The remaining four players are heading to a second 15 minute break of the day. Play will resume at 4:30 p.m. local time.
The remaining four players are heading to a second 15 minute break of the day. Play will resume at 4:30 p.m. local time.
Kamel Mokhammad raised to 500,000 from the button and was called by Zachary Gruneberg in the small blind.
Both players checked through the 2♠7♥5♥ flop and the 9♥ turn to bring the 2♦ river.
Gruneberg put out a bet to the tune of 1,200,000. Mokhammad made the call.
Gruneberg announced sevens full and showed K♥K♣Q♣7♣7♠ for a full house.
Mokhammad mucked in response.
Hokyiu Lee potted to 700,000 on the button off the table's shortest stack. Erick Mossinger flatted from the small blind, and big blind Kamel Mokhammad got out of the way.
On J♦4♥10♥ Mossinger took some time before sliding forward a stack of T-100,000 chips, representing a pot-sized bet of 1,900,000. Lee took some time before releasing his cards.
Shaun Deeb came up one spot short yet again for a 2026 World Series of Poker bracelet, falling to Joey Couden in Event #52: $3,000 Nine Game Mix after a grueling three-and-a-half-hour heads-up battle. The defeat was Deeb's ninth in a bracelet match and dropped his all-time heads-up record to 8-9.
The latest near miss added to a frustrating run of runner-up finishes for the eight-time bracelet winner. Deeb had already finished second twice at WSOP Europe earlier this year to take an early lead in the Player of the Year race, but after arriving in Las Vegas with just one cash through the opening weeks of the series, another silver medal may prove crucial as he chases back-to-back POY titles.
As painful as Deeb's 8-9 record may be, it doesn't rank among the unluckiest in WSOP history. Several poker crushers have reached heads-up for a bracelet time and again, only to walk away empty-handed. Here are the players with the most WSOP runner-up finishes without ever sealing the deal.
Hokyiu Lee limped from under the gun, and Kamel Mokhammad followed with a limp from the small blind. Zachary Gruneberg checked his option out of the big blind.
The 2♦4♥9♥ flop led to a check from Mokhammad. Gruneberg bet 450,000, which got a fold from Lee. Mokhammad called.
Both players checked the 6♦ turn and the Q♦ river to go to a showdown.
Gruneberg showed A♦K♥6♠5♠3♣ for a six-high straight to take the pot.
Zachary Gruneberg potted to 700,000 under the gun. Hokyiu Lee was on the button and counted out his chips before moving all in. The blinds folded and Gruneberg called.
Hokyiu Lee: A♥J♥J♠10♠9♠
Zachary Gruneberg: A♦A♠K♠3♠3♥
The K♦10♦2♣ flop kept Gruneberg in the lead, but he saw a brutal Q♣ on the turn to leave him drawing to a chop, as Lee made Broadway. The K♣ river changed nothing, and no player was lost as Lee raked in the pot.
Erick Mossinger limped from the small blind before Kamel Mokhammad checked his option out of the big blind.
The 10♠K♦8♥ flop led to a check from Mossinger before Mokhammad bet 480,000. Mossinger called.
The 2♥ turn was checked by both players to usher in the Q♥ river.
Mossinger checked, and Mokhammad bet 600,000. Mossinger took his time to ponder the hand before he made the call.
Mokhammad showed Q♦J♣9♥5♣4♥ for a flush to drag in the pot.
Gianluca Cedolia raised to 700,000 from the cutoff and was called by Zachary Gruneberg on the button.
The J♣3♣2♠ flop led to an all-in from Cedolia for approximately 1,450,000. Gruneberg made the call to put Cedolia at risk.
Gianluca Cedolia: A♦A♠Q♦9♦8♣
Zachary Gruneberg: K♠K♣Q♣10♥10♣
Cedolia held the lead on the flop, but Gruneberg was chasing a flush.
Gruneberg didn't have to wait long as the 7♣ turn improved him to a flush and shut the door on Cedolia's tournament hopes.
The 6♠ completed the board as Cedolia was eliminated in fifth place.
Cedolia earned $66,610 for his finish.
Kamel Mokhammad opened to 400,000 on the button, and Zachary Gruneberg defended his big blind.
On a flop of K♠A♦10♥ Gruneberg check-called a bet of 275,000. The 3♦ turn checked through, and Gruneberg led out for 400,000 on the J♣ river. Mokhammad went deep into the tank, and eventually let his cards go.
Erick Mossinger opened with a pot-sized raise to 550,000 from the button. Kamel Mokhammad repotted to 1,800,000 from the small blind, and Mossinger put in the call.
On a flop of 7♥6♥8♠, Mokhammad checked over to Mossinger, who bet out for 1,200,000. Mokhammad didn't take too long before folding.