2026 World Series of Poker
Vaughn Michaud opened from the hijack and Kai Nicholls called from the cutoff. Michael Wasserman three-bet to 12,000 and Michaud called. Nicholls moved all in for 44,200 and Wasserman folded. Michaud, who already had a healthy stack after returning from the break, snap called.
Kai Nicholls: A♦K♠
Vaughn Michaud: 7♣7♦
It was a classic flip, with Nicholls just behind in the race. He was hoping to pick up but the 9♠5♦J♥ didn't bring much to work with. The 4♦ turn and 8♠ river saw to his elimination and Michaud scooped the pot, putting him as the chip leader in the second level of the Main Event Day 2abc.
Thomas Cemm bet 3,000 from the big blind on a board of 8♣K♦7♣2♥ and Max Kingstone raised to 25,000 in the hijack. Cemm then moved all in for 25,300, and Kingstone called for the additional few chips.
Cemm showed K♠5♠ for top pair, but Kingstone had A♠K♥ and was ahead with his ace-kicker. The river was the J♣ and Kingstone secured the pot to send Cemm to the rail.
Jeremy Messas opened to 2,000 from the cutoff, and in the big blind, Jason Koon called.
On the flop of 10♥8♣3♥, Koon check-called a bet of 2,000 from Messas.
Koon moved all in on the turn 6♦ for 4,500, and Messas called.
Jason Koon: Q♥8♥
Jeremy Messas: 10♣9♣
Koon was unable to improve on the river 4♣, and the two-time WSOP bracelet winner was eliminated from the tournament.
According to the WSOP LIVE app
Daniel Garcia raised to 2,000 from early position, Greg Raymer three-bet to 5,000 on the button, and then Julien Thome went all in from the small blind for roughly 25,000. Garcia folded and Raymer made the call.
Julien Thome: Q♦Q♠
Greg Raymer: K♠K♥
The board ran out 8♠A♦A♥K♦10♠, and the former WSOP main event champion sent Thome to the rail
Heads-up on a board of K♥3♣4♥5♣, Alnoor Pujani bet 8,500 from the hijack and Qiang Xu raised to 36,000 in middle position. Pujani called, and the Q♥ fell on the river.
Xu then bet 32,000, and Pujani tanked for several minutes before calling. Xu turned over A♦2♦ for a straight, and Pujani mucked.
Jack Allen moved all in from early position for his last 16,600, and Philip Sandlin called from the big blind.
Jack Allen: 9♠9♣
Philip Sandlin : A♦10♥
The board fell out with 2♣2♠10♣K♥Q♦, and Sandlin had the best of it with a higher two-pair.
Raphael Bilger raised to 2,200 from middle position and then called Eric Froelich's raise to 7,700 from the big blind.
The flop rolled out 10♣9♣5♠ and Froelich continued for 6,500. Bilger moved all in for 40,000 and Froelich thought for a big before opting to call.
Raphael Bilger: A♠6♠
Eric Froehlich: A♥K♦
Froelich's ace-king high was good and held up on the runout of 5♦J♦ to eliminate Bilger from the tournament.
Soon after coming back from the break, Neel Joshi got his short stack of around 22 big blinds into the middle and he was called by Gunnar Blomgren.
Neel Joshi: A♥Q♦
Gunnar Blomgren: 10♠10♦
The J♠9♥3♥2♥9♠ board failed to improve Joshi and he departed from the 2026 WSOP Main Event.