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Event #68: $1,000 Ladies No-Limit Hold'em Championship
Day 1 Completed
2026 World Series of Poker
Event #68: $1,000 Ladies No-Limit Hold'em Championship
Day: 1
Players Left 337 / 1,475
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Chip Counts
Chip Counts
Maria Konnikova Bags Top-Ten Stack Heading Into Day 2 of $1,000 Ladies No-Limit Hold'em Championship
Level 10
: Blinds 1,000/1,500, 1,500 ante
After ten levels of play, Day 1 of Event #68: $1,000 Ladies No-Limit Hold'em Championship has concluded at Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas.
Attracting a total field of 1,475 entries, the event has surpassed last year’s turnout and has generated a total prize pool of $1,298,000. The eventual champion will take home the much-coveted World Series of Poker (WSOP) gold bracelet along with the top prize of $194,630.
At the end of the day, 337 players had secured their spot in Day 2, with only 222 guaranteed a share of the prize pool. Sitting atop the chip counts is Erika Weinstein with 595,000, while Katherine Porrello bagged in second with 382,500. Christy Cranford is close behind, rounding out the podium in third place with 327,000.
WSOP bracelet winner Maria Konnikova is well positioned to add another bracelet to her collection after finishing Day 1 among the top ten chip counts. With her experience and proven tournament success, she will be one of the players to watch out for as she hunts for her second WSOP gold bracelet.
End of Day 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 |
Several familiar faces remain in contention heading into Day 2. Ladies Champions Jessica Teusl (205,500) and Marsha Wolak (180,900) won the event in 2022 and 2011, respectively, and are both looking to add a second Ladies Championship title to their résumés.
Cherish Andrews (166,000), who shared the final table with Teusl in 2022, is another formidable contender as she looks to go one step further and finally capture the bracelet that eluded her.
Meanwhile, Lexy Gavin-Mather (205,000) is still in the running and continues her impressive summer after a deep run in this year's $500 Salute to Warriors. She will be hoping to keep that momentum going in the Ladies Championship.
Other notables still in the chase for their first bracelet are Rania Nasreddine (184,000), Ruth Hall (171,500), Kristen Deardorff (138,000), and Dusti Smith (92,000).
Defending two-time champion Shiina Okamoto had the honor of kicking off the tournament by delivering the traditional "Shuffle Up and Deal" announcement before taking her seat in the hopes of making history with an unprecedented third consecutive Ladies Championship title.
The Japanese pro received plenty of support throughout the day, but her bid for a historic three-peat ultimately came to an end when her two pair was outdone by Salima Dhanani's higher two pair. Okamoto fired a second bullet and was well-poised to stay alive after flopping top pair with the better kicker, but Sangsang He improved to two pair on the turn to send the defending champion to the rail for good.
With a mix of former champions, accomplished pros, and rising stars still in the field, the race for the Ladies Championship bracelet promises to become even more competitive as the tournament progresses.
Day 2 resumes at 12 p.m. local time with the remaining players all chasing a place in the money and, ultimately, the prestigious Ladies Championship bracelet.
Stay tuned to PokerNews for continued live coverage as the field plays down toward the final table.
Level 10
: Blinds 1,000/1,500, 1,500 ante
Level 10
: Blinds 1,000/1,500, 1,500 ante
The ladies' event has ended for the evening; 338 lucky ladies will return tomorrow at noon.
Level 10
: Blinds 1,000/1,500, 1,500 ante
Kitty Kuo opened to 3,500 from middle position and was called by Yongqing Yuan in the hijack and Lily Lotfy in the cutoff. Yuhan Lin then squeezed to 17,000 on the button and Kuo responded by shoving for 51,000 total. Both Yuan and Lotfy got out of the way, but Lin called to put Kuo at risk.
Kitty Kuo: A♣Q♣
Yuhan Lin: 8♥8♠
The J♣Q♥7♣ flop vaulted Kuo into the lead with a pair of queens and flush draw to boot, but the 8♦ turn improved Lin to a set to leave Kuo on the ropes.
The 6♦ river bricked out for Kuo and she was eliminated just before play ended for the day.
Level 10
: Blinds 1,000/1,500, 1,500 ante
Aurelie Reard raised from the hijack to 3,000, and Mei Siu three-bet to 9,000 from the cutoff. Reard then put in a four-bet all-in for 89,500, which was more chips than Siu had. Siu spent quite a while in the think tank and eventually folded.
Reard turned over A♠K♠ and Siu showed QxQx, and the table was aghast.
Level 10
: Blinds 1,000/1,500, 1,500 ante
The payouts have been confirmed. The top 222 players are set to make the money, with $194,630 reserved for the eventual champion of the Ladies event.
| Place | Prize | Place | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $194,630 | 18 -26 | $6,897 |
| 2 | $129,692 | 27 -35 | $5,727 |
| 3 | $93,149 | 36 -44 | $4,824 |
| 4 | $67,735 | 45 -53 | $4,123 |
| 5 | $49,874 | 54 -62 | $3,576 |
| 6 | $37,192 | 63 -71 | $3,149 |
| 7 | $28,092 | 72 -80 | $2,814 |
| 8 | $21,497 | 81 -89 | $2,555 |
| 9 | $16,668 | 90 -98 | $2,356 |
| 10 -11 | $13,097 | 99 -116 | $2,207 |
| 12 -13 | $10,432 | 117 -143 | $2,101 |
| 14 -17 | $8,423 | 144 -222 | $2,001 |
Level 10
: Blinds 1,000/1,500, 1,500 ante
Krisztina Tsuijkawa opened to 3,000 and was called by Lexy Gavin-Mather on the button.
Gavin-Mather called a 3,000 bet from Tsuijkawa on the 6♠A♦10♦ flop and then both players checked on the 6♣ turn.
The 8♠ filled the river and Tsuijkawa put a bet of 7,000 into the middle. Gavin-Mather responded with a raise to 21,000 and Taveekitvatee called after a bit of a tank.
Gavin-Mather tabled 8♣8♥ for a rivered full house and Taveekitvatee mucked, awarding a nice pot to Gavin-Mather as Day 1 nears its end.
Level 10
: Blinds 1,000/1,500, 1,500 ante
Action was picked up on the river with a board of K♠5♥2♠5♦7♦, and the pot was about 10,000. Seina Asagiri was in early position and had the all-in button in front of her, and Dusti Smith was in the big blind and called.
Dusti Smith: K♦2♥
Seina Asagiri: A♠3♠
Smith held two pair for the win, and Asagiri missed her flush draw.
Level 10
: Blinds 1,000/1,500, 1,500 ante
Methavee Taveekitvatee opened to 3,000 from middle position and called a three-bet of 10,000 from Yingjie Qian, who was in the cutoff.
Both players checked on the Q♠10♠Q♥ flop and A♦ turn, but Taveekitvatee then led out for 30,000 after the 8♣ completed the board.
Qian paused, and then stuck in a raise to 60,000, turning a modest-sized pot into a massive one. Taveekitvatee sat back in her seat and tanked a bit, but eventually looked up Qian, who turned over A♣A♠ for aces-full of queens.
Taveekitvatee sent her cards into the muck and Qian was sent the pot.
