PokerNews live coverage of this event will begin on Day 2 (July 2). Until then, we will keep readers informed with updates on chip counts and core event statistics, including entries and the prize pool. Scroll down to see more.
Event #79: $3,000 Freezeout No-Limit Hold'em
Day 1 Completed
It has been a challenging World Series of Poker (WSOP) so far for Chris Moorman, but the two-time bracelet winner and 2026 Poker Hall of Fame finalist may be starting to turn a corner.
Moorman was one of 1,792 entrants in Event #79: $3,000 Freezeout No-Limit Hold'em, and one of the largest stacks in the room when the curtain came down on proceedings with only 226 players in their seats. According to the WSOP LIVE app, Moorman bagged 1,000,000 chips, placing him in the top five spots.
Israel's Asi Moshe, a four-time bracelet winner, finished Day 1 with a 1,600,000 stack, while Xiang Lian (1,200,000) and David Miscikowski (1,100,000) were the other chip-millionaires.
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Asi Moshe | Israel | 1,600,000 |
| 2 | Xiang Lian | China | 1,200,000 |
| 3 | David Miscikowski | United States | 1,100,000 |
| 4 | Chris Moorman | United Kingdom | 1,000,000 |
| 5 | Alexander Ivarsson | Sweden | 960,000 |
| 6 | Michael Kamran | United States | 902,000 |
| 7 | Andrew Moreno | United States | 832,000 |
| 8 | Zilong Zhang | United States | 804,000 |
| 9 | Brett Shaffer | United States | 775,000 |
| 10 | Gustavo Morales | Argentina | 770,000 |
Other big stacks from the opening day belong to Andrew Moreno (832,000), Brett Shaffer (775,000), Max Steinberg (767,000), and Walter Treccarichi (663,000).
Further down the standings, but still very much in contention, are such luminaries as John Juanda (385,000), Ian O'Hara (313,000), Anthony Zinno (308,000), Martin Jacobson (294,000), Daniel Sepiol (274,000), Dylan Weisman (216,000), Martin Kabrhel (137,000), Ryan Riess (116,000), and Davidi Kitai (82,000).
The 226 Day 1 survivors return to their seats from 12:00 p.m. local time on July 2 to lock horns and butt heads over 10 more levels.
Stay tuned to PokerNews for live updates from the 2026 WSOP.
Here are the chip counts of the 226 surviving players, according to the WSOP LIVE app.
Day 1 of Event #79: $3,000 Freezeout No-Limit Hold'em has now concluded. Of the 1,792 entrants, 226 have bagged and tagged to return for Day 2.
Standby for the full chip counts and recap.
There are 100 bracelet-awarding events on the 2026 World Series of Poker (WSOP) schedule, but every poker player dreams of becoming the champion of just one of those tournaments: the $10,000 WSOP Main Event. Unfortunately for some, the $10,000 buy-in puts the 2026 WSOP Main Event out of reach, which is where satellites come into their own.
In 2003, the aptly-named Chris Moneymaker, then an accountant from Atlanta, Georgia, won a $10,000 WSOP Main Event seat via an $86 buy-in satellite online at PokerStars. Moneymaker outlasted 838 opponents, including defeating seasoned pro Sammy Farha heads-up, to win the WSOP Main Event and kickstart the phenomenon that would be called the Moneymaker Effect.
Fast forward to today, and hundreds, if not thousands, of players will head to the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas hoping to win their way into the 2026 WSOP Main Event for a fraction of the $10,000 asking price. The 2026 WSOP Main Event satellites run from July 1-7 and come in buy-ins of $150, $260, $585, $1,100, and $2,200.
According to the WSOP LIVE app.
The road to success at the World Series of Poker isn’t just built at the tables anymore. In 2026, players are increasingly turning to technology to sharpen their edge, streamline their schedules, and survive the grind of a long Las Vegas summer.
While real-time assistance during play is strictly prohibited, there is a growing ecosystem of tools that players can use away from the table to prepare, study, and stay organized throughout the series.
The event reached a prize pool of $4,784,640. The top 269 players are set to make the money, with $683,830 reserved for the outright champion.
| Place | Prize | Place | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $683,830 | 27 -35 | $20,610 |
| 2 | $454,800 | 36 -44 | $17,240 |
| 3 | $329,660 | 45 -53 | $14,610 |
| 4 | $241,640 | 54 -62 | $12,540 |
| 5 | $179,140 | 63 -71 | $10,910 |
| 6 | $134,330 | 72 -80 | $9,620 |
| 7 | $101,900 | 81 -89 | $8,600 |
| 8 | $78,210 | 90 -98 | $7,790 |
| 9 | $60,740 | 99 -125 | $7,160 |
| 10 -11 | $47,750 | 126 -152 | $6,670 |
| 12 -13 | $37,990 | 153 -179 | $6,310 |
| 14 -17 | $30,600 | 180 -269 | $6,010 |
| 18 -26 | $24,950 |
As per the WSOP LIVE app.
A poker player with no recorded live poker tournament results entered the $100,000 High Roller Pot-Limit Omaha event at the 2026 World Series of Poker (WSOP) nearly for free.
Phillipp Mellon, who doesn't even have a page on The Hendon Mob, showed up with just five other players when the high-stakes tournament began. He sat down at the table to play against crushers such as Alex Foxen and Eelis Parssinen, both 2026 bracelet winners.
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