Sasha Guerin raised to 30,000 from middle position and called a three-bet of 80,000 from Michael Mizrachi, who was directly behind him.
Guerin check-folded facing a 70,000 bet from Mizrachi on the 8♦8♥10♥ flop and Mizrachi turned over K♦K♠ before collecting the pot.
"I only play aces and kings," Mizrachi said. "I fold every hand."
Typically, when the doors of Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas swing open, the cameras are searching for two groups of players: the superstars and the chip leaders.
Today, things will be a little different. With the money bubble in Event #82: $10,000 WSOP Main Event No-Limit Hold'em World Championship set to burst, the spotlight will instead fall on those at the foot of the leaderboard, fighting for their tournament lives.
From a field of 9,208 entries, just 1,389 players remain, with only seven eliminations separating them from a guaranteed $15,000 payday. Once the bubble bursts, the survivors can finally look beyond survival and set their sights on the much larger portions of the $85,634,400 prize pool still waiting to be claimed.
Feeling the heat most will be Evan Lindemann (5,000), Iryna Tsikhanskaya (15,000), Mario Escalera (16,000), Thomas Floan (17,000), Kenneth Robbins (18,000), and Safwane Bahri (23,000), who will all be hoping for a favorable seat draw and a few precious hands before the blinds inevitably come calling.
At the other end of the leaderboard, Sasha Liu has no such concerns. The overnight chip leader bagged a mammoth 2,364,000, giving her 295 big blinds to start the day. Martin Zamani begins the day with 1,963,000, while Levon Khachatryan sits just behind with 1,745,000, completing an all-American top three.
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sasha Liu | United States | 2,364,000 | 295 |
| 2 | Martin Zamani | United States | 1,963,000 | 245 |
| 3 | Levon Khachatryan | United States | 1,745,000 | 218 |
| 4 | Robert Gill | United States | 1,604,000 | 200 |
| 5 | Zdenek Zizka | Czechia | 1,576,000 | 197 |
| 6 | Robin Kleinbeck | Germany | 1,558,000 | 194 |
| 7 | Will Givens | United States | 1,540,000 | 192 |
| 8 | Brian Carraher | United States | 1,463,000 | 182 |
| 9 | Felix Kuemayr | Austria | 1,398,000 | 174 |
| 10 | Jared Passanante | United States | 1,361,000 | 170 |
Further down the leaderboard, a host of 25K Fantasy Draft players continue to hunt big points for their respective teams. Zdenek Zizka (1,576,000), Ryuta Nakai (1,203,000), ODB Bonus player Masato Yokosawa (1,135,000), Brian Yoon (1,132,000), Artur Martirosian (1,063,000), Chris Hunichen (1,055,000), and Shaun Deeb (960,000) all return within the top 50.
Hossein Ensan is the highest-placed Main Event champion remaining, having bagged 1,280,000. John Cynn (927,000), reigning champion Michael Mizrachi (615,000), Stoyan Madanzhiev (499,000), Ryan Riess (431,000), Scott Blumstein (387,000), Joe Hachem (353,000), Chris Moneymaker (221,000), and Greg Raymer (205,000) are all poised to make the money before making their charge at a second Main Event title.
Players such as 25K Fantasy Draft pick Jordan Siegel (42,000) and bracelet winners Marsha Wolak (44,000), Tamas Lendvai (64,000), and Isaac Baron (69,000) are among those beginning the day in the danger zone, but with nearly 90 players returning with fewer than ten big blinds, many more will be walking the same tightrope.
The Day 4 action will begin at 11 a.m. local time with Level 16, blinds 4,000/8,000 and an 8,000 big blind ante. Play is likely to begin hand-for-hand, and once it reaches the stone bubble, each all-in player will feel the full weight of the moment as their table becomes engulfed by cameras, with 1,832 players in the room quietly rooting against them.
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Stay tuned to PokerNews as we bring you live coverage from the tournament floor, from the bubble bursting and beyond, at the 2026 WSOP Main Event.
Michael "The Grinder" Mizrachi opened to 7,000 in the hijack to see Brian Smith call in the big blind.
The flop rolled out Q♠9♥9♦, and both players checked to the turn 6♥, where Mizrachi bet 3,000 after being checked to, prompting Smith to raise to 12,000.
Mizrachi matched the bet, and Smith moved all in for 31,500 on the river 7♥ to see Mizrachi snap-call.
Brian Smith: Q♣9♣ 
Michael "The Grinder" Mizrachi: 7♠7♦
Smith had flopped nines-full, with Mizrachi having rivered an inferior sevens-full. Smith raked in the pot at the expense of the defending champion.
As the summer rounds the last corner to its end, the crown jewel of the 2026 World Series of Poker sees its action just ramping up. This year, Event #82: $10,000 Main Event No-Limit Hold'em World Championship drew a total of 9,208 players, generating a prize pool of $85,634,000, making this the fourth-largest main event field in the 56 years of the WSOP.
All 3,294 remaining players combine today for the first time and begin the next leg of their journey to make the money. Only 1,382 will be walking away with at least a minimum cash of $15,000, and time will tell whether or not Day 3 or 4 will be the bubble-bursting day. Sitting up top along with the $10,000,000 cash prize is the WSOP Main Event bracelet and a chance to be immortalized in the annals of poker history.
Day 3 Top Ten Chip Counts
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michael Rossitto | United States | 770,500 | 308 |
| 2 | Gaspar Fernandez | Argentina | 754,000 | 302 |
| 3 | Jeff Fenster | United States | 747,000 | 299 |
| 4 | Yannick Schumacher | Germany | 738,000 | 295 |
| 5 | Mason Vieth | United States | 730,000 | 292 |
| 6 | Robert Gill | United States | 728,500 | 291 |
| 7 | Joseph Baghdalian | United States | 705,000 | 282 |
| 8 | Arturas Astrauskas | Lithuania | 646,500 | 259 |
| 9 | Farid Jattin | Colombia | 630,000 | 252 |
| 10 | Michael Banducci | United States | 630,000 | 252 |
Leading the way is Day 2d chip leader, Michael Rossitto (770,500). A familiar face on the tournament circuit, Rossitto has collected over $5 million in live earnings according to The Hendon Mob with three WSOP final tables on his resume. He and his podium-mates Gaspar Fernandez (754,000) and Jeff Fenster (747,000) are each looking for their first WSOP bracelet.
Many of the game’s greats found their way into today’s play and are looking to etch their names into this summer’s history. Farid Jattin (630,000) and Terrance Reid (597,500) hold sizable stacks coming into the day. Others that look to capitalize during the day are Alex Foxen (493,500), Brian Hastings (490,000), Will Givens (483,500), Brian Yoon (386,500), Freddy Deeb (383,000) and WSOP Players of the Year, like Ian Matakis (374,500), Shaun Deeb (368,500) and Scott Seiver (282,000). They will be among the thousands of contenders in the hunt for this title.
There are 39 living main event champions, and of that number, 12 have advanced to Day 3 in the hopes of becoming the first multi-time champion since 1997. Defending his crown is nine-time WSOP bracelet winner Michael “The Grinder” Mizrachi (202,500), who is fresh off of his ninth WSOP bracelet win this year. The list of players with ten or more bracelets contains just five names, but a win for Mizrachi would add a sixth name to the list.
One of the names on that list is 17-time WSOP bracelet winner and 1989 Main Event champion Phil Hellmuth (173,000), who sits looking to further extend his all-time lead. The 2004 champion Greg Raymer (291,000), 1996 champion Huck Seed (83,000), and 2012 champion Greg Merson (79,000) advanced through Day 2abc, while John Cynn (403,000), Ryan Riess (395,000), Hossein Ensan (236,500), Scott Blumstein (218,000), Joe Hachem (135,000), Joe Mckeehen (102,500) and Chris Moneymaker (221,000) all advanced from Day 2d, with a chance to become two-time champions.
Play will resume at 11 am with players coming back to Level 11. Blinds will be 1,000/2,500, with a 2,500 big blind ante. Levels will last two hours each, with a 20-minute break occurring at the end of each level. At the conclusion of Level 13 (around 6 p.m.), there will be a 60-minute dinner break. After that, the players will return and play two more levels before bagging up for the evening.
