Hamid Izadi defeated a 282-entry field to win the 2026 WSOP Circuit Southern Indiana $1,700 Main Event for $93,060. The…
Read More- Izadi took down the $1,700 Main Event for $93,060 and his 11th WSOP Circuit ring.
- He’s only the second player ever with four WSOPC Main Event titles, joining Maurice Hawkins.
- PokerTube reports he’s the first player to win the Southern Indiana Main Event in consecutive years.
- Longtime friend Robert Hankins, who won this same event in 2016, finished runner-up for $63,040.
Izadi Bags the Chip Lead and Never Gives It Back
The Fall stop at Caesars Southern Indiana drew 282 entries, building a $427,230 prize pool with the top 43 spots paid. By the time nine players returned on Monday, $298,600 was still up for grabs, according to Card Player.
Izadi sat at the top of the counts when cards went in the air. Card Player and PokerTube both report he held the lead the whole way. If you’ve ever tried to protect a big stack at a Circuit final table, you know that’s easier said than done.
How the Southern Indiana Main Event Final Table Fell
Debbie Lee was the first to go in ninth place ($7,450) when Jake Gribbins flopped a flush. Donald Crabtree followed in eighth ($9,480), getting his A-7 in preflop against Brad Albrinck’s suited 5-4 and losing.
Gribbins struck again when his pocket jacks held against Christopher Selph’s pocket eights, sending Selph out in seventh ($12,340). Albrinck then knocked out Christopher Dame in sixth ($16,400). Dame’s A♣10♥ paired on the 5♣4♦2♥10♦J♥ board, but Albrinck’s K♥K♦ stayed in front.
Izadi finally got involved in the knockouts with Bradley Tait. His pocket threes held against Tait’s J-10, and Tait walked in fifth for $22,270.
Gribbins went next. His A♦2♦ made a flush on the 7♠7♦3♦Q♦6♠ board, but Izadi’s 7♥3♣ had flopped a full house. Gribbins was out in fourth ($30,880).
Three-handed, Albrinck’s A♣9♠ ran into Robert Hankins’ A♠J♣. The K♣10♠2♦10♣5♥ board gave Albrinck no help, and he settled for third and $43,680. Albrinck is a two-time WSOPC Main Event winner with more than $2.3 million in lifetime earnings, per Card Player.
| 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 |
A Ten Kicker Settles the Heads-Up Duel With Hankins
Izadi took a slight chip lead into heads-up play against Hankins, a longtime friend according to PokerTube. He kept widening the gap until Hankins slipped under roughly 26 big blinds.
With blinds at 40,000-80,000 and an 80,000 big blind ante, Izadi raised to 240,000 on the button with A♣10♣. Hankins three-bet shoved for 2,100,000 holding A♥6♠, and Izadi called.
The A♦K♦7♥K♠7♣ runout gave both players aces and kings, so the fifth card decided it. Izadi’s ten beat the seven on board, and Hankins’ six never came into play. If you need a refresher on why that matters, our poker hand rankings guide breaks down how kickers work.
Hankins collected $63,040 for second. He won this exact event back in 2016 and has more than $1.7 million in career earnings, per Card Player.
Izadi’s Four WSOP Circuit Main Event Titles
This latest ring caps a run of Main Event wins that started at Harrah’s Pompano Beach in 2024, where Izadi earned $245,225. A year later, he won Caesars Southern Indiana for $111,979, beating Maurice Hawkins heads-up in a 338-entry field.
In May 2026, Izadi added the Harrah’s Cherokee Main Event for $332,405, beating Louis George for his 10th ring. Monday’s win brings him to 11 rings, and Card Player puts his lifetime earnings at nearly $3.2 million.
Izadi’s 2026 has been loaded. Card Player reports he now has four titles and 10 final tables this year. The 456 Player of the Year points from this score moved him up to 85th in the Card Player POY race.
Izadi Says He’s Coming for Hawkins’ Ring Count
Tying Hawkins at four Main Events is one thing. Catching him in total rings is a much taller order, since Card Player lists Hawkins with a field-best 26.
Hawkins has kept stacking hardware since his 18th ring in a Maryland Main Event. He extended his record with ring No. 25 in May 2026. Izadi doesn’t sound worried. “I’m going to catch him soon,” he told Poker.Org, as reported by Card Player. “He’s a good player, but I’m going to catch him soon.”
He also gave plenty of credit to the people back home. “Most importantly is my family support, because they let me come and play,” Izadi told Poker.Org.
“I love the WSOP Circuit. I love main events everywhere I go, and I am really proud of myself,” he added. Then he named his next target: “I wanted to be the second guy to win four main events or more – hopefully more to come. I’ll win the next one at Choctaw.”
Why Izadi’s Back-to-Back Win Matters
Winning one Circuit Main Event takes a deep run through a big field. Izadi has now won four since 2024, and he’s the only player besides Hawkins to get there.
That puts him in the conversation as one of the Circuit’s top closers. With 11 rings and a stated plan for Choctaw, he’s chasing Hawkins on both fronts now.
If he books another Main Event win, the record belongs to Izadi alone. Keep an eye on the next Choctaw Main Event.