L.A. Poker Classic Champion Leads WSOP Circuit in Canada

There are 30 players left in the main event of the WSOP Super Circuit Canada. L.A. Poker Classic champion Paul Klann is in the lead, and the prize pool has exceeded CA$13 million.

The largest live poker event in Canadian history has reached one of its most intriguing stages: only 30 players remain in the WSOP Super Circuit Canada Main Event at Playground. Leading after Day 4 is L.A. Poker Classic champion Paul Klann, who tops the chip count heading into Day 5. The CA$5,000 buy-in tournament attracted a record 2,844 entries, pushing the prize pool to an impressive CA$13,082,400—well above the guaranteed CA$10 million. The Main Event runs from September 4 to 10 at Playground Poker Club, marking the first time the WSOP Super Circuit is being held at this venue. Tournament Progress: Notable Names and Key Events of Day 4 Day 4 of the WSOP Super Circuit Canada Main Event began with many well-known players in the field, but not all made it to the top 30. Among those eliminated at this stage were Poker Hall of Famers Daniel Negreanu and Michael Mizrachi, as well as Rami Hammoud, who finished sixth in the 2026 WSOP Main Event. Daniel Negreanu’s bustout was one of the day’s highlights: his tournament ended after a hand against Chance Kornuth. Kornuth hit the needed combination on the river, knocking the Canadian out of the title race. Kornuth himself had a strong day, finishing sixth in chips with 6.6 million. Another notable player, Will Givens, spent most of the day with one of the biggest stacks, but a clash with Paul Klann became a turning point. Givens attempted a big bluff against Klann’s nut flush, costing him a significant portion of his stack. Klann’s win in that pot solidified his lead, while Givens couldn’t recover and was eliminated before the day ended. Paul Klann’s Journey: A Shot at a Second Seven-Figure Score Paul Klann’s name is well known to live tournament poker fans, especially those who followed the scene in the early 2010s. Klann has $1,170,830 in live tournament winnings, with nearly all of that coming from a single event: in 2013, he won the WPT L.A. Poker Classic Main Event, outlasting 517 opponents for $1,004,090. After that success, Klann rarely appeared at major series, and his last result before this tournament was recorded last year at the same venue—Playground Poker Club. Then, he min-cashed the WSOP Circuit Montreal Main Event with a CA$2,500 buy-in. Now, thirteen years after his biggest win, Klann is once again on the verge of a seven-figure payday. If he wins the WSOP Super Circuit Canada, his prize will be CA$1,500,000, surpassing his previous record in US dollar terms. Prize Pool Battle: Payouts and Prize Structure All 30 players returning for Day 5 have already locked up at least CA$51,000. However, as they progress through the tournament, the payouts increase significantly: 26th place and above — CA$65,000 13th place and above — at least CA$100,000 Final table (9 players) — minimum CA$150,000 7th place — CA$300,000 4th place — CA$600,000 3rd place — CA$750,000 2nd place — CA$1,000,000 Winner — CA$1,500,000 Thus, each new stage brings players significantly larger payouts, and the battle for the final table promises to be especially intense. Day 5 Starting Stacks: Who’s Still in the Hunt Heading into Day 5, which starts September 9 at 11:00 a.m. local time, Paul Klann leads the chip count with 11,300,000 chips (equivalent to 113 big blinds). His closest challenger is Guoyan Li with 8,100,000, and Nicholas Palma rounds out the top three with 7,600,000. The top 10 also includes Chance Kornuth (6,600,000, 6th place), Jack Salter (5,700,000, 9th place), Rayan Chamas (4,500,000), and Jack Hardcastle (3,300,000). All these players remain in contention for the title and major prizes. Day 5 is scheduled for six levels of play, after which the remaining players will return on September 10 to determine the new WSOP Circuit champion and gold ring winner. The Tournament and Venue: Event Context WSOP Super Circuit Canada is the series’ first stop at Playground Poker Club. The CA$5,000 Main Event attracted a record number of entries for Canada—2,844. As a result, the prize pool grew to CA$13,082,400, far exceeding the advertised guarantee. Playground Poker Club is known as one of the country’s premier poker venues, regularly hosting major international series. For the WSOP Circuit, this is its debut at the venue, and the event has already made Canadian poker history thanks to its scale and the caliber of participants. Day 5 WSOP Super Circuit Canada Main Event Chip Count Table Place Player Stack (chips) 1 Paul Klann 11,300,000 2 Guoyan Li 8,100,000 3 Nicholas Palma 7,600,000 6 Chance Kornuth 6,600,000 9 Jack Salter 5,700,000 - Rayan Chamas 4,500,000 - Jack Hardcastle 3,300,000 The remaining players include both well-known professionals and new live poker heroes, making the final days of the tournament especially unpredictable. Key Names and Their Tournament Journey Among those eliminated on Day 4 were stars like Daniel Negreanu and Michael Mizrachi—both Poker Hall of Famers—as well as Rami Hammoud, a finalist in the 2026 WSOP Main Event. Their early exits came as a surprise to many fans and experts. Chance Kornuth, who knocked out Negreanu, continues with the sixth-largest stack. Jack Salter, known for his international series successes, is also still in the running for the title. Among those still in play are Rayan Chamas and Jack Hardcastle, each of whom has already secured a solid payout but is surely aiming for the win. Will Givens, who held one of the biggest stacks for much of the day, was eliminated after an unsuccessful bluff against Paul Klann. That hand became a turning point and allowed Klann to take the lead. What This Means for PPPoker Club Players For PPPoker club members, this news is a great example of how major live tournaments create unique opportunities for players of all levels. Even if you mainly play online, such events show the importance of solid strategy, adapting to opponents’ styles, and maintaining psychological resilience over the long run. Carefully studying the hands and decisions of top players like Paul Klann or Chance Kornuth helps you understand how to play against strong opponents and capitalize on their mistakes. Additionally, the payout dynamics and prize pool structure in major tournaments highlight the importance of bankroll management and planning your tournament career. For PPPoker club players, events like this are a source of inspiration and a chance to adopt best practices, so you’re ready to move up—whether to major online series or live tournaments in the future.