David Coleman Gets His Second Tournament Victory of the Year in High Roller

The high-stakes felt of the Merit Royal Diamond Hotel Casino & Spa bore witness to another grueling battle, culminating in David Coleman's masterful performance to secure his second tournament victory of the year. In a thrilling, extended single-day affair, Coleman emerged triumphant in the 2026 Onyx High Roller Series $15,300 6-Max event, navigating a field of 62 elite entries to seize the coveted title and a formidable $270,000 first-place prize. This impressive win propels his 2026 live cashes past the $2 million mark, solidifying his status as a dominant force on the circuit, according to The Hendon Mob.

Originally slated as a two-day spectacle, a last-minute schedule adjustment transformed the event into a marathon, demanding endurance and strategic prowess from its participants as play stretched into the early hours of the morning. The 62 entries generated a substantial $892,800 prize pool, with the top nine finishers earning a share, ensuring a minimum payout of $30,000 for those who reached the money stages.

The final confrontation saw Coleman pitted against the formidable Italo Modena, a cash game grinder who has been making significant waves at the tournament tables throughout the series. Modena, who collected $181,000 for his runner-up finish, has enjoyed a stellar run, including final table appearances in both the $10,400 Premiere and the ongoing $25,000 Main Event. However, on this particular night, Coleman proved to be an insurmountable obstacle, ultimately denying Modena the title.

Coleman's path to victory began early, marking his presence with an impactful hand against Farkas Benedek. A king-ten hand found a crucial king on the turn, besting Benedek's pair of fives and signaling Coleman's intent. As the field thinned, Coleman consistently maintained his position, eventually securing his seat at the final table where he quickly asserted dominance.

One pivotal moment at the final table involved Nicholas Seward. After calling a turn bet with king-queen, Coleman faced an all-in shove on the river. A thoughtful deliberation led to a courageous call, revealing Seward's bluff and awarding Coleman a significant pot, fueling his momentum towards the latter stages of the tournament.

The rivalry between Coleman and Modena intensified as the final table progressed, marked by several significant chip exchanges. In one notable hand, the two built a sizable pot before Coleman fired a decisive bet on a paired river. Modena, after utilizing three time banks, ultimately folded, conceding the pot to Coleman.

However, Modena soon retaliated. On a 4-3-2 flop, Coleman check-shoved with nine-six, only to be snap-called by Modena's pocket jacks. Coleman's hand failed to improve, allowing Modena to secure a crucial double-up and momentarily reclaim some of the chips lost to the eventual champion. Yet, Coleman's resilience shone through, as he swiftly recouped his losses.

In a subsequent hand, Coleman, holding pocket eights, bet a Q-8-6 flop. He continued his aggression when another queen hit the turn, then fired a final bet on the river. Modena entered a deep tank, exhausting five time banks before making the call, only to be shown Coleman's full house, demonstrating the American's sharp reads and aggressive play.

The field narrowed to three players, with Aleksandr Kirichenko finding himself all-in against both Coleman and Modena. The action checked through until a ten appeared on the river, pairing Coleman's ace-ten. He bet, prompting Modena to fold, while Kirichenko revealed ace-queen, sending him to the rail in third place with a respectable $128,000. This set the stage for the highly anticipated heads-up showdown.

The final hand of the night saw Coleman, from the small blind, put Modena all-in. Modena, holding queen-nine, made the call, but found himself dominated by Coleman's king-six. The board offered no immediate help for either player through the first four cards, but a king on the river decisively paired Coleman, sealing his victory and bringing the intense tournament to its conclusion. This triumph underscores Coleman's exceptional form and strategic depth, marking another significant milestone in his impressive 2026 campaign.

Here's a breakdown of the final table payouts:

| Place | Player | Country | Prize | | :---- | :----- | :------ | :---- | | 1 | David Coleman | United States | $270,000 | | 2 | Italo Modena | Italy | $181,000 | | 3 | Aleksandr Kirichenko | Russian Federation | $128,000 | | 4 | Ravi Sheth | United Kingdom | $94,000 | | 5 | Nicholas Seward | United States | $67,400 | | 6 | Artsiom Lasouski | Belarus | $52,400 | | 7 | Orhan Ates | Turkey | $40,000 | | 8 | Geoffrey Mooney | Australia | $30,000 | | 9 | Aren Bezhanyan | Armenia | $30,000 |