Event #99: $5,000 8-Handed No-Limit Hold'em | 2026 World Series of Poker

Jul 15, 2026

"Wow, The Tournament Should Have Been Over"

Tim Baker

Level 36 : Blinds 400,000/800,000, 800,000 ante

Phil Hellmuth called from the button, and Darren Rabinowitz checked in the big blind.

Both players checked the K♥J♦7♠ flop before the 6♥ landed on the turn. Rabinowitz led out for 800,000, and Hellmuth raised to 3,000,000. Rabinowitz quickly folded.

A hand later, encouraged by Martin Kabrhel to "take a snack," Hellmuth finally tucked into the half-eaten Subway sandwich that had been sitting beside him for much of the heads-up match. In true Hellmuth fashion, he somehow started eating it from the inside out.

Still chewing his ham sub, Hellmuth checked his option after Rabinowitz completed on the button.

Hellmuth check-called a bet of 1,000,000 from Rabinowitz on the K♣J♥6♥ flop.

The 5♥ turn checked through, as did the 2♥ river. Hellmuth tabled K♥5♠ for two pair to win the pot, while Rabinowitz showed Jx6x for the inferior two pair before saying, "Wow, the tournament should have been over."

Tags: Darren Rabinowitz Martin Kabhrel Phil Hellmuth

Jul 15, 2026

Three in a Row for Hellmuth

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Frank Visser

Level 36 : Blinds 400,000/800,000, 800,000 ante

Phil Hellmuth limped in on the button, and Darren Rabinowitz checked his option in the big blind. Hellmuth bet 1,000,000 on the 9♥5♠J♠ flop, which Rabinowitz check-called.

Rabinowitz checked again on the 10♠ turn, but he quickly folded when Hellmuth doubled his sizing to 2,000,000.

On the next deal, Rabinowitz limped in on the button. Hellmuth checked before he led out for 900,000 on the 7♦6♠Q♣ flop. Rabinowitz swiftly mucked.

One hand later, another limped pot saw the flop of 4♥Q♦7♥ being fanned. Rabinowitz checked from the big blind, and he folded when Hellmuth bet 1,000,000.

Tags: Darren Rabinowitz Phil Hellmuth

Jul 15, 2026

Hellmuth Has A Lot of Support

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Tim Baker

Level 36 : Blinds 400,000/800,000, 800,000 ante

Phil Hellmuth called on the button, and Darren Rabinowitz checked in the big blind.

Rabinowitz checked the J♦6♠5♠ flop, and Hellmuth bet 2,000,000. Rabinowitz raised to 5,600,000, and Hellmuth folded 10♥6♥ for a pair of sixes.

A couple of hands later, Rabinowitz completed on the button, and Hellmuth raised to 3,300,000 from the big blind. Rabinowitz took a while before calling.

The A♣A♦6♦ flop was dealt, and as soon as Hellmuth bet, Rabinowitz folded.

With a huge crowd gathered around the feature table, Martin Kabrhel had become Hellmuth's number one fan on the rail, offering constant words of encouragement while also acting as a human calculator by informing Hellmuth of Rabinowitz's exact chip count at the end of every hand.

Tags: Darren Rabinowitz Martin Kabrhel Phil Hellmuth

Level: 36

Blinds: 400,000/800,000

Ante: 800,000

Jul 15, 2026

Hellmuth Faces Setback

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Frank Visser

Level 35 : Blinds 300,000/600,000, 600,000 ante

In a limped pot to the 8♥Q♦6♣ flop, Phil Hellmuth checked from the big blind, and Darren Rabinowitz followed suit on the button. Hellmuth checked again on the 9♥ turn, but this time Rabinowitz bet 600,000.

Hellmuth raised to 2,000,000, which Rabinowitz called after some thought. The J♥ river prompted Hellmuth to check. Rabinowitz responded with a bet of 3,700,000, sending Hellmuth into the tank.

