The prize pool for the Elite Tampa Bay Poker League Winter/Spring 2026 season has reached $86,400 and nine players will be making the trip to the WSOP Main Event this summer. Week 19 delivered one of the biggest nights of the season. Saif Keshwani took down first place outright to vault from 2nd to 1st at 103 points, reclaiming the top spot with a dominant performance on the penultimate Thursday. Ray Mancini’s sub Dan Johnson’s 2nd place finish was Ray’s best result in weeks and could not have come at a better time. Karl Manouchakian’s 3rd place may have locked up a spot that was genuinely in doubt just two weeks ago. Andra Zachow’s 4th place keeps her inside the cut and in control of her own destiny. Jason Barnett and Steve Trizis grabbed 5th to stay right on the bubble line. One week remains, 14 final table points are still on the board, and the race for Vegas comes down to a single Thursday night at Derby Lane.
Subs were Dan Johnson for Ray Mancini, Marv Karlins for Chrissy, Wayne Moore for Rob Fulton and Likang Berninger for Clive Gavin.
Members must play 17 weeks of the 20 week season and also play 4 of the last 5 weeks to stay qualified – next week is the final week to determine who will represent the league at the 2026 WSOP Main event!!! Eight will be chosen tomorrow and one more Friday at the last chance tournament – 6:30PM at Win Derby. Members will pay the $20 Derby fee but otherwise a freeroll. If we’re short a little for 8 seats + 1 the 8th place finisher has a choice of a little less than the $10K and make up the difference or pass it on to the next person and play the last chance tournament instead.
NEXT SEASON STARTS AT THE END OF JULY. Keep your eyes on TampaBayPoker.com or the Tampa Bay Poker Facebook group for details as they are updated. Most likely it will start July 30 with a no obligation to join first night. Teams are allowed (2 max players) and you can have up to 6 substitutes. 18 week season for Fall with Thanksgiving week off.
Final table
Maribeth Hilliard 9th
A double for Kevin James through the Duckman
Jason Barnett 2 pair>Duckman’s 44
Marv Karlins (Chrissy) 8th
A big double for Kevin James through Saif!
Kevin James KK>Rob Fulton’s Sub
Rob Fulton 7th
Saif doubled through Kevin
A double for Andra through Saif
Saif >Kevin
Kevin James 6th
Jason<Andra
Jason Barnet 5th
Andra A9cc<Saif 66
Andra Zachow 4th
Karl<Saif
Karl 3rd
Saif Keshwani 1st! Dan Johnson (for Ray M) 2nd
Here is where things stand heading into the final week with 14 points available and the 8th place cutline sitting at a tie — Andra Zachow and Team Jason Barnett/Steve Trizis are both at 69 points, with Andra holding the tiebreaker advantage on final table count.
Three seats are mathematically locked. Saif Keshwani leads at 103, Team Josh Nicholson/Jay Capitano are 2nd at 99, and Evan Pantano is 3rd at 89 — none of those three can be displaced from the top 8 under any circumstances. They are going to Vegas.
Karl Manouchakian at 80 and Juan Rodriguez at 78 are in very strong shape but the math says every player who can still qualify needs to be at Derby Lane on Thursday. Neither can afford to assume the seat is theirs without showing up. Karl’s 3rd place finish in Week 19 was his best result in weeks and a reminder of what he’s capable of when he’s at the table. Juan has been one of the most consistent players all season and is not the type to leave anything to chance.
Five seats remain contested, and the trends heading into the final Thursday tell an interesting story.
Andra Zachow is the hottest player in the field over the last five weeks — 20 points including a 3rd and a 4th in back-to-back weeks. She has been knocking on the door all season with nine final tables and zero wins, and she is absolutely running at the right time. She holds 7th on the tiebreaker and controls her own destiny. If she makes the final table again Thursday, she is almost certainly in.
Billy McPhillips and Jordan Joeckel are also trending hot — a chop in Week 18 after some quiet weeks shows they have another gear. They are inside the cut at 74 but vulnerable to a specific scenario, and the smart play is to treat Thursday like their season depends on it. Because it does.
