2026 WSOP Day 8: Daniel Negreanu Bags a Top 3 Stack in the $10K NL 2-7 Championship

Matthew Pitt
Senior Editor
8 min read
Daniel Negreanu

Only one bracelet was awarded on Day 8 of the 2026 World Series of Poker (WSOP), but there wasn't a shortage of action, with seven events taking place inside the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas at one stage. Two $10,000 buy-in tournaments attracted some of the biggest names in the business, while dozens of bracelet winners jumped into various events hoping to add to their collection.

Stephen Hubbard was one player who managed to capture a bracelet. Hubbard went into the final day of Event #12: $1,500 No-Limit 2-7 Lowball Draw with the chip lead in tow and ultimately came out on top. He defeated Gabriel Paul heads-up and claimed the $155,819 top prize and a coveted bracelet.

The $10,000 NL Deuce-to-Seven Explodes Into Action

Daniel Negreanu
Daniel Negreanu

WSOP Championship events always bring the cream of the crop to the tables, especially if that tournament is a mixed game. Event #17: $10,000 No-Limit 2-7 Lowball Draw Championship fit that bill, and it didn't disappoint, with 136 players buying in. Attendance should increase because late registration remains open through Day 2.

Although only 58 players progressed to Day 2, 42 of them have either won at least one bracelet, are a $25K Fantasy Draft pick, a Hall of Famer, or a combination of all three.

Daniel Negreanu ticks all three boxes. Negreanu bagged up 311,000 chips, enough for joint-second place, as he continues his quest for his eighth bracelet. Only Carlo van Ravenswoud (319,000) bagged up more chips than the legendary Canadian, with Chad Eveslage (311,000) finishing Day 1 with the same number of chips.

Also progressing with a top 10 stack were such luminaries as Alex Foxen (299,000), Paul Volpe (209,500), John Hennigan (268,500), Frank Kassela (254,500), Shaun Deeb (244,500), and Scott Seiver (206,500).

Elsewhere, you find Calvin Anderson (202,000), Robert Mizrachi (178,500), Chris Moneymaker (149,500), Jennifer Harman (140,000), Benny Glaser (131,500), Yuri Dzivielevski (108,500), Nick Schulman (86,500), Ryan Riess (60,000), and John Cynn (41,500), among others.

Day 2 shuffles up and deals at 1:00 p.m. local time on June 3, with late registration open until the end of the 11th level, which will be around 2:15 p.m. local time. Stay with PokerNews throughout this event and see if it's Negreanu or another poker superstar who emerges victoriously.

Event #17: $10,000 No-Limit 2-7 Lowball Draw Championship Day 1 Top 10 Chip Counts

RankPlayerCountryChip CountBig Blinds
1Carlo van RavenswoudNetherlands319,000106
2Chad EveslageUnited States311,000104
2Daniel NegreanuCanada311,000104
4Alex FoxenUnited States299,000100
5Paul VolpeUnited States290,50097
6Robert FrenchUnited States276,50092
7John HenniganUnited States268,50090
8Frank KasselaUnited States254,50085
9Shaun DeebUnited States244,50082
10Scott SeiverUnited States206,50069

Anatoly Nikitin Leads the $10,000 GGMillion$ After Day 2

Anatoly Nikitin
Anatoly Nikitin

Russia's Anatoly Nikitin (2,825,000) is the man to catch going into Day 3 of Event #11: $10,000 GGMillion$ High Roller, where only 64 players remain in contention for the $1,089,964 first-place prize.

Nikitin ousted Joey Weissman (2,800,000) and Andrew Lichtenberger (2,770,000) to claim the overnight chip lead.

As you would expect from such a prestigious event, there are some legitimate superstars among the final 64 players. Just in the top 10 counts, you find Roman Hrabec (2,340,000), Sean Perry (2,245,000), Andrew Moreno (1,865,000), Barak Wisbrod (1,560,000), and Michael Moncek (1,480,000).

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Outside the top 10 are high-stakes gurus such as Stephen Chidwick (1,320,000), Max Neugebauer (1,290,000), Maxx Coleman (840,000), Jesse Lonis (260,000), and Renan Bruschi (110,000).

Day 3 shuffles up and deals at 12:00 p.m. local time on June 3, with the plan to reduce the field to only five players. Those final five will lock in $255,306 and be within touching distance of this event's bracelet and $1,089,964 top prize.

Event #11: $10,000 GGMillion$ High Roller Day 2 Top 10 Chip Counts

RankPlayerCountryChip CountBig Blinds
1Anatoly NikitinRussian Federation2,825,000141
2Joey WeissmanUnited States2,800,000140
3Andrew LichtenbergerUnited States2,770,000139
4Roman HrabecCzechia2,340,000117
5Sean PerryUnited States2,245,000112
6Chad LiptonUnited States2,015,000101
7Luciano MacchiarelliArgentina1,915,00096
8Andrew MorenoUnited States1,865,00093
9Barak WisbrodIsrael1,560,00078
10Michael MoncekUnited States1,480,00074

$1,500 6-Handed No-Limit Hold'em Reaches Final Day With Only Nine Remaining

Michel Molenaar
Michel Molenaar

Only nine players remain in Event #13: $1,500 6-Handed No-Limit Hold'em as this event progressed to its final day. Some 135 players returned for Day 2 with Michel Molenaar in the top six. Molenaar continued his early form and bagged up 11,380,000 chips, earning him the Day 2 chip lead.

