PokerNews live coverage of this event will begin on Day 2 (July 12). 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 #88: $300 Gladiators of Poker
Day 1c Completed
Day 1c of Event #88: $300 Gladiators of Poker played 22 levels of action today, turning a field of 2,934 entries into just 103 survivors.
The nearly 3,000 Day 1c entries bring the total field size up to 7,235 entries and the prize pool up to $1,701,828.
Day 1c ended with David Kenniston in the chip lead, according to the WSOPLive App.
Kenniston bagged 3,155,000, which put him solidly ahead of Julian Menhardt in second with 2,790,000 and Manuel Luna with 2,155,000.
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Stack | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | David Kenniston | United States | 3,155,000 | 79 |
| 2 | Julian Menhardt | Austria | 2,790,000 | 70 |
| 3 | Manuel Luna | United States | 2,155,000 | 54 |
| 4 | Alexander Perez | United States | 2,025,000 | 51 |
| 5 | Johnny Oshana | United States | 2,006,500 | 50 |
| 6 | Michael Teifel | - | 1,775,000 | 44 |
| 7 | Sacha Bozou | France | 1,760,000 | 44 |
| 8 | Kenneth Baime | United States | 1,750,000 | 44 |
| 9 | Matthew Johnson | United States | 1,665,000 | 42 |
| 10 | Andrew Law | United Kingdom | 1,595,000 | 40 |
Jay Harwood, sponsored pro for Grosvenor Casinos in the United Kingdom, bagged 855,000; two-time bracelet winner Yenhan Chen bagged 635,000; and Benjamin Ector, who won a bracelet in 2023, bagged 465,000.
These three will join the other Day 1 survivors for Day 2 of the event on Sunday, July 12, at 11:00 a.m. local time. When Day 2 begins, blinds will be 20,000/40,000 with a 40,000 ante.
However, before then, there is one more Day 1 flight to complete. Day 1d kicks off at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, July 11. The event will play for 22 levels.
According to the WSOPLive App.
Day 1c of Event #88: $300 Gladiators of Poker has now concluded. Of the 2,934 entries to the flight, 103 players have bagged to return for Day 2.
Standby for the full chip counts and recap.
Michael Mizrachi won't be making history with back-to-back World Series of Poker Main Event victories.
The defending champion's title defense fizzled out on Day 5, where he was eliminated in 241st for $50,000. Mizrachi survived nearly five full days in poker's biggest tournament but couldn't recreate the remarkable run that ended with a $10 million payday 12 months ago.
Mizrachi, who navigated all ten days of the Main Event on his way to the world championship last summer, once again found himself among the survivors deep into Day 5. This time, however, his run was halted before the tournament's biggest payouts, ending any hopes of becoming the first player since Johnny Chan in 1987 and 1988 to successfully defend the WSOP Main Event title.
Fittingly, it would take a fellow Main Event champion to end The Grinder's run.
The 2026 World Series of Poker (WSOP) kicked off back on May 26, and now it is in the home stretch as June has come to an end and the $10,000 Main Event is underway. More than 70 tournaments have awarded bracelets thus far, and the PokerNews Live Reporting team has been on-site all summer long, capturing the action.
During that time, they've reported on some entertaining hands, bad beats, and more, which we're happy to feature in the latest edition of "Hands of the Week" presented by GTOWizard.
As per the WSOP LIVE app.
The poker world moves fast and during massive events, it’s nearly impossible to keep track of everyone. Whether you’re following a high-stakes pro, a local hero from your home game, or a family member chasing a bracelet, PokerNews makes it even easier with the new MyPlayers feed — your personalized updates feed for tracking the players you care about in one place.
Build your custom watchlist by clicking the star icon next to a player in the live reporting feed, and they’ll be pinned to the top of chip counts and tracked in a single, real-time feed as the action unfolds.
As per the WSOP LIVE app.
Poker is often described as a game of skill, psychology, and patience. Yet for many players, the toughest opponent they face is not the player across the table, but their own emotional state. Few concepts illustrate this better than tilt.
Tilt is responsible for countless blown sessions, early tournament exits, unnecessary bankroll damage, and talented players quitting the game altogether. Understanding what tilt is, why it happens, and how to control it is one of the most important steps a poker player can take toward long-term improvement.
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