With limited media access to the new feature tables, PokerNews will provide updates where possible, alongside the results of the match-ups and the updated bracket as players are eliminated. Some matches will be streamed by the World Series of Poker, and our updates will follow the same delay as the live stream.
Check out the updated bracket here.
Level: 27
Blinds: 1,000/2,500
Ante: 0
Changes to television and livestream coverage have been made for the 2026 World Series of Poker (WSOP). Major changes.
But fear not, the biggest event of the year in poker will be easily accessible to fans around the world, for free (well, most of it).
ESPN returns to cover the Main Event this year, but the rest of the 2026 WSOP will be available for livestreaming on the WSOP's official social media channels.
With all matches in Round 2 completed, just eight players remain in Day 1b.
The surviving players will take a break before returning to play the third and final round of the day.
Updates will resume at 1:10 a.m. local time.
Nikita Kuznetsov jammed the button, and Piotr Krupa decided to make the call from the big blind for his last 79,400.
Piotr Krupa: Q♣8♥ 
Nikita Kuznetsov: A♦10♣
Kuznetsov had Krupa crushed preflop, but the 6♥J♥8♠ flop gave Krupa the best hand with a pair of eights.
That changed when the 10♠ joined on the turn, improving Kuznetsov to the nuts.
A K♥ on the river was a brick, and Kuznetsov advanced to the next round.
Brian Battistone limped in on the button, and Aleksejs Ponakovs checked his option in the big blind.
Ponakovs check-called a bet of 25,000 on a monotone 8♦7♦6♦ flop, and check-called again on the A♣ turn, when Battistone put him all in for his remaining 107,000.
Aleksejs Ponakovs: K♦7♠
Brian Battistone: 5♣4♠
The K♣ river improved Ponakovs to two pair, but it was not enough to save him versus Battistone's flopped straight, who advanced to the next round.
Thomas Boivin jammed the button and Dario Sammartino called from the big blind for his stack of 148,000.
Dario Sammartino: A♦7♥
Thomas Boivin: K♠4♠
Sammartino had the chance to even out the match if he could fade a king or four on the runout.
Sammartino paired his seven on the 7♦J♥2♠ flop, but Boivin spiked the K♥ on the turn to have Sammartino with one foot out the door.
The dealer burned a card and put out the Q♦ to complete the board, and Sammartino was eliminated from the event.
Doug Polk jammed the button for 155,000 and Nikolai Mamut made the call to try to end the match from the big blind.
Doug Polk: 6♦5♦
Nikolai Mamut: K♠Q♣
Mamut's king-high was ahead and took a commanding lead after the A♠Q♥8♠ flop came down to give him middle pair.
Polk was drawing dead when the J♦ joined the turn, as the river card was irrelevant, and Polk was the next casualty of the tournament.
Nikolai Mamut limped in on the button, and Doug Polk checked behind in the big blind.
On a J♥4♣2♠ flop, Polk check-raised, making it 30,000 after Mamut had continued for 12,000. Mamut called, taking them to the 7♦ turn, which both players checked.
The 8♣ completed the board, and when Polk led out for 48,000, Mamut quickly called.
Polk tabled Q♥9♣, which was no good as Mamut flipped over A♥7♥.
With J♥10♣, Nikolai Mamut checked on the 4♦Q♥9♠ flop from the big blind and Doug Polk checked behind holding 7♦4♠.
A 3♥ turn saw Mamut bet 32,000. Polk called and the 8♣ completed the board. Mamut bet the pot for 112,000, and Polk let his hand go.
At a nearby table, Brock Wilson was seen dragging in all the chips as he beat Nick Yunis.
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