Justin Arnwine (11,135,000) also bagged a big one. Both those leaders have more than twice as many chips as the other seven hopefuls, who include Day 1 leader David Rees (3,185,000), and Rania Nasreddine (2,950,000).

None of the nine returning players has won a bracelet, meaning we shall see a new WSOP champion minted by the time the final hand is dealt.

The final day is scheduled to start at 12:00 p.m. local time on June 3. Who will come out on top? Stay tuned to PokerNews to find out.

Event #13: $1,500 6-Handed No-Limit Hold'em Day 2 Top 10 Chip Counts

RankPlayerCountryChip CountBig Blinds
1Michel MolenaarNetherlands11,380,000114
2Justin ArnwineUnited States11,135,000111
3Harlan KarnofskyUnited States5,230,00052
4Honghao ZhangUnited States3,960,00040
5Julien DuveauFrance3,300,00033
6David ReesUnited States3,185,00032
7Rania NasreddineUnited States2,950,00030
8Daniel HillUnited States2,890,00029
9Thai DinhUnited States1,970,00020

Day 2 of the $1,500 Mixed Omaha Hi-Lo Ends With Justin Liberto Leading

Justin Liberto
Justin Liberto

It has been 11 years since Justin Liberto became a WSOP champion. Liberto was crowned the winner in the $3,000 No-Limit Hold'em Six Handed event at the 2015 WSOP. Since then, Liberto has racked up more than 100 WSOP cashes, including three at the 2026 WSOP. He now finds himself in pole position in Event #14: $1,500 Mixed Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better, where only 23 opponents stand between him and that elusive second bracelet.

While Liberto holds the chip lead going into the final day, a second WSOP victory is far from assured because there are some talented individuals among the 24 returning players.

Second-placed Lawrence Berg (2,665,000) is a bracelet winner, as are Michael Banducci (1,760,000), Brad Ruben (1,105,000), Brandon Cantu (680,000), and Brandon Shack-Harris (560,000).

Although Brian Battistone (1,340,000), Ariel Mantel (835,000), Thomas Taylor (765,000), Jordan Siegel (740,000), and Matthew Beinner (180,000) are yet to win a bracelet, their peers deem them good enough players to add them to their $25K Fantasy Draft teams.

This event is set for a thrilling finale, and you can follow all the action, as it happens, right here at PokerNews from 1:00 p.m. local time on June 3.

Event #14: $1,500 Mixed Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better Day 2 Top 10 Chip Counts

RankPlayerCountryChip Count
1Justin LibertoUnited States2,905,000
2Lawrence BergUnited States2,665,000
3Chris LeeUnited States2,425,000
4Jean LaurentUnited States2,370,000
5Lee RoughUnited States2,225,000
6Naween FernandoUnited States2,070,000
7Michael BandcciUnited States1,760,000
8Dekel BalasUnited States1,690,000
9George WangUnited States1,555,000
10Edward SpivakUnited Kingdom1,460,000

Day 1 of the $600 Deepstack PLO Attracts 2,636

Martin Kabrhel
Martin Kabrhel

Day 1 of Event #15: $600 Deepstack Pot-Limit Omaha saw a 2,636-strong crowd start the tournament with high hopes, but only 117 of them navigated their way through to Day 2. Martin Kabrhel (739,000), a five-time bracelet winner, was among the Day 1 survivors.

Kabrhel will return on Day 2 in the top third of the chip counts and will fancy his chances of adding a sixth bracelet to his collection. The talkative Czech grinder won his fifth bracelet at the 2025 WSOP Europe festival in the €10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha Mystery Bounty event, so he has solid results in this format.

Canada's Tara Dunn (1,995,000) is the woman who leads the field back on Day 2. Dunn cashed in the recent $1,500 No-Limit 2-7 Lowball Draw event and looks to have continued in a rich vein of form, judging by how she bagged up the chip lead in this event.

Some of the other Day 1 survivors include Michael Rodrigues (1,750,000), Jonathan Dimmig (1,100,000), Freddy Deeb (990,000), Esther Taylor (960,000), Ben Yu (395,000), Dan Heimiller (340,000), and Jeff Madsen (230,000).

Join PokerNews from 11:00 a.m. local time on June 3 to see who walks away with this event's title, bracelet, and $171,589 top prize.

