button in SafariThe $25,000 Heads-up NLHE Championship Explodes Into Action From 12:00 p.m. Local Time
The biggest buy-in tournament of the 2026 World Series of Poker (WSOP) so far explodes into action at 12:00 p.m. local time on May 29. As the clock strikes noon, some of poker's elite will exchange the eye-watering sum of $25,000 for 150,000 chips and the chance to become the champion of Event #7: $25,000 Heads-Up No-Limit Hold'em Championship.
This event is one of the most exciting to watch as a poker fan, not least because the biggest names always turn out in force. Heads-up poker is often called the purest form of the game, and this tournament is a one-on-one high-stakes spectacular.
📌 Event Snapshot
- Event: #7 – $25,000 Heads-Up No-Limit Hold'em Championship
- Date(s): May 29 to June 1, 2026
- Time: 12:00 p.m. local time for Flight A
- Buy-In: $25,000
- Format: No-Limit Hold'em
- Late Registration: Open until the first draw or when 64 seats are sold
- Starting Stack: 150,000 chips
- Levels: 20 minutes
- 2025 Winner: Artur Martirosian
- 2025 Field Size: 64 entries
- 2025 Prize Pool: $1,504,000
Structure and Schedule
The $25,000 Heads-Up No-Limit Hold'em event spans three days, with Day 1 consisting of Flight A and Flight B. Each Flight is capped at 64 players, with those who bust Flight A permitted to buy back in on Flight B.
The draw for Flight A takes place at 12:00 p.m. local time on May 29, with the Flight B draw taking place at the same time on May 30. Registration for each flight closes at the time of the first draw, or when 64 players have bought in. Heads-up matches then kick off at 12:00 p.m., 5:00 p.m., and 10:00 p.m. local time on their respective days.
Players receive 150,000 chips, and each level lasts 20 minutes. This event uses a 20-second shot clock preflop and a 30-second shot clock post-flop.
Day 2, on May 31, sees the surviving players from Flights A and B combined at 12:00 p.m. local time. Two more rounds are played, leaving four players. That quartet returns to the action at an unknown time on June 1, where they will play down to a winner.
Why is This Event Significant?
High-stakes tournaments always capture the poker community's interest, and only a few 2026 WSOP events feature higher buy-ins. The $25,000 buy-in, combined with the heads-up format, usually turns this event into a star-studded affair[/B], with the game's most recognizable stars battling it out in a series of one-on-one encounters.
If you want to see your favorite player in action and can get to the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas, this is the event where you are most likely to catch a glimpse of them at the tables.
Past Champions & History
Unsurprisingly, this event has produced some incredible final encounters over the years. In 2025, Artur Martirosian defeated Aliaksei Boika in the final and scooped $500,000 and his third WSOP bracelet.
Prior to Martirosian's victory last year, Chanracy Khun defeated Doug Polk in 2024, Dan Smith brushed aside Christoph Vogelsang in 2023, and Jason Koon busted Gabor Szabo in the 2022 final. Here's hoping for another epic finale in 2026.
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