sits 14th at 45, 12 back — she’s been steady all season, picked up a big Week 14 result, and as anyone who followed last season knows, she narrowly missed a seat after being in contention right to the end. She’s ahead of where she was at this point last season and has every reason to be confident heading into the final stretch.
Long Shots Who Still Have a Path (Positions 15–17)
Ondrei Ronhaar and Rob Fulton are both at 39 and tied for 15th — they’re 18 back but both played all 15 weeks and have shown they can finish. Rob had a strong 3rd-place finish in Week 15 to stay relevant. Shawn O’Brien and Rob Slagle are 17th at 38, 19 back — they took 1st place in Week 14 and have the firepower to make a run, but they need several more big nights quickly.
Still Very Much in the Hunt (Positions 18+)
Don Manns (37), Craig Rice (36), and Mike Robinson (36) are 20–21 points back with 70 still available. That’s a real gap but not an impossible one — a first-place finish is worth 14 points, and two or three of those over the final five weeks can change everything. The leaderboard has reshuffled dramatically multiple times this season and there’s no reason that stops now. Keep showing up, keep finishing, and let the cards do the rest — the Last Chance Tournament at season’s end gives everyone one final shot regardless of where the points stand.
The Attendance Watch
Karl Manouchakian (13 weeks played) must play all 5 remaining weeks to hit the 17-of-20 minimum — he cannot miss a single night. Shawn O’Brien/Rob Slagle (14 weeks), Don Manns (14), and Craig Rice (14) each have one absence left before falling below the threshold. John Coleman (13 weeks) and Daniel Cuesta (12 weeks) must attend every remaining week without exception. With tonight counting as one of those five remaining weeks, the urgency starts right now.
