button in SafariPoker Legend Erik Seidel Denied 11th Bracelet Run Ahead of $25,000 High Roller Final Table
Sundays are always a special day for tournament poker, and today was no exception at the 2026 World Series of Poker (WSOP). Kristen Foxen won her sixth bracelet, veteran grinder Allen Kessler came up just short of his first, and, in Event #24: $25,000 High Roller Six Handed No-Limit Hold’em, Poker Hall of Famer Erik Seidel had a shot at becoming the third player in history to win more than ten WSOP bracelets.
Seidel's run in Day 2 of the six-handed event ended just short of the final table as the ten-time bracelet winner bowed out in eighth place for $118,753. Seidel, who was forced into semi-retirement this year due to a controversial new gambling tax law, won his first bracelet in 1992 and more recently took down a high roller at 2024 WSOP Paradise for $1.7 million.
Just seven players remain at the end of Day 2 of the $25,000 High Roller, with American high-stakes pro Sean Winter leading the way over big stacks like Russian end boss Artur Martirosian and Moldovan bracelet winner Pavel Plesuv.
Rounding out the final table counts are Japan's Yosuke Miki, Austria's Klemens Roiter and Marius Gierse, and four-time bracelet winner and poker coach Chance Kornuth.
Final Table Chip Counts
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sean Winter | United States | 7,950,000 | 99 |
| 2 | Artur Martirosian | Russian Federation | 6,545,000 | 82 |
| 3 | Pavel Plesuv | Moldova, Republic of | 5,965,000 | 75 |
| 4 | Yosuke Miki | Japan | 4,605,000 | 58 |
| 5 | Klemens Roiter | Austria | 4,530,000 | 57 |
| 6 | Marius Gierse | Austria | 3,888,000 | 49 |
| 7 | Chance Kornuth | United States | 835,000 | 10 |
Memorable Day in the Thunderdome
Late registration stayed open through the first level of Day 2, and there were dozens of poker players who took up that offer, leading to a full redraw of the event.
One of those late entrants was fan favorite and floor nightmare Martin Kabrhel, who lasted all but one hand as he lost a flip against Nick Petrangelo to earn himself a "free afternoon."
"Okay, that's it for today. One hand and one hand only. See you later, alligator. I really enjoyed this," Kabrhel said about his two minutes in the tournament.
Fast-forwarding to the money bubble, Dylan Linde and Adam Hendrix were eliminated at the same time to split a minimum cash of $50,207. The latter player took one of the toughest beats of the tournament as he called a nearly 4x overbet with top two pair as Justin Arnwine binked his combo draw on the river.
Alex Foxen busted shortly after reaching the money, but it ended up being a good problem to have has he got to celebrate his wife, fellow high-stakes pro Kristen Foxen, winning her sixth bracelet in the other $25,000 tournament taking place.
"When does the female poker boom begin, when she wins number ten?" Sean Winter asked his table.
Another event that caught the attention of the 6-Max players was the $10,000 Seven Card Stud Championship as Allen Kessler made a run at his first-ever bracelet (he ended up finished in third place).
"Go Chainsaw!", Seidel cheered as the tournament got four-handed.
A newer star of the game, Michael "Texas Mike" Moncek, was eliminated on the unofficial final table in the most brutal of fashion. He flopped trips against the turned full house of Marius Gierse to go out in eighth place for $118,753.
Day 3 will kick off at 1:30 p.m. local time and the action will be streamed by WSOP on a two-and-a-half hour delay later in the afternoon once they get down to six players. PokerNews will live report alongside the delay to avoid any spoilers.
Players will return to blinds of 50,000/100,000/100,000 on Level 19. Each player is guaranteed a payout of $218,091, while $1,286,285 awaits the event winner.
Remaining Payouts
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $1,286,285 | ||
| 2 | $857,510 | ||
| 3 | $597,635 | ||
| 4 | $421,718 | ||
| 5 | $301,347 | ||
| 6 | $218,091 | ||
| 7 | $159,884 |
Stay tuned as the PokerNews live reporting team will be back on-site tomorrow to see out the $25,000 High Roller Six Handed at the 2026 WSOP. Check out the live reporting hub for other highlights from the series.