PokerNews live coverage of this event will begin on Day 2 (June 8). Until then, we will be keeping readers informed with updates on chip counts and core event statistics, including entries and prize pool. Scroll down to see more.
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.
According to the WSOP LIVE app.
20 years after that hand on High Stakes Poker, Daniel Negreanu is still getting coolered by Gus Hansen, and this time at the 2026 World Series of Poker (WSOP).
Playing Day 1 of the $10,000 Seven Card Stud Championship, the two poker legends faced off with monsters that saw Hansen rake in a pot against Negreanu with a better full house.
However, unlike that iconic encounter from Season 2 of High Stakes Poker in 2006 (in which the turn card that day gave Hansen quads over Negreanu's boat), on this occasion, Kid Poker had clearly learned his lesson from two decades ago, losing only a small pot instead of going broke after telling the Dane, "Jeez, I'm sorry I didn't raise you!" after the hands were tabled.
According to the WSOP LIVE app.
There was no shortage of big moments and big hands during the first week of the 2026 World Series of Poker (WSOP).
Daniel Negreanu lost a 10:1 chip lead thanks to a three-outer in the Sweet 16 of Event #7: $25,000 Heads-Up No-Limit Hold'em Championship. Phil Hellmuth made an 18th bracelet run that fell short when he ran into the nut flush. And one player avoided complete disaster when he suffered a brutal cooler with quads.
Event #26: $2,000 No-Limit Holdem
Day 1 Started
Event #26: $2,000 No-Limit Hold’em returns to the schedule on Day 13 of the 2026 World Series of Poker, offering players a balanced mid-stakes test that consistently attracts big, competitive fields. It sits in that sweet spot on the schedule where ambitious grinders and experienced pros collide, all chasing a bracelet and a healthy payday.
With three days of play and plenty of chips in play early, this tournament tends to draw large numbers and produce tough fields. Expect another strong turnout and a prize pool well into the millions.
PokerNews traditional reporting begins on Day 2 (June 8)
Play begins at 12 p.m. on June 7, with 15 levels scheduled on Day 1. Levels are 40 minutes long, with 15-minute breaks every three levels and a one-hour dinner break after Level 9 (about 6:40 p.m.).
Late registration stays open through the first nine levels, giving tardy players time to enter the field. Survivors return for Day 2 at noon on Monday, June 8, when 10 more levels will be played at 60 minutes each. Traditional PokerNews coverage will begin on Day 2.
On Day 3 they will play down to a winner, with the start time determined near the end of Day 2.
In 2025, Scott Bohlman emerged victorious after four intense days of action to capture $436,044 and his second WSOP bracelet. It had been seven years since his first bracelet, and the win carried extra weight as it came in No-Limit Hold’em, a format he doesn’t primarily focus on.
“It feels good; I have never won a big field no-limit hold ’em in 25 years,” Bohlman said after the victory.
Planning on playing this event? PokerNews activates MyStack for every WSOP event, regardless of that tournament's buy-in, allowing you to directly adjust your chip counts in our live reporting
MyStack is a free poker tool that puts you in control of your chip counts on our live reporting pages. Once you have created a free PokerNews account, you can use MyStack to update your chip counts in real time; hopefully, your stack will continue increasing throughout the event!
Stay closer than ever to the action with MyPlayers. This brand new, free feature on PokerNews puts your favorite poker players front and center. Whether you're keeping tabs on legends like Daniel Negreanu or following a friend grinding their way through a Day 2, MyPlayers delivers real-time updates tailored just for you. No subscriptions, no paywalls - just the hands, chip counts, and bustouts that matter most.
It’s simple: log in, search for any player in our live coverage, hit the star, and they’ll be added to your personalized MyPlayers list. You’ll see their progress across all live-reported events, with chip counts and updates pinned right where you need them at the top.
From railbirds to backers, MyPlayers is the smarter way to stay connected to the game.
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