Be sure to stay tuned to PokerNews for all of the exciting updates on the ground at the 2026 WSOP at the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas.
Day 2abc of the 2026 Main Event was one of sweet reunions (and many departures), as 2,468 hopefuls from the first three starting flights returned to the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas to continue their journey toward claiming the crown jewel of poker — the World Series of Poker Main Event bracelet.
The returnees were joined by 312 late entrants who took advantage of the option to register on Day 2, bringing the total number of entries to 8,389 and growing the prize pool to $78,017,700 with one day remaining for late registration. By the time the last card was dealt, however, only 1,260 players were able to bag up chips for Day 3.
Besting them all was Argentina's Gaspar Fernandez with a stack worth 754,000 — good for just over 300 big blinds at the start of Day 3. Hot on his heels is Texas native Mason Vieth with 730,000.
Vieth, a dairy farmer who commonly goes by "Milkman," shared some words with PokerNews as he was bagging up for the night.
"I started off with a great table today. I ran kind of good. I did some big bluffs early on. I got moved to this table right here later in the day, and I really ran hot. I set over set a guy, and cracked aces with a set."
Vieth, who boasts over $1 million in live-tournament earnings, said his primary focus has been on the Main Event and he feels confident going forward.
"I feel great. I know I can put max pressure and ride the heater. I've been looking forward to this for three weeks. I was hanging out at the farm, just preparing for the Main Event only, really. I didn't really care about the other events that much, just the Main [Event]."
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gaspar Fernandez | Argentina | 754,000 | 302 |
| 2 | Mason Vieth | United States | 730,000 | 292 |
| 3 | Arturas Astrauskas | Lithuania | 646,500 | 259 |
| 4 | Michael Banducci | United States | 630,000 | 252 |
| 5 | Daan Mulders | Netherlands | 629,500 | 252 |
| 6 | Miguel Riera | Spain | 592,000 | 237 |
| 7 | Chiori Gannon | United States | 589,500 | 236 |
| 8 | Kevin Ordet | United States | 584,000 | 234 |
| 9 | Haruna Fujita | Japan | 551,500 | 221 |
| 10 | Peter Patricio | Brazil | 543,500 | 217 |
Among the late arrivals, none made a bigger splash out of the gate than Sasha Liu. From cracking kings with jack-five suited to picking off a massive bluff with aces, Liu proved to be an unstoppable force from the get go. By the second break of the day, Liu had nearly multiplied her stack tenfold. However, while Liu looked poised to run away with the lead, her momentum largely halted in the latter half of the day, but was still enough to end with a substantial stack of 495,500.
Day 2abc contained no shortage of players who had already etched their names in Main Event history, with eight previous Main Event champions taking their seats in search of repeat glory.
Faring best of the bunch was 2004 Main Event champion Greg Raymer after a last-minute double up vaulted his stack to a well-above-average 291,000.
Recently inducted Poker Hall of Famer, nine-time bracelet winner, and defending Main Event champion Michael "The Grinder" Mizrachi also had a productive day after spinning up a modest stack of 73,000 at the start of play to 202,500. While still early, Mizrachi is in the running to become the first back-to-back Main Event champion since Johnny Chan, who accomplished the feat by winning both in 1987 and 1988.
"I started the day with 72 or 73 and ended with 202, so it's looking like a repeat!" Mizrachi said to Jeff Platt shortly after bagging.
Seventeen-time bracelet winner and 1989 Main Event champion Phil Hellmuth shared the field with his son Nicholas Hellmuth, who was continuing his Main Event debut. The senior of the two found himself on the fortunate end of a set-over-set cooler for an early double up and was sent to the stream table, where he maintained a healthy stack to end with 173,000. Meanwhile, his son nursed a short stack for much of the day and scored a couple of clutch double-ups late in the day to keep his run alive with 24,000.
The other champs who will be joining Raymer, Mizrachi, and Hellmuth on Day 3 are Huck Seed (83,000) and Greg Merson (79,000). The latter built up a big stack by the last level of play but lost the majority of it on the final level after running two pair into Michael Gaskins' set.