After a while, he verbalized a call. Rabinowitz showed a straight with 10♥7♠, and Hellmuth mucked what he claimed was two pair.

Tags: Darren Rabinowitz Phil Hellmuth

Jul 15, 2026

Hellmuth Moves Closer to Bracelet 18

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Tim Baker

Level 35 : Blinds 300,000/600,000, 600,000 ante

Darren Rabinowitz limped on the button, and Phil Hellmuth checked his option in the big blind.

Hellmuth checked blind before seeing the 6♦A♠K♦ flop. Rabinowitz bet 600,000, and Hellmuth called before checking blind again.

Rabinowitz checked behind on the 8♣ turn. The K♠ completed the board, and Hellmuth led out for 1,500,000. Rabinowitz quickly folded.

Tags: Darren Rabinowitz Phil Hellmuth

Jul 15, 2026

Hellmuth Takes the Chip Lead

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Stewart Morrison

Level 35 : Blinds 300,000/600,000, 600,000 ante

Darren Rabinowitz raised to 1,200,000 on the button, and Phil Hellmuth called in the big blind.

Hellmuth had already checked dark before the Q♥5♠7♥ flop had landed, and Rabinowitz continued with another 1,200,000, which Hellmuth called.

Hellmuth checked dark again before the 4♦ turn joined the board. Rabinowitz sized up to 3,500,000, and Hellmuth responded with a check-raise all-in for 12,575,000, which Rabinowitz snap-called.

Phil Hellmuth: 8♣6♣ All in
Darren Rabinowitz: 7♦5♣

Rabinowitz had flopped two pair, but Hellmuth had run him down on the turn, improving to a straight.

The 9♠ river offered no relief for Rabinowitz, and Hellmuth took over the chip lead.

Tags: Darren Rabinowitz Phil Hellmuth

Jul 15, 2026

Hellmuth Loses "Unfair" Hand

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Frank Visser

Level 35 : Blinds 300,000/600,000, 600,000 ante

Darren Rabinowitz check-raised to 1,200,000 on the button. Phil Hellmuth called in the big blind, seeing his opponent continue for 800,000 on the A♣K♠J♦ flop.

Hellmuth check-raised to 2,000,000, and Rabinowitz called after some thought. The 10♥ turn slowed Hellmuth down as he checked. Rabinowitz took the initiative with a bet of 2,500,000, receiving a quick fold from Hellmuth to take the pot.

"That hand seemed unfair," Hellmuth commented.

"Sure did. I should have won way more," Rabinowitz responded.

Tags: Darren Rabinowitz Phil Hellmuth

Jul 15, 2026

Honesty From Rabinowitz

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Tim Baker

Level 35 : Blinds 300,000/600,000, 600,000 ante

Phil Hellmuth called on the button, and Darren Rabinowitz checked from the big blind.

Both players checked the 4♠7♥K♣ flop before the A♦ landed on the turn.

Before acting, Rabinowitz said he had seen a queen as the burn card. The dealer confirmed he was correct by exposing the Q♠ burn card.

Rabinowitz then checked, and Hellmuth bet 1,400,000, which prompted a fold from Rabinowitz.

Tags: Darren Rabinowitz Phil Hellmuth

Jul 15, 2026

Hellmuth and Rabinowitz Exchange Chips

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Tim Baker

Level 35 : Blinds 300,000/600,000, 600,000 ante

Phil Hellmuth limped on the button, and Darren Rabinowitz checked his option in the big blind.

Both players checked all the way to the river on the 4♣9♠5♦10♥Q♥ runout before Rabinowitz bet 600,000. Hellmuth raised to 1,800,000, and Rabinowitz quickly folded.

The next hand, Rabinowitz raised to 1,200,000 on the button, and Hellmuth called from the big blind.

On the 5♣5♠2♠ flop, Hellmuth check-folded J♥10♥ after Rabinowitz bet 600,000.