The WSOP Circuit is officially back at Planet Hollywood after a six-year hiatus, and the first 10 events have already awarded $1.5 million in prize money. David Tarbet kicked things off with the first ring of the 2026 season, while Kathy Liebert added to her legendary resume with a Ladies Event victory.

The Quick Hit

• What happened: WSOP Circuit Planet Hollywood running January 1-12 with 18 ring events
• The damage: $1.5M awarded in first 10 events
• Why you should care: First Circuit stop on the Strip since 2019; newly renovated poker room
• The move: Main Event and final events still running through Sunday

First Ring of 2026: David Tarbet

Friday afternoon's $400 Pot-Limit Omaha event produced the first WSOP Circuit ring of the calendar year. David Tarbet—already a two-time Circuit winner—took it down for $8,607 and a $5,000 package to either WSOP Europe or WSOP Paradise.

For a $400 buy-in, that's solid value. Tarbet now has three Circuit rings on his poker resume.

Kathy Liebert Makes History

The real headline from the first week was Kathy Liebert winning her second Circuit ring in the $300 Ladies NLH event. For those who don't know Liebert's resume: she's got a WSOP bracelet, $7.2 million in career Hendon Mob earnings, and has been crushing poker tournaments since some of today's grinders were in diapers.

At 63, Liebert showed that experience still matters at the felt. She collected $6,787 and proved that the ladies events remain fertile ground for poker's veteran elite.

The Full Results Rundown

Here's what we've seen so far:

Event #2: $400 Pot-Limit Omaha - David Tarbet wins first ring of 2026 season

Event #3: $600 T.O.R.S.E. - Gary Bolden led the final table with Jon Turner close behind

Ladies Event: $300 NLH - Kathy Liebert wins second career Circuit ring

$400 Mini Main Event - Michal Nahum ships it

Other notable winners from the first 10 events include Jonathan Turner and Qing Liu, both established American pros who continue to grind the Circuit.

The Near Misses

Popular poker vlogger Ethan "Rampage" Yau came just short of a sixth Circuit ring, finishing third in Event #9: $2,200 NLH High Roller. Six rings would have been absurd for a content creator who only started grinding seriously a few years ago.

In a fun sidebar, Phillip Hellmuth III—son of 17-time bracelet winner Phil Hellmuth—won a wild hand with pocket aces during one of the events. Set over set over set situations are rare enough that even being on the winning end makes for a good story.

Why Planet Hollywood Matters

The WSOP Circuit returning to the Strip is a big deal. Planet Hollywood's poker room got a full renovation, and this is the first time the Circuit has been on Las Vegas Boulevard since 2019.

Most Circuit stops hit regional casinos—Choctaw, Horseshoe, etc. Having a Strip property in the rotation gives Vegas locals and visitors an easy grind spot without having to drive to the suburbs.

The series runs through January 12th, with the Main Event and several more ring events still on the schedule. If you're in Vegas this weekend, there's still time to take a shot.

The 2026 Circuit Season

This is the first stop of a newly formatted Circuit season that runs on a calendar-year basis rather than the previous September-to-August format. More stops are coming throughout the year, with the full schedule announced in December.

For grinders chasing Circuit points and freeroll spots, Planet Hollywood was a strong start. $1.5 million in prize pools across 10 events isn't bad for a mid-tier stop.

The Bottom Line

The WSOP Circuit is back on the Strip, the rings are flowing, and the poker community has another excuse to spend a week in Vegas. Tarbet got the first ring. Liebert proved age is just a number. And there's still action through Sunday.

If you miss the boat on Planet Hollywood, don't worry—the Venetian's DeepStack Showdown kicks off January 19th with another $2.1 million in guarantees.

January in Vegas is for poker. As it should be.