Event #15: $600 Deepstack Pot-Limit Omaha Day 1 Top 10 Chip Counts

RankPlayerCountryChip Count
1Tara DunnCanada1,995,000
2Johnson NguyenUnited States1,785,000
3Michael RodriguesPortugal1,750,000
4Mikael GronvikSweden1,675,000
5Randy JacksUnited States1,590,000
6Susan GenardUnited States1,575,000
7Francisco BaruffiBrazil1,550,000
8Zachary SchwartzUnited States1,460,000
9Philip ArdireUnited States1,455,000
10Mohamad SaadeghvaziriUnited States1,330,000

Inaugural U.S. Circuit Championship Sees 2,148 Players Enter; $439,605 Awaits the Champion

Daniel Rezaei
Daniel Rezaei

The inaugural Event #16: $1,700 U.S. Circuit Championship attracted 2,148 players to the WSOP-branded felt on Day 1, resulting in a $3,231,666 prize pool. Only 381 of those who started the day had chips requiring bagging and tagging after 15 levels. Those survivors are now one step closer to a $439,605 top prize.

$25K Fantasy Draft pick and bracelet owner, Daniel Rezaei (560,000), was one of the more high-profile players who punched their Day 2 ticket. The Austrian's stack places him 11th going into Day 2 as he hunts his second bracelet. You may recall that Rezaei banked $1,900,000 and a gold bracelet last summer after coming out on top in the $50,000 No-Limit Hold'em High Roller Turbo.

She Wong (994,000) is the man to catch at the start of Day 2. He's joined by the likes of Michael Wilklow (852,000), Ivan Ruban (637,000), Josh Arieh (421,000), Shiina Okamoto (359,000), Kathy Liebert (287,000), and a pair of WSOP Main Event champions in Joe McKeehen (240,000) and Jonathan Tamayo (65,000).

Day 2 starts at 12:00 p.m. local time on June 3, with the goal of completing another 10 levels. By the time the curtain comes down on Day 2, we should be much closer to the final table.

Event #16: $1,700 U.S. Circuit Championship No-Limit Hold'em Day 1 Top 10 Chip Counts

RankPlayerCountryChip CountBig Blinds
1She WongUnited States994,000124
2Michael WilklowUnited States852,000107
3Scott HorvathUnited States823,000103
4Zachary GergenUnited States755,00094
5Cezar QuiambaoPhilippines746,00093
6Antonio VargasUnited States739,00092
7Christos ArgyriadisGreece690,00086
8David SchneiderUnited States644,00081
9Ivan RubanRussia637,00080
10Joshua WangChina598,00075

What to Expect on Day 9 of the 2026 WSOP

WSOP Branding 2026

June 3 looks set to be a blockbuster ninth day of the 2026 WSOP with four in-play events continuing or concluding, and another trio of fresh tournaments starting up.

Event #15: $600 Deepstack Pot-Limit Omaha shuffles up and deals at 11:00 a.m. local time, continuing until one man or woman has all of the chips in play. Whoever that is bags themselves this event's bracelet and the $171,589 top prize.

Also starting at 11:00 a.m. local time and continuing until a champion emerges is Event #13: $1,500 6-Handed No-Limit Hold'em. Only nine players remain in the hunt for the $346,108 first-place prize, and Michel Molenaar is the current chip leader.

Things are getting serious in Event #11: $10,000 GGMillion$ High Roller, which commences Day 3 at 12:00 p.m. local time. The schedule states that play continues until only five players remain. Who will that quintet be? Stay tuned to PokerNews to find out.

Day 2 of Event #16: $1,700 U.S. Circuit Championship No-Limit Hold'em is also starting at 12:00 p.m. local time. Ten levels are scheduled, which should see the field reduced to almost the final table.

Noon is a busy start time on June 3 because the star-studded Event #17: $10,000 No-Limit 2-7 Lowball Draw Championship continues into its Day 2.

Then at 1:00 p.m. local time, the final day of Event #14: $1,500 Mixed Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better gets underway. This event is scheduled to award its bracelet, but split-pot events have a habit of spilling over into an unscheduled extra day, so watch this space!

Klemens Roiter

The first of the four new events is Event #18: $1,500 Monster Stack. Day 1a, the first of four scheduled flights, starts at 10:00 a.m. local time. Last year's Monster Stack saw 9,920 entries processed, with 1,625 of those choosing Day 1a to start their quest for glory. Klemens Roiter eventually came out on top five days later, taking home $1,204,457 and his first gold bracelet.

Chang Lee
Chang Lee

At 12:00 p.m. local time, Event #19: $25,000 High Roller No-Limit Hold'em gets underway. Despite its huge buy-in, this event attracted 392 players in 2025, resulting in a $9,212,000 prize pool. Chang Lee clinched the top prize and took home $1,949,044 for his efforts.

Benny Glaser
Benny Glaser

The third new tournament is Event #20: $1,500 Dealers Choice 6-Handed, which commences at 2:00 p.m. local time. Mixed game genius Benny Glaser is this event's reigning champion. The popular Brit outlasted 596 opponents in 2025 and banked $150,246, plus his sixth bracelet.

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Matthew Pitt
Senior Editor

Matthew Pitt hails from Leeds, West Yorkshire, in the United Kingdom, and has worked in the poker industry since 2008, and worked for PokerNews since 2010. In September 2010, he became the editor of PokerNews. Matthew stepped away from live reporting duties in 2015, and now concentrates on his role of Senior Editor for the PokerNews.

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