PokerNews live coverage of this event will begin on Day 2 (May 31). Until then, we will be keeping readers informed with updates on chip counts and core event statistics, including entries and prize pool. Scroll down to see more.
Event #1: $550 Mini Mystery Millions
Day 1b Completed
The second of six flights in Event #1: $550 Mini Mystery Millions has concluded, and it was another busy Day 1 at the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas. By the time the late registration period ended, 1,562 entries had been processed, bringing the running total to 3,197 with four flights remaining.
The aim for those playing Day 1b was to survive 22 levels. Only 57 of those starters achieved that goal, although those who busted have a few more bites at the cherry if their bankroll allows.
One man who doesn't need to join another Day 1 is Israel's Tal Avivi, a two-time World Series of Poker (WSOP) Circuit ring winner. Avivi turned his 25,000 starting stack into an impressive 2,800,000. That huge stack was not only the largest stack of the flight, but of the tournament thus far.
Quang Vu bagged and tagged 2,000,000 chips at the close of play, placing him second on Day 1b and overall, while Qiang Pan's 1,400,000 chips were enough for third place on the day.
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tal Avivi | Israel | 2,800,000 | 92 |
| 2 | Quang Vu | United States | 2,000,000 | 65 |
| 3 | Qiang Pan | United States | 1,400,000 | 48 |
| 4 | Caroline Schallock | Germany | 1,300,000 | 44 |
| 5 | Dave Stann | United States | 1,200,000 | 39 |
| 6 | Giovanni Zanette | South Africa | 1,100,000 | 36 |
| 7 | Michael Comisso | United States | 1,100,000 | 35 |
| 8 | Brandon Nguyen | United Kingdom | 960,000 | 32 |
| 9 | Robert Buckenmayer | United States | 940,000 | 31 |
| 10 | Steven Correll | United States | 900,000 | 30 |
Several bracelet winners navigated their way through 22 levels to give themselves a shot at adding to their WSOP jewelry collections. Valentino Konakchiev (570,000), Ryan Laplante (520,000), Brett Shaffer (505,000), Mike Leah (246,000), and Erick Lindgren (194,000) among them.
Some of those high-profile grinders who failed to progress to Day 2 from this flight but who secured at least a min-cash included Shawn Buchanen, Joey Couden, Joseph Cheong, Erik Cajelais, Chance Kornuth, and the legendary Billy Baxter, showing the lure this event has.
Day 1c of this event is scheduled to start at 10:00 a.m. local time on May 28, and it should see another huge crowd descend on the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas. Will anyone eclipse the 2,800,000 chips Avivi bagged up today? We don't have too long to wait to find out.
Here are the top 25 end of day counts, according to the WSOP LIVE app.
Think you could wear the suit and make the tough calls? In the heat of the WSOP, tournament directors can change the course of a player’s entire summer.
But they're there to enforce the WSOP rules. We've all heard of some crazy rulings and penalties, but here we’ve pulled six scenarios based on the official WSOP rulebook to see if you've got what it takes to be a WSOP tournament director.
Read the scenarios, make your ruling, and check the answers at the bottom of the article.
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According to the WSOP LIVE app.
In the 966th episode of the PokerNews Podcast, which is sponsored by WPT Global, Chad Holloway and Mike Holtz, and Ben Ludlow are back at Level 9 Studio in Las Vegas, where they are once again joined by Jeff Platt. There are a lot of questions surrounding the 2026 World Series of Poker (WSOP), including rule changes, patches, dealer ratings, and whether or not Jesse Yaginuma and James Carroll will be allowed back. Jeff answers them all, as well as a look into some new things, such as a new merch store, the WSOP Countdown Show, and members of the WSOP family.
Jeff also talks about being on a team drafting for the $25K Fantasy, which took place later that evening. Chad headed over to speak with Daniel Negreanu and David "ODB" Baker while offering a look at the draft itself.
The crew then remembers online poker legislative champion, Congressman Barney Frank, who recently passed away, and then offers you a chance to win a seat to this weekend's 100th Charity Series of Poker (CSOP) event!
According to the WSOP LIVE app.
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