2026 World Series of Poker
Kenny Wang moved all in from the button for 770,000, placing maximum pressure on the small stacks in the blinds, and Charles Eison took the bait and called for his last 100,000.
Wang reluctantly turned his cards over.
Charles Eison: A♠2♠
Kenny Wang: Q♠3♥
The board ran with 9♦8♣5♣8♦J♥, and Eison won with a pair of eights and an ace kicker.
Eison stated, "Thank you, I feel like I'm on top of the world."
Donald Nimneh opened to around 155,000 and Yogesh Chidambarnathan, on his left, shoved all-in for around 360,000. Grant Juric in cutoff responded with his own all-in for 525,000, prompting Nimneh to stand up and walk around.
The dealer called out to Nimneh to let him know that since he left his seat, that his hand would be considered dead. A discussion ensued that required the floor to be called. The floor ruled the hand to be dead, leaving Chidambarnathan and Juric to head to showdown.
Yogesh Chidambarnathan: A♠J♠
Grant Juric: A♥K♦
Juric had Chidambarnathan dominated. He retianed his lead on the runout 3♠9♦7♣9♠. His was pushed further ahead when the A♣ dropped on the river, sending Chidambarnathan to hit the rails.
Action was picked up with three players with their cards in the middle of the table.
Ryan Featherstone: K♥K♣
Benjamin Purer: 10♦10♥
Andrew Dubuque: A♣6♣
Featherstone was hoping for a triple up when Purer was pushed into the lead with a set on a flop of 4♠2♠10♠. Both Featherstone and Dubuque didn't get any help with the Q♥ turn. But the K♦ river came returning the lead to Featherstone for a triple up.
Featherstone scooped the pot while Purer won the side pot worth around 610,000, all at the expense of Dubuque.
Scott Panozzo raised preflop from under the gun to 80,000; Niall Farrell moved all in from late position for 165,000; Michael Vinokur called from the cutoff; and Panozzo four-bet all in for 750,000 effective. Vinokur agonized over the decision and called.
Niall Farrell: 4♠4♣
Michael Vinokur : J♠J♣
Scott Panozzo: K♠K♦
The board ran out smoothly for kings with 6♣10♥6♥7♦8♠, and Panozzo, with the highest two-pair, won the massive pot.
Caleb Rife opened to 80,000 and got a caller in Michael Nelson in the big blind.
Both players watched the flop go 4♦9♠J♠. Nelson took some time to think of his next move then announced all-in for around 965,000.
Action went to Rife who considered his options for a few seconds before putting his tournament life at risk with a call.
Nelson told him, "Good call!" as they tabled the hands.
Caleb Rife: Q♣9♣
Michael Nelson: Q♠5♥
Rife had it mid-pair on the flop and he kept his lead on the runout 2♣5♦ to score a double.
Yichen Cao was all in for 535,000 in middle position, at risk against Aroha Ngata in the small blind.
Yichen Cao: 6♠6♣
Aroha Ngata: A♣K♠
Ngata was unable to connect with the 4♥7♠10♦7♠9♠ board, leaving Cao's pocket pair in front to secure the early double-up.
The tournament has resumed, and 603 players are raring to go.
Level: 23
Blinds: 20,000/40,000
Ante: 40,000