Less fortunate among the Main Event champions were Joe Cada, Damian Salas, and Daniel Weinman — all of whom busted before the end of play. Others notables who who will also have to wait for Main Event redemption include Jason Koon, Antonio Esfandiari, Adam Hendrix, Nick Rigby, Matt Vengrin, and Elaine Rawn — who fell victim to quads against Elia Ahmadian in a massive pot just before dinner break.
Notables who managed to bag big stacks include Tony Dunst (479,000), Martin Zamani (460,000), Brian Hastings (409,000), Freddy Deeb (383,000) and Ryuta Nakai. Nakai entered the day with the overall chip lead, but a roller-coaster of a day saw him slip to under 100,000 before ultimately recovering to end with 235,500.
The 3,638 survivors from Day 1d will reconvene for Day 2d on Tuesday, July 7, at 11 a.m. Play will get back underway on Level 6, which features 400/800 blinds with an 800 big-blind ante.
Late registration for the Main Event will officially close on Day 2d at the start of Level 8 (~3:45 p.m.) At the time of writing, nearly 200 additional players have registered, and many more are expected. Everyone who bags from either Day 2 flight will meet for Day 3 on Wednesday, July 8, at 11 a.m.
For all the latest, be sure to stick with PokerNews as the long quest to crown the 2026 Main Event champion continues!
There were roughly 30,000 chips in the pot on A♥9♥Q♦.
Michael Mizrachi in the cutoff checked to Adam Rude who was on the button and he fired out a bet of 18,000, then Mizrachi called.
Rude did not slow down on the 4♠ turn and he fired out a bet of 35,000 then Mizrachi folded.
Rude then announced, "Yes! I bluffed the Grinder! I'm the best poker player in the world again!" before tabling K♠J♣.
Mizrachi quickly responded, "You did not bluff me. I had king-ten."
The cards were already ace up with the dealer counting out the stacks with Guilherme Garcia coming out the right side of a heads-up battle against Michael Mizrachi.
The pot was standing at 3,200 implying the action had gotten all in pre-flop, with Mizrachi in the small blind and Garcia in late position.
Guilherme Garcia: K♣K♠
Michael Mizrachi: A♦Q♦
With Garcia at risk, he was looking to hold with his pocket kings and the 5♣2♠J♦ flop kept him ahead.
The 5♥ was turned and there was no change on the Q♠ river wasn't enough to give Mizrachi the pot. Garcia got the full double up, leaving Mizrachi to count out his remaining 87,500 stack.
The pre-turn action was recalled after the hand as Reza Fahim had limped from late position and Michael Mizrachi raised from the hijack. Fahim called, and the players went heads up to the 10♣4♣3♦ flop. Both checked to see the 2♥ turn and action was back on Fahim.
Action was followed live from when Fahim bet 5,000 on the turn, and Mizrachi called. The Q♠ river was placed which prompted Fahim to bet 10,000. Mizrachi paused, before flicking in a chip to call and Fahim turned over his K♥10♦ for a pair of tens which was enough to see Mizrachi muck.
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 (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.
| 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 |
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.
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.
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.
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.
The most anticipated poker tournament of the year is well underway as players from around the world continue to descend on Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas for Event #82: $10,000 WSOP Main Event No-Limit Hold'em World Championship. With the first two starting flights now complete, excitement continues to build as more hopefuls take their shot at poker’s most prestigious title on Day 1c, with the action getting underway at 11 a.m. local time.
Taking a quick look back at the previous two flights, Day 1a drew 772 entries, with 543 players surviving. Japan’s Ryuta Nakai finished at the top of the leaderboard with 323,000 after spending much of the day near the front. The first flight attracted plenty of star power, and several of those notables advanced, including Scott Seiver (177,700) and Qiang Xu (168,000).
Others weren’t as fortunate, with big names such as Adrian Mateos, Chad Eveslage, and 25K Fantasy pick Mike Moncek all falling short of a bag. Someone had to be the first to hit the rail, and this year it was Anthony Marini, who became the unfortunate first elimination of the Main Event.
