2026 World Series of Poker
Chip Counts
Action was heads up to the flop of K♦A♠5♣ with 200,000 in the pot.
Danny Tang checked from under the gun and Dylan Smith bet out from the big blind for 130,000. Tang called.
The action went check, check on the J♠ turn, for the players to see the 9♠ peel off on the river.
Tang checked once more to Smith, who fired out a river bet of 200,000.
"I think we have the same hand," announced Tang before he tossed in the call but was shocked to see Smith table A♥A♦ for a flopped set of bullets which had his A♣Q♦ crushed and Smith was sent the pot.
Justin Arnwine made it 60,000 to play from the hijack and was looked up by Artur Martirosian in the big blind.
On the 7♥A♣6♣ flop, Martirosian checked to Arnwine who continued for 60,000. Martirosian check-raised to 240,000 which was met with an all-in jam from Arnwine. Martirosian snap-called and had Arnwine covered.
Justin Arnwine: K♣5♣
Artur Martirosian: 7♠6♥
No club or runner-runner came on the 5♠ turn and 7♦ river to save Arnwine and he was sent to the rail.
On an outer table, Dan Shak was also eliminated.
In a battle of the blinds, Thomas Muehloecker was all in from the small blind for 620,000, and Erik Seidel called from the big blind with the luxury of being a big stack.
Thomas Muehloecker: A♣K♠
Erik Seidel: A♦Q♣
The board went well for Seidel when he spiked a queen with 8♥J♣Q♠7♦2♣, and Muehloecker exited the tournament area.
Justin Arnwine opened to 60,000 on the button and Daniel Smiljkovic three-bet jammed a stack of 800,000 in the small blind. Arnwine called.
Daniel Smiljkovic: A♥8♥
Justin Arnwine: 5♣5♠
The board of 4♥Q♦J♦4♦ was no help to Smiljkovic, but the A♣ arrived on the river to earn him a double-up through the chip leader.
Level: 14
Blinds: 15,000/30,000
Ante: 30,000
Many poker fans have been critical of Nikhil "Nik Airball" Arcot's game the past few years.
Some think he's a fish, especially after he lost $1 million in little time in a heads-up contest against Matt Berkey at Resorts World in Las Vegas three years ago. But since that one-sided match, Airball has been crushing it, at least on livestreams.
The self-proclaimed "King of LA," according to the HighRollPoker.com database, was down nearly $878,000 on poker livestreams in December 2023. He hasn't since just erased those losses. Airball, after a strong outing this weekend on Hustler Casino Live's High Stakes Live streams at the World Series of Poker (WSOP), is closing in on being the most profitable livestream ring game player ever.
The remaining 26 players have been sent on a 60-minute dinner break. Play is expected to resume at approximately 6:50 p.m. local time.