button in SafariDay 2 of $1,000 Super Seniors No-Limit Hold'em Begins with 836 Returning Players
Day 2 of Event #61: $1,000 Super Seniors No-Limit Hold'em gets underway at 11 a.m. local time at the 2026 World Series of Poker, with 836 players returning to the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas and all hoping to move one step closer to the WSOP bracelet.
The event attracted a massive 3,323 entries, creating a prize pool of $2,924,240. While plenty of poker still remains to be played in this four-day event, the money bubble is beginning to loom, with only the top 499 players guaranteed a payout. At the end of it all, one player will walk away with the bracelet and the first-place prize of $355,263.
Leading the Day 2 field is Antonio Gheller, who bagged 321,000 at the end of the opening day. Merle Halcom with 299,500 and Mark Ellerbe with 274,000 make up the podium positions, while Melinda Hipp (272,000) and Bruno Gmur (261,000) complete the top five.
Top Ten Chip Counts
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Antonio Gheller | United States | 321,000 | 161 |
| 2 | Merle Halcom | United States | 299,500 | 150 |
| 3 | Mark Ellerbe | United States | 274,000 | 137 |
| 4 | Melinda Hipp | United States | 272,000 | 136 |
| 5 | Bruno Gmur | Switzerland | 261,000 | 131 |
| 6 | Kelley Slay | United States | 260,500 | 130 |
| 7 | Randall Webb | United States | 254,000 | 127 |
| 8 | Yury Parad | United States | 252,000 | 126 |
| 9 | Eric Holley | United States | 249,500 | 125 |
| 10 | Raymond Guzman | United States | 242,000 | 121 |
Plenty of bracelet winners remain in the field. Kevin Song (192,500), William Bennett (155,000), Rob Hollink (149,500), Marsha Wolak (144,000), Antonin Teisseire (137,500), Robert Williamson III (101,000), and 2004 WSOP Main Event champion Greg Raymer (95,000) all return for Day 2.
Also still in the hunt are Daniel Lacourse (99,000), Susan Faber (93,000), two-time bracelet winner Barry Shulman (81,500), Roland Reparejo (76,000), Larry Wright (66,000), two-time bracelet winner David Jackson (56,500), Thomas Reynolds (53,000), Bradley Smith (53,000), Massoud Eskandari (52,500), James Mackey (41,500), and Jiaqi Xu (40,500). Among the shortest stacks returning is bracelet winner John Esposito (27,500), who will need an early spin-up if he hopes to survive the day and make a run at another WSOP title.
While the final table remains a long way off, Day 2 is expected to bring the tournament into the money. Those who survive the bubble will lock up at least $2,001, while keeping their hopes of claiming the $355,263 top prize alive. Cards go back in the air on Level 11 with blinds of 1,000/2,000 and a 2,000 big blind ante. Another ten levels are scheduled to be played as the field continues its march toward the final table.
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Stay tuned to PokerNews for continuing coverage of Event #61: $1,000 Super Seniors as the road to the bracelet continues.