Event #49: $2,500 Freezeout No-Limit Hold'em | 2026 World Series of Poker

Jun 18, 2026

Joey Weissman Eliminated in 11th place ($35,230)

Laura Fryer

Level 29 : Blinds 60,000/120,000, 120,000 ante

Joey Weissman opened to 240,000 from under the gun and action folded around to Sebastian Schulze in the big blind who moved all in. Weissman had only just stacked up to just over two million after eliminating Michael Letal, and was willing to risk it again as he made the call.

Joey Weissman: 10♦10♠ All in
Sebastian Schulze: A♥K♣

Weissman was holding on the 4♥Q♣6♠ flop, but that all ended after the dealer placed the K♥ turn. A Q♦ river didn't give Weissman anything to work with and he hit the rail in 11th place, narrowy missing out on making the final table.

Tags: Joey Weissman Sebastian Schulze

Jun 18, 2026

Johnson Jams into Magsakay

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Laura Fryer

Level 29 : Blinds 60,000/120,000, 120,000 ante

Vamerdino Magsakay opened to 250,000 from under the gun and Marco Johnson three-bet to 700,000 on the button.

Action folded back around to Magsakay who counted out his stack and picked up more chips and four-bet to 1,450,000. Johnson took some time before opting to jam, covering Magsakays' remaining two million stack. Magsakay snap folded, loosing nearly half his stack pre-flop.

Tags: Marco Johnson Vamerdino Magsakay

Jun 18, 2026

Yuan Lei Eliminated in 12th Place ($28,050)

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Nick Becker

Level 29 : Blinds 60,000/120,000, 120,000 ante

Kenzo Ishida raised to 600,000 in the cutoff and Yuan Lei three-bet jammed on the button for about 1,400,000 to put himself at risk. Ishida made the call.

Yuan Lei: A♣J♣ All in
Kenzo Ishida: 2♥2♠

The flop came 10♣10♥3♥ with Ishida still in the lead. The 8♠ turn and K♥ river offered no help to Lei, and he was sent to the payout desk.

Tags: Kenzo Ishida Yuan Lei

Jun 18, 2026

Michael Letal Eliminated in 13th Place ($28,050)

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Laura Fryer

Level 29 : Blinds 60,000/120,000, 120,000 ante

Action folded around to Michael Letal who jammed from the small blind for 1,485,000 and Joey Weissman considered his option before moving a stack in to call. Weissman was putting himself at risk for his last 815,000 chips and his tournament life.

Joey Weissman: A♣10♣ All in
Michael Letal: 8♦3♥

When the cards were turned over, Weissman was miles ahead, and he was still sitting comfortably after seeing the J♦2♠4♦ flop. There was a small sweat of the open-ended backdoor straight for Letal, and he got closer on the 6♦ turn.

Weissman ultimately locked up the double after the K♠ was placed, and Letal was then down to his last 670,000.

In the next hand Letal saw no action made before him and he moved his remaining chips into the middle on the button. Weissman called and the pair went head to head again, this time with Letal at risk.

Michael Letal: Q♠9♦ All in
Joey Weissman: 5♦5♣

The 10♥A♣8♠ flop didn't change much, although Letal did have some straight draw outs. There was no luck for him on the 2♣ turn or 6♦ river and he was sent to the rail in two swift hands, allowing Weissman to jump right back into the game.

Tags: Joey Weissman Michael Letal

Jun 18, 2026

Michael Lavenburg Eliminated in 14th Place ($22,610)

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Nick Becker

Level 29 : Blinds 60,000/120,000, 120,000 ante

Kenzo Ishida raised to 240,000 from under the gun, Vamerdino Magsakay flatted in the hijack, and Michael Lavenburg three-bet shoved for about 900,000 in the big blind to put himself at risk. Ishida then reshoved, prompting Magsakay to step aside.

Michael Lavenburg: A♣Q♣ All in
Kenzo Ishida: 5♠5♥

Both players connected on the Q♠5♦9♠ flop, with Lavenburg hitting top pair and Ishida improving to a set. The turn landed the 3♦ and the river fell the 2♠, ending Lavenburg's deep tournament run.

Tags: Kenzo Ishida Michael Lavenburg Vamerdino Magsakay

Level: 29

Blinds: 60,000/120,000

Ante: 120,000

Jun 18, 2026

Letal Calls Down Smith

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Laura Fryer

Level 28 : Blinds 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante

With just 14 players remaining and there behing a hefty pay jump between 14th and 13th place, the action has slowed somewhat. In a recent hand Elliot Smith opened to 200,000 from the hijack and Michael Letal defended his big blind.

The J♣J♦5♥ flop saw Letal tank check and Smith bet 100,000. Letal took a while to call and the pair saw the 4♦ turn.

Letal checked, Smith bet 250,000 and Letal again tank-called to see the 7♦ complete the board. No further bets were made, and Letal tabled his Q♥J♠ for trip jacks. This was enough to see Smith muck, allowing Letal to regain some of his stack.

Tags: Elliot Smith Michael Letal

Jun 18, 2026

Weissman Triples Up

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Nick Becker

Level 28 : Blinds 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante

Elliot Smith raised to 200,000 from under the gun, Pyeongkang Kim flatted in the hijack, and Joey Weissman three-bet to 325,000 in the big blind, leaving himself with just 5,000 back. Smith then four-bet to 700,000 to isolate, and Kim responded with an all-in, prompting Smith to step aside. Weissman flicked in his last 5,000.

Joey Weissman: J♠7♥ All in
Pyeongkang Kim: A♦4♦

Weissman pulled ahead on the 8♠J♥4♠ flop, pairing his jack. The turn landed the 8♦ and the river fell the 9♦, earning him the much-needed triple up.

Tags: Elliot Smith Joey Weissman Pyeongkang Kim

Jun 18, 2026

Daniel Jackson Eliminated in 15th Place ($22,610)

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Nick Becker

Level 28 : Blinds 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante

Marco Johnson raised to 200,000 in early position and Daniel Jackson three-bet jammed in the big blind for 1,720,000 to put himself at risk. Johnson made the call.

Daniel Jackson: A♠2♠ All in
Marco Johnson: 9♥9♦

There were no aces to be found on the 8♥Q♦6♦6♠10♥ runout, and Jackson's impressive tournament run came to an end.

Tags: Daniel Jackson Marco Johnson

Jun 18, 2026

Tom Hall Eliminated in 16th Place ($22,610)

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Nick Becker

Level 28 : Blinds 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante

Elliot Smith raised to 200,000 from under the gun and Tom Hall three-bet jammed for about 1,500,000 in middle position to put himself at risk. Smith made the call.

Tom Hall: A♠K♣ All in
Elliot Smith: Q♥Q♦

It was a classic coin flip situation, and Smith came out on top as the board ran out 7♥3♠8♥J♣9♣.

Tags: Elliot Smith Tom Hall