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Dunaway Hunting for Second WSOP Bracelet in $2,000 No-Limit Hold'em Event
A total of 12 players will return today for Day 3 of the $2,000 No Limit Hold’em event, all looking to secure a place at the final table and make a run at the bracelet here at the World Series of Poker in Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas.
The day begins with Erwann Pecheux leading the field after bagging 5,460,000 at the end of Day 2. He took the podium position very late into Day 2 when he saw the final elimination of Jason Lawson with just a few hands left in the night. The French pro is coming off a recent second-place finish on the European Circuit, where he locked up $198,232 just a few months ago. If he can maintain his lead today and take down the first-place payout, he has the opportunity to earn the largest live cash of his career.
Day 3 Chip Counts
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Erwann Pecheux | France | 5,460,000 | 91 |
| 2 | Ioannis Kapnopoulos | Greece | 4,685,000 | 78 |
| 3 | Braxton Dunaway | United States | 4,290,000 | 72 |
| 4 | Ivan Poroliev | Bulgaria | 2,230,000 | 37 |
| 5 | Sami Bechahed | France | 2,080,000 | 35 |
| 6 | Albert Calderon | United States | 2,050,000 | 34 |
| 7 | Yaniv Peretz (IL) | Israel | 1,825,000 | 30 |
| 8 | Briant Alavez | Mexico | 1,620,000 | 27 |
| 9 | Kimon Fountoukidis | Poland | 1,615,000 | 27 |
| 10 | Brandon Mueller | United States | 1,600,000 | 27 |
| 11 | Flavien Guenan | France | 1,050,000 | 18 |
| 12 | Craig Mason | United States | 535,000 | 9 |
Close behind is Ioannis Kapnopoulos, who returns with 4,685,000. With just $61,502 in recorded earnings, this is a massive opportunity for the Greek player, as finishing fifth or better would more than double his lifetime total. Kapnopoulos brought a strong presence to the field throughout Day 2 and was at the top of the counts for the majority of the day. He saw a triple knockout which also helped him stay high in the counts.
In contrast, third-place stack Braxton Dunaway (4,290,000) is no stranger to deep WSOP runs. Dunaway captured the 2023 WSOP Monster Stack bracelet for $1,162,681 and has plenty of experience on the felt.
As the field prepares for the final days' action in the hope of taking home the bracelet, it is USA’s Craig Mason who enters the day as the short stack with 535,000. The long-time WSOP regular, who has been a fixture at the series for more than a decade, will be looking for an early double to stay in contention and climb the payout ladder.
Remaining Payouts
| Place | Prize |
|---|---|
| 1 | $288,064 |
| 2 | $191,997 |
| 3 | $135,294 |
| 4 | $96,783 |
| 5 | $70,300 |
| 6 | $51,862 |
| 7 | $38,868 |
| 8 | $29,600 |
| 9 | $22,912 |
| 10 | $18,031 |
| 11 | $18,031 |
| 12 | $14,430 |
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Be sure to follow the PokerNews live updates throughout the day as the remaining players battle for a seat at the final table here at the 2026 World Series of Poker at Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas.