PokerNews live coverage of this event will begin on Day 2 (July 13). 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 #93: $1,500 The Closer No-Limit Hold’em
Day 1a Completed
On the first day of action in Event #93: $1,500 The Closer No Limit Hold'em at Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas, Dragos-Florin Anton of Romania held the chip lead with 1,185,000 in his stack.
Just a single 5k chip stands between him and the second-place stack of Daewoong Song (1,180,000) while Andrew Kelsall, a 25k Fantasy player, took up a place on the third podium with 1,100,000 in his stack.
They are the top three players from the 129 survivors after Day 1a of the Closer.
However, everything could change with tomorrow's Day 1b flight. The current field of 1,078 entries and prize pool of $1,431,045 are expected to more than double.
| Position | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dragos-Florin Anton | Romania | 1,185,000 | 79 |
| 2 | Daewoong Song | Korea | 1,180,000 | 79 |
| 3 | Andrew Kelsall | United States | 1,100,000 | 73 |
| 4 | Preston McEwen | United States | 1,035,000 | 69 |
| 5 | Diogo Doliveira | Portugal | 1,020,000 | 68 |
| 6 | Emanuel Goldshide | United States | 950,000 | 63 |
| 7 | Josh Norvock | Australia | 830,000 | 55 |
| 8 | Florian Duta | Romania | 810,000 | 54 |
| 9 | Jakub Sterba | Czechia | 810,000 | 54 |
| 10 | Ray Milare | United States | 805,000 | 54 |
Other notable players who made it through to Day 2 are Simeon Spasov (685,000), Arthur Morris (585,000), Eugene Katchalov (515,000), Caitlin Comeskey (475,000), Lara Eisenberg (435,000), Kevin Song (390,000), Mike Leah (350,000), Daniel Smiljkovic (270,000), Jonas Lauck (150,000), and Joshua Reichard (125,000).
These players will be back for Day 2 on Monday, July 13.
However, before that, there will be a second Day 1 flight starting at midday on July 12. The day will consist of 20 levels.
You can follow the action here on PokerNews, where our usual live reporting will begin on Day 2 of this tournament at the 2026 World Series of Poker.
Day 1a of Event #93: $1,500 The Closer has concluded. Of the 1,078 entries to the flight, 129 players bagged to return for Day 2.
Standby for the full chip counts and recap.
The most exciting time in live poker is upon us, with the 2026 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event No-Limit Hold'em World Championship now underway.
The WSOP Main Event is considered the most prestigious live poker tournament, drawing thousands of entrants from far and wide, each hoping to become poker's world champion.
The field sizes of the Main Event are massive, despite the five-figure buy-in. With so many of poker's top players in action at the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas, you're spoiled for choice regarding who to add to your MyPlayers Feed.
According to the WSOP LIVE app.
One question always gets asked in the build-up to the World Series of Poker (WSOP): who are the best players still chasing their first bracelet? It's something PokerNews looks at every year.
But here's another angle worth exploring. Which players have actually won the most money at the WSOP without ever getting their hands on one of poker's most coveted prizes?
Some players have racked up millions in WSOP earnings, building their totals on one monster score, while others have chipped away year after year grinding the series.
As per the WSOP LIVE app.
For the first time in well over a decade, Brad Booth was back in the World Series of Poker Main Event.
The Canadian, affectionately known as "Yukon Brad," was one of the biggest personalities of poker's boom years. From battling in Bobby's Room to pulling off one of the most memorable bluffs in High Stakes Poker history against Phil Ivey, Booth was never far from the spotlight.
Booth believes the last time he played the Main Event was around 2012, and after years away from the WSOP and a well-documented fall from the high-stakes scene, he's back in poker's biggest tournament with a very different outlook.
"It's been a minute," Booth told PokerNews. "Definitely north of a decade. I was in the woods there for a wee bit."
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