Greg Mueller Q♥J♣ opened to 1,200,000 from the hijack. He was called by Daniel Savas 5♦5♣ and Michael Gagliano 6♣5♥.
Mueller bet 1,000,000 on the flop of 10♠9♠8♣ and only Savas called. Mueller then bet 2,000,000 on the 9♦ turn and Savas called.
Mueller bet 1,800,000 on the 3♠ river and Savas called. Mueller showed Q♥J♣ and it was good to win the pot.
Shaun Deeb 7♥7♣ raised to 1,200,000 in the hijack and Michael Gagliano 10♥10♦ called on the button as Rami Hammoud 5♦4♣ came along in the big blind.
Action checked to Gagliano on the flop of 10♣9♠K♣ and he bet 1,800,000 with his set. Both opponents folded.
At 11 a.m. local time, the final 21 players out of a 9,208-entry strong field return to their seats inside the ESPN feature table set at Paris Hotel Las Vegas to determine who will reach the final table in the 2026 World Series of Poker $10,000 Main Event No-Limit Hold'em World Championship. The biggest slices of the $85,634,400 prize pool are still up for grabs in the fourth-largest WSOP Main Event in history, and several of the contenders can further etch their name into the history books among those still in contention.
Leading the way is one of the rising stars in the global poker scene in Malcolm Trayner, who will return with the largest tally of 63,200,000 in chips. Two years ago, he won Event #5: $1,000 Mystery Millions for $1 million and added the Aussie Millions Main Event title to his career resume earlier this year. Trayner has the chance to follow in the footsteps of countryman Joe Hachem who won the title back in 2005.
Another past champion has the chance to double his tally as Hossein Ensan resides inside the top ten on the leaderboard with a stack of 29,700,000. Seven years ago, Ensan became the World Champion and earned $10 million for his efforts, the very same amount which is reserved for this year's champion. Despite admittedly only playing a handful of tournaments a year, the German has racked up more than $15 million in cashes according to The Hendon Mob and also has two EPT Final Table appearances, including one victory to his name.
The most vocal support on the final three tables is perhaps reserved for reigning WSOP Player of the Year Shaun Deeb, who earned his ninth WSOP gold bracelet earlier this summer. While trying to rack up as many points to potentially defend his title, Deeb put himself in prime position to reach the 2026 WSOP Main Event final table with a stack of 31,300,000 for Day 8. Claiming the title would be another cherry on top for his incredible resume and a certain introduction into the WSOP Hall of Fame, for which he is eligible as of this year.
Other notables with big stacks include Rami Hammoud (41,500,000), Will Givens (31,700,000), Thomas Clack (27,500,000) and two-time bracelet winner Antonio Galiana (27,200,000). The latter is one of several Europeans still in contention and could see yet another Spaniard reach the final table after Juan Maceiras only three years ago.
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Malcolm Trayner | Australia | 63,200,000 | 105 |
| 2 | Rami Hammoud | Canada | 41,500,000 | 69 |
| 3 | Lucas Jumalon | Canada | 40,800,000 | 68 |
| 4 | Evagoras Evagorou | Cyprus | 38,200,000 | 64 |
| 5 | Will Givens | United States | 31,700,000 | 53 |
| 6 | Shaun Deeb | United States | 31,300,000 | 52 |
| 7 | Tolga Karakaya | Germany | 30,000,000 | 50 |
| 8 | Hossein Ensan | Germany | 29,700,000 | 50 |
| 9 | Thomas Clack | United Kingdom | 27,500,000 | 46 |
| 10 | Antonio Galiana | Spain | 27,200,000 | 45 |
Todd Brunson has the rare chance to complete a father and son victory in the WSOP Main Event as the late Doyle Brunson earned back-to-back victories. However, he has his work cut out for him with a stack of just 7,800,000, which is good enough for 13 big blinds when the action resumes.
Other well-known seasoned poker pros such as Michael Gagliano (19,300,000), Romain Lewis (15,800,000) Brock Wilson (13,600,000), and Dylan Smith (9,600,000) all remain in contention as well.