More joined the field on Day 1b, adding another 1,038 entries into play and bringing the running total to 1,810, with 1,302 players finding a bag across the first two flights. With the field combined from the first two flights, the total prize pool currently stands at $16,833,000, but time will tell whether this year’s Main Event can reach 9,735 players and surpass last year’s $90,535,500 prize pool.
Of the 760 who advanced late last night, several notable names made it through to Day 2abc, including former Main Event champion Greg Raymer, who will return with just over the average stack with 122,300 chips. Defending 2025 champion Michael Mizrachi also took his seat in yesterday’s flight. He began the day a little uneasily but steadily rebuilt his stack, ultimately bagging 73,200. Four-time bracelet winner and 25K Fantasy pick Mike Matusow (48,000) also made it through, though he’ll be looking to turn things around on Day 2. Others weren’t as fortunate, including bracelet winners Kenneth Gregory and Jean Robert Bellande, who saw their hopes of winning a second WSOP bracelet in this year's Main Event come to an end after their queens got cracked by kings.
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ryuta Nakai | Japan | 323,000 | 404 |
| 2 | Igor Pansovoi | United States | 300,300 | 375 |
| 3 | Osmar Rockenbach | Brazil | 286,900 | 359 |
| 4 | Michael Stembera | United States | 270,300 | 338 |
| 5 | Damarjai Davenport | United States | 263,000 | 329 |
| 6 | William Watson | United States | 262,000 | 328 |
| 7 | Shawn Savage | United States | 261,500 | 327 |
| 8 | Ali Eslami | United States | 256,200 | 320 |
| 9 | Gregory Sly | Australia | 254,500 | 318 |
| 10 | Arie Kliper | Israel | 254,100 | 318 |
Ryuta Nakai, a 25K Fantasy pick, holds the overall chip lead and remains the one to catch as the Day 1 flights reach their halfway point. Ali Eslami also made the top counts and is well positioned to chase his second WSOP bracelet. Cassandra Yong posted one of the strongest Day 1b stacks but narrowly missed the combined top ten. She did find a late-night double with kings, however, coolering Gary Blackwood's aces to secure 225,000 and a seat on Day 2abc.
As the Main Event is a freezeout, each player is only allowed a single entry across all flights, meaning those who fell short will not be able to reenter over the coming days. However, with registration remaining open through the first two levels of Days 2abc and 2d, there is still plenty of time for new faces to join the chase for this year's World Championship title.
| Level | Start | Duration | Small Blind | Big Blind | Big Blind Ante |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 11 a.m. | 120 minutes | 100 | 200 | 200 |
| 1:00 p.m. | 20-minute break | ||||
| 2 | 1:20 p.m. | 120 minutes | 200 | 300 | 300 |
| 3:20 p.m. | 20-minute break | ||||
| 3 | 3:40 p.m. | 120 minutes | 200 | 400 | 400 |
| 5:40 p.m. | 60-minute break | ||||
| 4 | 6:40 p.m. | 120 minutes | 300 | 500 | 500 |
| 8:40 p.m. | 20-minute break | ||||
| 5 | 9 p.m. | 120 minutes | 300 | 600 | 600 |
Day 1c will follow the same structure as the opening two flights. Players begin with 60,000 chips, and each Day 1 flight plays through five 120-minute levels, with 20-minute breaks scheduled after every level. Survivors from Day 1a, Day 1b, and today’s Day 1c will return on Monday, July 6, for Day 2abc.
Stay closer than ever to the action with MyPlayers. This brand new, free feature on PokerNews puts your favorite poker players front and center. Whether you're keeping tabs on legends like Daniel Negreanu or following a friend grinding their way through a Day 2, MyPlayers delivers real-time updates tailored just for you. No subscriptions, no paywalls - just the hands, chip counts, and bustouts that matter most.
It’s simple: log in, search for any player in our live coverage, hit the star, and they’ll be added to your personalized MyPlayers list. You’ll see their progress across all live-reported events, with chip counts and updates pinned right where you need them at the top.
From railbirds to backers, MyPlayers is the smarter way to stay connected to the game.
Stay tuned to PokerNews as we follow all the action from Day 1c and capture the stories of the hopefuls taking their seats in the chase for the 2026 WSOP Main Event title.
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