2026 World Series of Poker

Event #62: $2,500 No-Limit Hold’em
Event #50: $1,500 Millionaire Maker Event #57: $1,000 Pot-Limit Omaha Event #59: $500 Salute to Warriors Event #60: $50,000 Poker Players Championship Event #61: $1,000 Super Seniors Event #62: $2,500 No-Limit Hold’em Event #63: $1,000 Mystery Millions No-Limit Hold'em Event #64: $25,000 High Roller PLO/NLH Mixed Event #65: $1,500 Freezeout No-Limit Hold'em Show All Events
Day: 1
12
Event Info
2026 World Series of Poker
Event Info
Buy-in
$2,500
Prize Pool
$3,864,825
Total Entries
1,736
Players Left
124
Average Chip Stack
490,000
Total Chips
60,760,000
Next Payout
Place 124
$5,538
Level Info
Level
20
Blinds
10,000 / 15,000
Ante
15,000
Players Info - Day 1
Entries
1,736
Players Left
312
Players Left 124 / 1,736
New Updates

Who Are the Unluckiest Heads-Up Players in WSOP History?

Anthony Thompson
Anthony Thompson
Ren Lin x Chino Rheem
Ren Lin x Chino Rheem

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.