button in SafariDecorated Field Returns for Day 2 of $25,000 High Roller No-Limit Hold'em
The remaining 78 players will return today for Day 2 of the $25,000 High Roller after surviving their respective opening flights. Day 1a produced 25 survivors, while Day 1b added another 53 players to the mix, creating a combined field that will battle toward the money stages throughout today.
Leading the pack is Yaman Nakdali, who bagged a massive 1,996,000 after a dominant Day 1b performance that included eliminating five-time WSOP bracelet winner Martin Kabrhel. Jon Vallinas surged late on Day 1b to finish with 1,285,000 and enters today well positioned for a deep run alongside Ihar Soika.
Day 2 Top Ten Chip Counts
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yaman Nakdali | Spain | 1,996,000 | 200 |
| 2 | Jon Vallinas | Spain | 1,285,000 | 129 |
| 3 | Ihar Soika | Belarus | 1,254,000 | 125 |
| 4 | Daniel Rezaei | Austria | 1,176,000 | 118 |
| 5 | Boris Kolev | Bulgaria | 1,059,000 | 106 |
| 6 | Didier Guerin | Australia | 1,027,000 | 103 |
| 7 | Dejan Kaladjurdjevic | Montenegro | 978,000 | 98 |
| 8 | Turbo Nguyen | United States | 928,000 | 93 |
| 9 | Clemen Deng | United States | 927,000 | 93 |
| 10 | Ignacio Moron | Spain | 916,000 | 92 |
Day 1a chip leader Daniel Rezaei slid down the ranks after the field combined; despite being the only player to bag seven figures on the opening flight, he returns fourth in the counts. He is also the only 25K Fantasy player to start Day 2 inside the top ten chip counts.
The rest of the field is stacked with poker’s elite. Of the 78 returning players, 35 are WSOP bracelet winners, meaning nearly half the field is already very well decorated. Brian Rast (532,000) remains in contention and is the only Poker Hall of Famer still in the event.
Both of the Foxens, Alex Foxen (737,000) and Kristen Foxen (348,000), who found themselves in direct eyeline on neighboring tables in Day 1b, are set to return to play today. Kristen, a five-time WSOP bracelet winner, had a roller-coaster day as she built up a sizable stack early before taking a tumble later in the night. She managed to regain some chips during the final level of last night and returns with just under 35 big blinds.
There are also 22 25K Fantasy draftees advancing to Day 2. Team Lucky / Deeb currently tops the leaderboard. Three of their players return for Day 2: Dylan Weisman (758,000), Zdenek Zizka (284,000), and Cary Katz (150,000), giving plently of opportunity to accumulate more points.
Team Lang / Mike + Josh sits second in the standings, with Ren Lin carrying their hopes in this event after teammate Jeremy Ausmus fired in both Day 1a and Day 1b but fell short of bagging.
With late registration open through the first level of today’s play (until the start of Level 10 at approximately 1:15 p.m.), it gives players one final opportunity to join the action before the field officially locks. Once registration closes, the final prize pool and payout information will be confirmed. Players are allowed one reentry per flight; if they have already bagged, they may still take a single reentry. Players buying directly into Day 2 may also reenter once.
Players will return to blinds of 5,000/10,000 with a 10,000 big blind ante as Level 9 gets underway at 12 p.m. The plan is to play 10 one-hour levels before bagging for Day 3, with 15-minute breaks every two levels. A 60-minute dinner break is scheduled after Level 13 (≈ 5:30 p.m.).
Be sure to follow the PokerNews live updates throughout the day as the chase for the $25,000 High Roller title continues here at the 2026 World Series of Poker at Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas.