PokerNews live coverage of this event will begin on Day 2 (May 28). Until then, we will be keeping readers informed with updates on chip counts and core event statistics, including entries and prize pool. Scroll down to see more.
Event #4: $1,500 Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better
Day 1 Completed
Day 1 of the first non-Hold'em tournament of the summer, Event #4: $1,500 Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better 7-Handed has wrapped up. It saw an 828-strong field reduced to 179 over the course of 15 levels that spanned 40 minutes each. As the surviving players bagged up their chips, it was Lawrence Berg (373,000) who earned the title of Day 1 chip leader.
Berg already has a WSOP bracelet, having triumphed in the $1,500 Dealers Choice event at the 2016 series. The $125,466 that Berg collected that day remains his largest-ever live score and has helped him earn $800,000 from live tournaments.
The Las Vegas resident showed his mixed game prowess on the opening day of this event, topping the chip counts by a few big blinds. There's still a long way to go before this event crowns its champion, but Berg has given himself every chance of becoming that winner.
Dekel Balas (354,000) was the only other player to break through 300,000 chips, although William House (294,000) came close.
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lawrence Berg | United States | 373,000 | 62 |
| 2 | Dekel Balas | United States | 354,000 | 59 |
| 3 | William House | United States | 294,000 | 49 |
| 4 | Ingo Klasen | Germany | 271,000 | 45 |
| 5 | Benjamin Gold | United States | 270,000 | 44 |
| 6 | Aaron Kupin | United States | 262,000 | 43 |
| 7 | Ryan Bambrick | United States | 255,000 | 40 |
| 8 | Tony Diehl | United States | 241,000 | 40 |
| 9 | Owais Ahmed | United States | 240,000 | 40 |
| 10 | Rafael Concepcion | United States | 239,000 | 40 |
Mixed games often attract the cream of the poker crop to the tables, and this event was no different. Aaron Kupin (262,000), Ryan Bambrick (255,000), and Owais Ahmed (240,000) all bagged up a top 10 stack.
Lower down the pecking order you find such luminaries as Justin Liberto (234,000), Renan Bruschi (216,000), Esther Taylor (208,000), Blaz Zerjav (158,000), and superstar Vanessa Selbst (122,000), the latter finding herself in the middle of the pack.
Also still in the mix are the likes of Caitlin Comeskey (106,000), Allyn Shulman (98,000), John Wasnock (80,000), the legendary Huck Seed (59,000), John Monnette (36,000), and a certain Allen Kessler (25,000).
Play resumes at 1:00 p.m. local time on May 28 and the bubble will burst on Day 2. The top 125 finishers will receive at least $3,020 for the efforts.
Made it through to Day 2 or have a friend or loved one who has? Discover who they face off against on Day 2 by downloading the excellent WSOP LIVE app to your Android or iOS-powered device.
Below are the chip counts after Day 1, according to the WSOP LIVE app.
| Place | Prize | Place | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $191,362 | 15-20 | $8,245 |
| 2 | $127,528 | 21-27 | $6,743 |
| 3 | $87,038 | 28-34 | $5,638 |
| 4 | $60,517 | 35-41 | $4,823 |
| 5 | $42,879 | 42-48 | $4,223 |
| 6 | $30,973 | 49-55 | $3,788 |
| 7 | $22,817 | 56-62 | $3,481 |
| 8-9 | $17,149 | 63-69 | $3,280 |
| 10-11 | $13,155 | 70-83 | $3,171 |
| 12-14 | $10,304 | 84-125 | $3,020 |
The road to success at the World Series of Poker isn’t just built at the tables anymore. In 2026, players are increasingly turning to technology to sharpen their edge, streamline their schedules, and survive the grind of a long Las Vegas summer.
While real-time assistance during play is strictly prohibited, there is a growing ecosystem of tools that players can use away from the table to prepare, study, and stay organized throughout the series.
These chip counts are taken directly from the WSOP LIVE app.
The poker world moves fast and during massive events, it’s nearly impossible to keep track of everyone. Whether you’re following a high-stakes pro, a local hero from your home game, or a family member chasing a bracelet, PokerNews makes it even easier with the new MyPlayers feed — your personalized updates feed for tracking the players you care about in one place.
Build your custom watchlist by clicking the star icon next to a player in the live reporting feed, and they’ll be pinned to the top of chip counts and tracked in a single, real-time feed as the action unfolds.
According to the WSOP LIVE app.
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