Eric Chang Wins Record WSOPC Main Event

Jonathan Rodriguez

Written by: Jonathan Rodriguez

Published: Tue Sep 22, 2026, 9:00 am ET

Read Time: 3 minutes

Eric Chang Wins Record WSOPC Main Event

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Eric "Slick Ric" Chang won the $1,700 WSOP Circuit Main Event at TCH Social Austin. He defeated a record 2,090-entry field for $433,670.

The tournament generated a $3,166,350 prize pool and surpassed its $2 million guarantee. The field also established a new record for this WSOP Circuit Main Event buy-in.

Chang's victory capped a remarkable comeback after he entered Day 2 with one of the shortest stacks.

Historic Turnout at TCH Social Austin

The $1,700 Main Event attracted 2,090 entries at TCH Social Austin. Those entries created more than $3.16 million in total prize money.

The turnout made this the largest $1,700 WSOP Circuit Main Event field. It also gave the surviving players a substantial prize pool to chase.

Among the field's top storylines was 2026 WSOP World Champion Lucas Jumalon, who entered the final day as chip leader before finishing 14th for $19,030.

Chang instead continued through the final stages and eventually secured his place among the final nine players.

Eric Chang: The Short-Stack Miracle

Chang began Day 2 in 259th place among the 267 remaining players. His stack left little margin for error during the tournament's middle stages.

He then faced another setback after his stack dropped to only one big blind. Remarkably, that happened twice during his run.

Rather than exiting, Chang rebuilt his stack and continued advancing through the field. His preparation helped him remain focused despite the difficult circumstances.

The Frisco, Texas-based player ultimately turned his short-stack survival into a run for the championship.

Final Table Drama & Clash With Jivani

Chang faced Anil Jivani during the final stages of the tournament. Their most significant confrontation came with four players remaining.

Chang held Q♦6♦ against Jivani's A♦10♦ in a major flush-versus-flush cooler.

The board ran K♦ 8♠ 5♦ 2♦ J♥, giving Jivani the nut flush. Chang therefore held the second-nut flush in the pivotal hand.

The pot swung heavily toward Jivani, who briefly built a significant chip advantage. Chang nevertheless recovered before heads-up play.

Jivani then became Chang's final opponent for the championship. Chang eventually defeated him to secure the $433,670 first-place prize.

Meanwhile, Jivani collected $289,110 as the runner-up.

Final Table Results

Place Player Prize
1st Eric Chang $433,670
2nd Anil Jivani $289,110
3rd Venkat Chivukula $211,440
4th Ryan Brown $156,455
5th Eric Tang $116,580
6th Taylor Fortini $87,200
7th Simon Britton $66,960
8th Kimberly Stone $51,540
9th Brant Jolly $40,100

Every finalist earned at least $40,100 from the record prize pool. Chang ultimately claimed the largest payout after winning the championship battle.

Chang Adds a Second Circuit Ring

The victory marked Chang's first WSOP Circuit Main Event title. However, it was not his first WSOP Circuit ring.

Chang's victory here marked his second career WSOP Circuit ring, following a ring event win at Choctaw Durant in 2023.

The $433,670 score also became a major addition to Chang's tournament results. His victory followed an unusual path from near elimination to a Circuit Main Event championship.

For players following tournament action alongside US online poker sites, Chang's comeback provides one of the standout stories from the 2026 Circuit schedule.

His performance also adds another chapter to TCH Social Austin's growing WSOP Circuit history. The venue has now produced multiple Circuit Main Event champions in Texas.

Jonathan Rodriguez
Jonathan Rodriguez

Jonathan is an avid basketball fan, and is often looking forward to the next upcoming NBA season when not checking players' stats during games. He also likes to keep his ears on the ground for the latest rumblings in the online casino industry.

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