Ray Mancini just delivered his best finish of the season with a 2nd place by Sub Dan Johnson in Week 19 after going quiet for several weeks. He is the definition of a player who has found his timing at exactly the right moment. He needs a win, but anyone who has watched his League Successes knows he has the game for it.
Ryan Harfouch is trending cold — three chops earlier in the season but quiet over the last five weeks. He needs a win Thursday and the closing ability is clearly there, but he has to get back to the final table first.
Team Jason Barnett/Steve Trizis have been nearly invisible for most of the second half of the season — four consecutive weeks of attendance-only before a 5th place in Week 19 snapped the streak. One data point does not make a hot streak, but they are alive and their 2nd place finish in Week 11 is a reminder that they can run deep when it matters.
James McKinnon has been steady without being spectacular — a 4th in Week 17 is his best recent result. Needs a win but has the experience to deliver one.
Evan Vancavage has not final tabled in five straight weeks. Cold does not begin to describe it. He needs a win and a minor miracle, but one win and one chop on the season proves the talent is real.
Chrissy Holubeck has the best overall final table rate of any bubble player at 47% and finally broke her recent quiet stretch with an 8th place in Week 19. She needs a win, but if anyone on the outside is capable of running the table on the last night, it might be the player who gets deep more consistently than almost anyone else in the league.
Kevin James is perhaps the most interesting case — 25 points over the last five weeks including a chop in Week 17 and a 6th in Week 19. He is quietly one of the most active scorers on the bubble and is not going away.
Maribeth Hilliard has been quietly consistent all season with seven final tables and picked up a 9th place in Week 19 to stay in the conversation. She needs a win and the same kind of chaos as everyone below her, but she has shown all season that she finds ways to get to the final table when it matters. Seven appearances without a win or chop suggests she is due, and the last Thursday of the season is as good a time as any to change that.
The odds for the players still fighting for one of the five final seats:
Karl Manouchakian — 99% — The math is strongly in his favor and his 3rd place finish in Week 19 was a statement. Two outright wins and a chop in only six final tables is the best conversion rate in the league. He needs to be at Derby Lane Thursday to collect what is essentially already his.
Juan Rodriguez — 87% — One of the most consistent players all season and sitting at 78 points with only a win by multiple players threatening him. Has a win and a chop on the season and does not rattle easily. The smart money says he shows up, stays patient, and punches his ticket to Vegas.
Billy McPhillips / Jordan Joeckel — 57% — Inside the cut, trending hot, but genuinely at risk if the right players run the table around them. Needs to be there and needs to go deep.
Andra Zachow — 39% — Hottest player in the field over the last five weeks. Holds the tiebreaker. Zero wins or chops is the only thing holding this number down, and Thursday feels like the night that changes.
Jason Barnett / Steve Trizis — 38% — Dead even on points, one fewer final table than Andra. A coin flip for the 8th seat with some late momentum to lean on.
Ryan Harfouch — 30% — Three chops this season means he knows how to close, but he has gone cold at the worst possible time. If he gets to the final table Thursday the history says he gets paid. The question is whether he gets there.
James McKinnon — 30% — One win and one chop this season. Needs a win Thursday but has the pedigree to deliver it.
Ray Mancini — 27% — Running as well as anyone on the bubble right now. A 2nd place in Week 19 is real momentum. Needs a win but the timing could not be better.
Evan Vancavage — 20% — Five straight weeks without a final table. Needs a win and some chaos above. The talent is there but the recent form is working against him.
Chrissy Holubeck — 20% — Best final table rate on the bubble, just starting to heat up again. If she wins Thursday nobody should be surprised.
Kevin James — 20% — Quietly one of the most consistent scorers on the bubble over the last month. Needs a win and Billy to stumble, but he has shown he can produce when it counts.
Maribeth Hilliard — 18% — Seven final tables this season and a 9th place in Week 19 to keep the streak alive. Needs everything to break right, but she has been here before.
One week. One final table. The seats are almost filled. See you at the felt.