The schedule for Day 8 is rather simple: With 21 players returning, as many two-hour levels as needed will be played to reach the final nine contenders and confirm the final table lineup before taking a break until early August, when the annual live poker crown jewel is set to conclude.
Blinds will be 300,000/600,000 with a big blind ante of 600,000, and the field will be balanced to two tables via random breaking once the field is down to the last 18 (or fewer) contenders. Once they are down to the final ten, there will be a complete redraw to a single table, and play will continue until one more player is eliminated to reach today's target.
All 21 hopefuls have locked up at least $325,000 for their efforts, with the next pay jump at 17 players. Bagging up chips today would secure a payday of at least $1,000,000 and plenty of interviews with the media thereafter.
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $10,000,000 | ||
| 2 | $6,000,000 | ||
| 3 | $3,750,000 | ||
| 4 | $2,750,000 | ||
| 5 | $2,250,000 | ||
| 6 | $1,750,000 | ||
| 7 | $1,500,000 | ||
| 8 | $1,250,000 | ||
| 9 | $1,000,000 | ||
| 10-11 | $750,000 | ||
| 12-13 | $510,000 | ||
| 14-17 | $410,475 | ||
| 18-21 | $325,000 |
All PokerNews updates will be published on a dynamic delay according to the cards-up coverage on ESPN Plus, and those outside of the United States can follow along on the WSOP YouTube channel as well.
Evagoras Evagorou raised to 1,125,000 on the button and Michael Gagliano called in the big blind.
The flop came A♣A♠Q♦ and Evagorou bet 500,000. Gagliano called.
The Q♠ turn was checked through, and Gagliano then led out for 1,500,000 on the 4♥ river. Evagorou snap-called.
Gagliano's 8♠8♣ was counterfeited by the board, and Evagorou turned over Q♣J♠ for a full house to win the pot.
Zhao Liu raised to 1,100,000 in early position and Michael Gagliano three-bet to 2,700,000 in the cutoff. Liu called.
Action checked to the river on a board of Q♦9♦5♣2♦K♥, where Gagliano bet 4,000,000. Liu folded.
Lucas Jumalon won two of the first three pots at this table with preflop raises. In the other, Michael Gagliano opened to 1,100,000 in the hijack, then folded when Tolga Karakaya moved all in for 7,425,000 in the big blind.
Jumalon then opened again to 1,000,000 in early position and Malcolm Trayner called in the big blind.
Both players checked the 8♠4♦3♥ flop, and Jumalon then bet 1,800,000 on the A♠ turn. Trayner folded, and Jumalon won yet another pot.
Malcolm Trayner raised to 800,000 in the hijack and Michael Gagliano called in the cutoff, as did Todd Brunson in the small blind.
Brunson and Trayner checked the Q♥6♣3♠ flop, and Gagliano bet 1,000,000. Brunson called, while Trayner then raised to 3,400,000. Gagliano and Brunson both quickly folded.
With that pot, Trayner moved past Zhao Liu for the table chip lead.
Michael Gagliano raised to 900,000 under the gun and Malcolm Trayner called in the big blind.
The flop came Q♣J♠3♠ and Gagliano bet 600,000. Trayner then raised to 2,600,000, and Gagliano folded.
Tianle Wang moved all in for 5,150,000 from the hijack the next hand but found no callers.
Malcolm Trayner raised to 800,000 on the button and Michael Gagliano called in the small blind.
The flop came A♥K♥8♥ and Trayner bet 500,000. Gagliano called, and they both checked the 4♠ turn.
Gagliano then led out for 2,800,000 on the 3♦ river, and Trayner folded.
A few hands later, Gagliano opened to 900,000 in the hijack and Tolga Karakaya called in the big blind.
Both players checked to the river on a board of A♣5♠4♥J♥A♠. Gagliano then bet 1,200,000, and Karakaya folded.
Michael Gagliano raised to 900,000 in the hijack and Tolga Karakaya called in the big blind.
Gagliano continued for 1,000,000 on the Q♣7♥4♥ flop and Karakaya called. The K♥ turn was then checked through.
Karakaya led out for 3,800,000 on the 7♣ river, and Gagliano folded.
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