button in SafariRania Nasreddine Headlines Ladies Returning for Second Day of Action
In a record-breaking Day 1 of Event #68: $1,000 Ladies No-Limit Hold'em Championship at the 2026 World Series of Poker, a whopping 1,475 registrants tried their luck, opting in at Horseshoe and Paris, Las Vegas. As Day 2 gets underway, 337 of those ladies will open bags full of chips to carry on the action.
The event registered more ladies than ever before, smashing the 1,368 total set last year. To top this field is a feat more impressive than ever, and it was accomplished by Erika Weinstein, who ended the day with a jaw-dropping 595,000 chips, good for almost 300 big blinds as play resumes today.
Coming in second, yet still quite behind, is Katherine Porrello with 382,500, and Christy Cranford rounds out the podium, having ended up with 327,000 during the first day of play.
Start of Day 2 Top Ten Chip Counts
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Erika Weinstein | United States | 595,000 | 397 |
| 2 | Katherine Porrello | United States | 382,500 | 255 |
| 3 | Christy Cranford | United States | 327,000 | 218 |
| 4 | Linna Chu | United States | 322,500 | 215 |
| 5 | Sumire Uenomachi | Japan | 305,000 | 203 |
| 6 | Heidi Hina | United States | 256,500 | 171 |
| 7 | Yingjie Qian | China | 238,500 | 159 |
| 8 | Elisa Nakagawa | United States | 234,000 | 156 |
| 9 | Maria Konnikova | United States | 225,500 | 150 |
| 10 | Amy Hoechstetter | United States | 224,000 | 149 |
Further down in the counts, Maria Konnikova returns with 225,500. With Lexy Gavin-Mather (205,000) Angela Jordison (202,000) and Paulina Loeliger (192,500) all joining her for the second day of action. Rania Nasreddine will also be returning, having bagged 184,000.
For the first time since her maiden cash in the event in 2023, there will be no Shiina Okamoto in heads-up play, or even in Day 2, as Sangsang He turned two pair on her, with her flopped pair of kings no good.
The payouts were confirmed following the conclusion of late registration on Day 1, allowing for another applicable use of the adjective “record-breaking.” The incredible seven-figure prize pool of $1,298,000 beats out the previous year’s by almost $100,000, and all eyes will certainly be fixed on the $194,630 score reserved for the eventual victor.
Action will resume at Level 11, with blinds at 1,000/2,000 alongside a big blind ante of 2,000. Level duration remains at 60 minutes throughout, and action will end once ten full levels have been played. The bubble will undoubtedly burst during Day 2, so make sure to stay tuned as PokerNews brings you live action for the whole day, from cards in the air to chips in the bags.