Sanjeev Sisodiya opened to 1,600 from early position and was called by Phil Hellmuth in the hijack, Stephen Decker in the cutoff, and Todd Michael in the big blind for a four-way pot.
Michael checked to Sisodiya, who continued for 3,500 on the 5♠2♥K♥ flop. Hellmuth raised to 7,000, and it was folded back around to Sisodiya, who raised again to 14,500.
"Twenty-three thousand," Hellmuth verbally announced as he put in his raise.
Sisodiya responded with a shove, and Hellmuth called all in for 74,500 total after a brief pause.
Phil Hellmuth: 5♥5♦
Sanjeev Sisodiya: 2♣2♦
Hellmuth found himself on the right end of a set-over-set cooler, and the 3♠Q♦ runout changed nothing — awarding "The Poker Brat" a double-up in the first level of the day.
"I can't fold second set," Hellmuth said as he collected the pot, "But I can fold bottom set."
Jordan Joeckel three-bet to 6,500 in the cutoff before Loai Elayday four-bet to 16,000 in middle position. Joeckel then five-bet to 28,500, Elayday moved all in, and Joeckel snap-called for 90,000.
Jordan Joeckel: K♠K♦
Loai Elayday: A♣A♠
Joeckel had run his kings right into Elayday's aces, and the J♥9♥6♠5♠5♣ board offered no miracles as Joeckel was sent to the rail.
On the K♦J♥2♦8♥ turn, both Anthony Lande and Chris Brewer invested 25,000 each before the J♦ fell on the river. Lande checked to Brewer, who bet 60,000 with a fraction of that behind.
Lande went deep into the tank and asked if his hand was dead if he were to show, before splashing in chips a few seconds later and instantly revealing his A♦A♥. Brewer had that beat with the 2♣2♥ for deuces full of jacks.
Heads-up on a flop of K♣J♦4♣, Jose Fernando Garcia Gutierrez bet 1,100 from the small blind and Jason Koon called in the big blind.
Gutierrez sized up for a bet of 4,500 on the 6♦ turn and Koon again called.
The J♥ paired the board on the river and Gutierrez asked to see Koon's remaining stack. He then shoved to put Koon all in and Koon snap-called for a bit over 10,000 while fast-rolling J♠8♦ for trips.
Gutierrez's hand was quickly mucked and Koon was awarded a much-needed double up early on Day 2abc.
Around 40,000 was already in the middle as Guang Chen and Michael Casella went to the turn on a board of 7♣5♥A♦J♠. Casella then bet 20,000 from the cutoff, and Chen called in middle position.
The river was the 2♥ and Casella bet 50,000. Chen picked up two of his green 25,000 chips and shook his head as he took a minute to make a decision, but he eventually tossed them into the pot.
Casella turned over 5♣5♠ for a set. "I couldn't fold my hand," Chen said as he mucked, later claiming he had ace-jack.
Three players went to a flop of A♠4♠K♥ when Mitchell Brown bet 2,100 from middle position. Only Ning Chu called in the small blind.
The turn was the 10♦ and Brown bet 4,100. Chu then moved all in, and Brown flung his arms in the air in frustration before calling for his last 25,000.
Brown turned over A♥K♦ for top two pair, but his suspicions proved correct as Chu showed 4♥4♦ for a set. The 4♣ river improved Chu to quads, and Brown was sent to the rail.
The next chapter of the 2026 World Series of Poker Main Event has arrived as the first three flights combine to one, as the dream of being a world champion continues at the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas still glimmers with hope for the leagues of hopefuls returning for Day 2abc. The first of two Day 2 flights will feature a total of 2,468 players vying to advance in their pursuit of poker immortality.
Ryuta Nakai
Ryuta Nakai (323,000) will walk into the room as the top stack, as the Japanese 25K Fantasy player will look to put an exclamation point on a strong summer in 2026. Nakai has piled up seven cashes thus far, with his best finish coming in the $25,000 No-Limit Heads-Up Championship, where he took third place.
Top Ten Chip Counts
Rank
Player
Country
Chip Count
1
Ryuta Nakai
Japan
323,000
2
Yulian Bogdanov
Bulgaria
315,000
3
Igor Pansovoi
United States
300,300
4
Arturas Astrauskas
Lithuania
296,700
5
Lawrence Brandt
United States
292,800
6
Rahul Gangan
United States
291,600
7
Osmar Rockenbach
Brazil
286,900
8
Jourdan Baptiste
United States
281,600
9
Justin Arnwine
United States
280,600
10
Gaspar Fernandez
Argentina
279,000
Yulian Bogdanov
Bulgarian Yulian Bogdanov (315,000) is not far behind in the standings. The high roller made a run in the 2025 edition of the main event as he finished just outside of the top 100 in 109th place. Bogdanov entered the main event with four cashes under his belt, but he is still searching for the first bracelet of his career.
Phil Hellmuth Entrance
Speaking of bracelets, these players know all too well the feeling, as a total of seven returning WSOP Main Event Champions will make their return on Day abc. Joe Cada (133,660), Greg Raymer (122,300), Greg Merson (81,200), Daniel Weinman (79,300), Michael Mizrachi (73,200), Phil Hellmuth (60,000), and Damian Salas (54,800) are all still in the running for the dream of a second main event title.
Billy Baxter
Poker Hall of Famers Brian Rast (119,100), Erik Seidel (86,400), Billy Baxter (19,800), and Bobby Baldwin (15,500) are also among the poker royalty still in contention as they take their seats.
Freddy Deeb (267,000) will come in with a healthy stack. The Lebanese poker legend will have an opportunity to situate himself for a deep run with a strong performance on Day 2abc.
Scott Seiver
Other notables who will rub elbows with the field include Scott Seiver (177,700), David “Chino” Rheem (171,300), Qiang Xu (168,000), Josh Arieh (158,200), Chris Moorman (148,600), Sam Soverel (112,600), Jeremy Ausmus (109,300), Stephen Chidwick (83,400), Mike Matusow (48,000), and Jason Koon (18,700).
Action is scheduled to resume at 11 a.m. local time. Play is scheduled for a total of five levels on Day 2abc. New entrants are allowed to enter who have not played in any previous flight. There are 20-minute breaks after every two-hour level, with a 60-minute dinner break after Level 8 at approximately 5:40 p.m. local time. Registration for Day 2abc will close at the end of Level 7, about 3:40 p.m. local time.
Check back here at PokerNews for continued coverage of the 2026 World Series of Poker Main Event at the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas.
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