Event #82: $10,000 WSOP Main Event NLH World Championship Day 1a | 2026 World Series of Poker

Jul 02, 2026

Bleznick's Main Event Comes to an Early End

Dan O'Hair

Level 2 : Blinds 200/300, 300 ante

Jared Bleznick raised to 1,000 on the button and was called by Alfredo Arreola in the small blind. Reginald Powell then squeezed to 3,000 from the big blind and Bleznick responded by making it 11,000 to go.

Arreola got out of the way, but Powell moved his entire stack into the middle, which was enough to put Bleznick all in for a bit under 50,000. Bleznick tanked a bit facing a decision for his tournament life, but eventually called all in for a showdown.

Jared Bleznick: Q♥Q♦ All in
Reginald Powell: 10♠10♣

It was the right decision from Bleznick, who found himself in great shape to double up against Powell's tens.

The 6♥9♣J♥ flop was safe for Bleznick, but the 10♦ turn improved Powell to a set.

Bleznick was still drawing live with an open-ended straight draw, but the 4♦ river bricked out — eliminating Bleznick early on Day 1 on a bad beat.

"You've gotta have some luck!" Powell said as he collected the massive pot.

Tags: Alfredo Arreola Jared Bleznick Reginald Powell

Jul 02, 2026

McKey Falls to Lee

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Stewart Morrison

Level 2 : Blinds 200/300, 300 ante

The action was joined as Bracken McKey committed his stack of roughly 30,000 into the middle from middle position, and was at risk against Sarah Lee one seat to his left.

The chips had gone in with a board dealt to a K♣3♥8♦A♥ turn.

Bracken McKey: A♠J♠ All in
Sarah Lee: 8♠8♥

McKey was up and out of his seat as he found out he was drawing dead.

The 4♠ completed the board, and McKey headed to the rail.

Tags: Bracken McKey Sarah Lee

Jul 02, 2026

Bedoui Back to Starting, Hyul Hits the Rail

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Laura Fryer

Level 1 : Blinds 100/200, 200 ante

Players were already three-way in a hand and on the river with a main pot of around 10,000. The board read 3♥8♦Q♠K♣4♦, and Jiwoo Hyul was all in and at risk of elimination from the cutoff. He was down to his last ~2,000 after calling off bottom set against Mahmoud Bedoui in the first level of the day and taking a real hit.

He was in the hand with Bedoui, who was sitting in the small blind, and Marcel Rettich in the big blind. The pair were playing with a side pot of 25,000. On the river, there was a 30,000 bet made by Bedoui, and Rettich called.

Jiwoo Hyul: A♣J♥ All in
Mahmoud Bedoui: A♥10♠
Marcel Rettich: 8♣8♥

Rettich took the pot after tabling his pocket eights as he flopped the set. Bedoui showed his ace-ten, and Hyul was left to hit the rail in the first level.

Tags: Jiwoo Hyul Mahmoud Bedoui Marcel Rettich

Jul 02, 2026

Schneider's Aces Eliminate Akopian, Seiver Correctly Folds Queens

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Tim Baker

Level 1 : Blinds 100/200, 200 ante

Eli Schneider raised to 500 from early position, and Johannes Straver called from middle position. Sarkis Akopian squeezed to 2,000 from the hijack, and Scott Seiver cold-called from the blinds. Schneider then four-bet to 16,000, forcing out Straver while Akopian called. Seiver tanked for a bit, looked back at his cards a couple of times, and eventually tossed them away.

The dealer spread the 4♥3♦7♣ flop, and Schneider jammed, covering Akopian. Akopian had about 34,000 behind and deliberated before making the call to put himself at risk.

Sarkis Akopian: 9♠9♥ All in
Eli Schneider: A♣A♦

Both players held overpairs, but Schneider's pocket rockets had a stranglehold on the hand, leaving Akopian needing one of the two remaining nines to survive.

The 10♣5♦ completed the board, keeping Schneider's aces best and sending Akopian to the rail.

After the hand, Seiver revealed that he had folded pocket queens, having correctly sensed he was up against a monster.

Tags: Eli Schneider Johannes Straver Sarkis Akopian Scott Seiver

Jul 02, 2026

First Elimination of the Main

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Jacob Wilson

Level 1 : Blinds 100/200, 200 ante

The hand was recounted to PokerNews by multiple players at the table.

Following an open, Anthony Marini three-bet to 1,500. Ryan Sands then made it 3,500 to go, only for Marini to make it five bets with a raise to 7,500. Sands moved all in, and Marini made the call.

Anthony Marini: A♦K♦ All in
Ryan Sands: A♠A♣

According to the table, the flop came KxXxXx, giving Marini two outs to crack the rockets. Unfortunately for him, he couldn't do so on the brick-brick runout, and he became the first casualty of the 2026 Main Event.

Tags: Anthony Marini Ryan Sands