Zachary VanKeuren Wins WSOPC Turning Stone Main Event at His Home Casino
Zachary VanKeuren was 18 years old the first time he sat down at a poker table at Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York.
Nearly a decade later, he walked out of the same building as the champion of the 2026 World Series of Poker Circuit (WSOPC) Turning Stone Main Event, having outlasted a 1,114-entry field to claim $267,437 and his first WSOPC ring.
A Career That Started at Turning Stone
For VanKeuren, winning here was personal. He played his first cash games at the resort at 18, entered his first tournament at 19, and by his own admission had no idea what he was doing.
The place got him hooked anyway.
That early curiosity eventually hardened into something serious. By 2022, VanKeuren had posted his first six-figure result, announcing himself as a player worth watching on the U.S. circuit. He hasn’t slowed down since, accumulating nearly $2 million in career earnings across live events.
Big congrats to Zachary Vankeuren — winner of the @WSOP Main Event taking home a prize of $267,437.
— Turning Stone Resort (@TurningStone) March 23, 2026
This has been an epic World Series of Poker Circuit Event, congrats to all the players taking home a ring this year. We can't wait to see you back at the tables again soon. pic.twitter.com/Pud9pIUDuM
It was clear in the after-action interviews that the emotion of the moment wasn’t lost on him. What makes the victory particularly striking, though, is the order in which it arrived.
VanKeuren had already won a WSOP bracelet and a WPT title before claiming a Circuit ring. Most players chase the ring first. VanKeuren did it backwards and did it at home.
From Online Bracelet to WPT Champion — VanKeuren’s Rise
VanKeuren’s breakthrough didn’t happen overnight. His first six-figure score in 2022 was the opening act of a run that has seen him become one of the more consistent performers on the U.S. tournament circuit, establishing himself as a player who shows up deep in the fields that matter.
The highlight reel since then has been hard to ignore. He secured an online WSOP bracelet, proving he could navigate the high-volume, fast-paced format that trips up many live specialists. Then came the 2024 World Poker Tour (WPT) Prime Championship in Las Vegas — a 9,760-entry field that he topped for $1.1 million.
That WPT result alone would define most careers, but for 28-year-old VanKeuren, it was an early chapter in what is shaping up to be a long story.
The ring at Turning Stone may ultimately be the most personally significant piece of hardware he owns; not because of the prize money or the prestige, but because of where it happened and what that place meant before any of this started.
Red Nines and No Showdowns: VanKeuren’s Path to the Title
The final day began with Matthew Schiavi holding the chip lead and VanKeuren sitting just behind him in second. That order didn’t last long, however.
A pivotal hand against Zexiang Sun — who had briefly jumped to the front — saw pocket nines flop a set, and enough pressure applied to force Sun into folding king-jack face-up.
Around three million chips moved across the felt without a showdown.
A similar hand against Schiavi followed shortly after. By the time the dust settled, VanKeuren held more than half of the chips in play with seven players remaining — a lead his opponents nibbled at repeatedly, only for him to recover each time.
Kurnitz emerged as the last genuine threat, eliminating two players to stay in contention. It wasn’t enough, and a few hands into heads-up play, Kurnitz flopped top set only for VanKeuren to turn a straight. Two double-ups briefly extended the match, but an all-in featuring VanKeuren’s bottom two pair against Kurnitz’s flush draw cinched things up.
Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Prize |
| 1st | Zachary VanKeuren | $267,437 |
| 2nd | Adam Kurnitz | $178,255 |
| 3rd | Andrew Porter | $124,823 |
| 4th | Autumn Hayes | $88,482 |
| 5th | Charbel Boujaoude | $63,587 |
| 6th | Matthew Schiavi | $47,386 |
| 7th | Michael Bohmerwald | $35,451 |
| 8th | Marisa Hancock | $26,975 |
| 9th | Michael Nye | $20,883 |
The Ring That Completes the Set
At 28, VanKeuren now holds three of the most coveted titles in tournament poker: a WSOP bracelet, a WPT championship, and a WSOPC ring. Few players his age can claim all three, and fewer still can say they closed the set at the casino where they first learned to play.
For recreational players looking to get into tournament poker, the Turning Stone Main Event is worth understanding on its own. A $1,700 buy-in generating a prize pool north of $1.6 million is impressive by any measure. It’s the kind of tournament where an amateur can sit across from a proven champion and walk away with a life-changing score.
This event has also reinforced Turning Stone’s reputation as a serious stop on the WSOPC calendar, as it consistently draws four-figure fields, produces legitimate prize pools, and has a habit of crowning champions with real pedigree, as seen here.
What’s Next for Zachary VanKeuren
The Turning Stone victory comes with more than a ring. VanKeuren also takes home a $5,000 package to WSOP Paradise in The Bahamas, where he’ll line up against the best players in the world on one of poker’s biggest stages.
It’s a fitting next chapter for a player who has proven he belongs at every level he’s competed at. A deep run or another title at WSOP Paradise would allow him to claim to be one of the most complete tournament players of his generation — with a bracelet, ring, WPT title, and counting.
For now, the 28-year-old heads into the next leg of the poker calendar with momentum, fresh hardware, and a full-circle story that will be hard to top.
Image: @WPT / Twitter