button in SafariDay 2 of the $1,500 6‑Handed No-Limit Hold'em Begins at 11 a.m. with Stacks Rich in Gold
The 2026 World Series of Poker continues today at Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas, where the remaining 135 players will return for Day 2 of the $1,500 6-Handed No Limit Hold’em event. A field of 1,840 entries generated a prize pool of $2,442,600, with $346,108 set aside for the champion along with the series’ signature gold WSOP bracelet.
Opening the Day 2 lineup brings USA’s David Rees with 1,247,000 in chips, closely followed by Bastien Ravalet (1,200,000) and Julius Jung (1,170,000). 25K Fantasy Draft player Michel Molenaar also made it through in the top ten counts yesterday and bagged up an 850,000 stack. Fellow 25K Fantasy players Chris Hunichen (541,000), Cherish Andrews (499,000), Ryuta Nakai (383,000), Yuri Dzivielevski (257,000), Brandon Sheils (226,000) and Matthew Wantman (25,000) will also return today to battle for chips, points, and payouts.
It’s a field rich in WSOP gold, with bracelet winners expected to be scattered across the room later today. The players looking to go for a second title include Frank Marasco (391,000), Brian Green (380,000), Thomas Hall (338,000), Peter Park (292,000), Giuseppe Pantaleo (289,000), Barry Shulman (246,000), Evan Sandberg (239,000), Sean Jazayeri (214,000), Tjan Tepeh (213,000), Julien Sitbon (2,000), Jason Dewitt (196,000), Arkadiy Tsinis (140,000), Tommy Nguyen (126,000), Cade Lautenbacher (109,000) and Tyler Patterson (92,000).
Everyone returning has secured at least $3,317, but the focus now shifts to the top prize and the chance to claim one of the series’ most coveted titles.
Top Ten Chip Counts
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | David Rees | United States | 1,247,000 | 125 |
| 2 | Bastien Ravalet | France | 1,200,000 | 120 |
| 3 | Julius Jung | United States | 1,170,000 | 117 |
| 4 | Taylor Hart | United States | 985,000 | 99 |
| 5 | Justin Arnwine | United States | 953,000 | 95 |
| 6 | Michel Molenaar | Netherlands | 850,000 | 85 |
| 7 | Yuchen Jiang | United States | 812,000 | 81 |
| 8 | Justin Lapka | United States | 792,000 | 79 |
| 9 | Nobuaki Sasaki | Japan | 788,000 | 79 |
| 10 | Boshuang Gao | United States | 749,000 | 75 |
Out of the 1,840 players who tried their luck in the event, a number of notables hit the rail after registration closed yesterday. Michele Lawson failed to bag a stack, alongside fellow WSOP bracelet holders Tyler Cornell, Leo Soma, and David Pham. Two‑time WSOP Ladies Champion Shiina Okamoto was also seen on the felt but couldn’t find a way to make it to Day 2.
Remaining Payouts
| Places | Prize | Places | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $346,108 | 24-29 | $13,260 |
| 2 | $230,626 | 30-35 | $10,766 |
| 3 | $163,172 | 36-41 | $8,873 |
| 4 | $116,951 | 42-47 | $7,423 |
| 5 | $84,929 | 48-53 | $6,306 |
| 6 | $62,500 | 54-59 | $5,442 |
| 7 | $46,619 | 60-71 | $4,770 |
| 8-9 | $35,250 | 72-83 | $4,250 |
| 10-11 | $27,026 | 84-99 | $3,848 |
| 12-17 | $21,013 | 100-126 | $3,543 |
| 18-23 | $16,572 | 127-135 | $3,317 |
Players will return to the felt today at 11 a.m. local time, resuming action in Level 18 with blinds at 5,000/10,000 and a 10,000 big blind ante. Levels will run for 60 minutes throughout Day 2, with a 15‑minute break after every two levels as the field moves closer to the decisive stages of this six‑handed battle. There is a scheduled 60‑minute dinner break after Level 23 (at approximately 5:30 p.m.). Action will stop after 10 levels of play, when only the lucky few will bag for Day 3.
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PokerNews will be stationed throughout the tournament area, providing live updates as the quest for the $1,500 6-Handed No-Limit Hold'em bracelet continues here at the 2026 World Series of Poker at Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas.