button in SafariStephen Hubbard Finishes Day 1 of the $1,500 H.O.R.S.E. Third in Chips
The first H.O.R.S.E. tournament of the 2026 World Series of Poker (WSOP) was Event #37: $1,500 H.O.R.S.E. Its Day 1 saw 780 entrants, down from 867 in 2025, but there was no shortage of mixed game talent on show at the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas.
After 15 levels of play, 171 players remained, and only two of them had larger stacks than Stephen Hubbard (312,500). Hubbard became a WSOP champion earlier this series with a victory in the $1,500 No-Limit 2-7 Lowball Draw. While that game isn't part of the H.O.R.S.E. rotation, Hubbard showed his mixed game prowess and heads into Day 2 third in chips.
Daniel Makowsky (390,000) and Clayton Mozdzen (383,000) are the players who bagged up the two largest stacks in the room.
Event #37: $1,500 H.O.R.S.E. Day 1 Top 10 Chip Counts
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Bets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Daniel Makowsky | Switzerland | 390,000 | 33 |
| 2 | Clayton Mozdzen | Canada | 383,000 | 32 |
| 3 | Stephen Hubbard | United States | 312,500 | 26 |
| 4 | Jonathan Nebbout | France | 285,500 | 24 |
| 5 | Philip Sternheimer | United Kingdom | 274,000 | 23 |
| 6 | Daniel James | United Kingdom | 247,500 | 21 |
| 7 | Eric Tran | United States | 245,500 | 20 |
| 8 | Scott Clements | United States | 232,000 | 19 |
| 9 | Cesar Alvarado | United States | 226,500 | 19 |
| 10 | Thomas Argyros | United States | 217,500 | 18 |
As mentioned, there was plenty of mixed game talent in this event, and many punched their Day 2 tickets. Scott Clements (232,000), Jon Kyte (215,500), David Bach (204,500), and Eric Baldwin (199,500) all have stacks large enough for a place in the top 20.
Lower down the pecking order but still battling away are the likes of Lawrence Brandt (180,500), six-time bracelet winner Brian Hastings (158,500), Philip Hui (141,500), Hall of Famer Nick Schulman (133,000), Christopher Vitch (87,500), John Monnette (83,000), James Obst (80,000), John Racener (76,000), Mike Matusow (70,000), and Todd Brunson (38,000).
Day 2 starts at 1:00 p.m. local time on June 11, with PokerNews' coverage of this event also starting then. Players return on Level 16, with betting limits of 6,000/12,000, and the plan is to complete another 10 levels.