2026 World Series of Poker

Day: 2
123
Event Info
2026 World Series of Poker
Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
akk3
Prize
$181,625
Event Info
Buy-in
$1,500
Prize Pool
$1,016,865
Total Entries
766
Level Info
Level
33
Blinds
0 / 0
Ante
0
Players Info - Day 2
Entries
147
Players Left
13
Players Left 1 / 766
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Event #74: $1,500 8-Game Mixed

Day 2 Completed

Another Bracelet Opportunity for Shaun Deeb as He Leads Final 13 of $1,500 8-Game

Level 25
Shaun Deeb
Shaun Deeb

After a notably bad start to his 2026 World Series of Poker, Shaun Deeb seems to have turned things around. Less than two weeks after his runner-up finish in the $3k 9-Game, Deeb has given himself a chance at redemption as he grinded his way to the chip lead on Day 2 of Event #74: $1,500 8-Game Mixed.

Deeb, who started the day at the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas short-stacked with only 90,500 to his name, ended the day with 3,090,000, worth around 25 big bets when play resumes. Deeb has put himself in pole position to capture the $181,625 top prize and his ninth WSOP bracelet.

Like Deeb, Blaz Zerjav has had a lackluster series by his standards, but the Slovenian phenom now eyes his first final table of the summer, following Deeb at a considerable distance with 2,330,000.

Blaz Zerjav
Blaz Zerjav

Others among the 13 remaining players from the 766-entry field include Itsuko Yoroi, who continues Japan's strong showings in the mixed-game tournaments as she bagged 1,410,000 for an average stack. Meanwhile, Viktor Blom is looking to finally get his name off the "best without a bracelet" list, although he will have to turn around his luck if he wants to reach the highest payouts of the $1,016,865 prize pool with his short stack of 720,000.

End of Day 2 Chip Counts

RankPlayerCountryChip Count
1Shaun DeebUnited States3,090,000
2Blaz ZerjavSlovenia2,330,000
3Jaswinder LallyCanada1,985,000
4Fu WongUnited States1,900,000
5Jason RiesenbergUnited States1,795,000
6Itsuko YoroiJapan1,410,000
7Patrick MahoneyUnited States1,350,000
8Michael BalanUnited States1,290,000
9Dean JoeUnited States1,245,000
10Alexandre AmielFrance875,000
11Michael KoenigUnited States860,000
12Viktor BlomSweden720,000
13Thomas FullerUnited States510,000

Day 2 Action

With 147 players returning for Day 2, 32 eliminations were required to reach the money. Among those who left empty-handed early were 25k Fantasy picks Ryan Leng, Tyler Phillips, and Brad Ruben. Allen Kessler was close to adding another min-cash to his WSOP resume, but was eliminated four spots from the money. The tournament didn’t even need to go hand for hand, as after 75 minutes of regular play, Scott Seiver popped the bubble by knocking Christopher Kay out in 116th place.

Allen Kessler
Allen Kessler

Newly crowned PPC champion Benny Glaser (98th) was one of the first to pick up the $3,010 min-cash, and he was soon followed to the rail by poker legend Phil Laak, who noted his third cash of the series with a 79th-place finish. Bubble-burster Seiver made a pay jump to $3,170 by making it four spots further than Laak, while Mike Matusow received $3,310 for coming in 64th after being eliminated by Chris Brewer. Brewer himself became the final elimination before the dinner break, falling to Blom in 34th.

Crowd favorite Daniel Negreanu started the day second in chips, but after having trended down for a while, he eventually petered out in 32nd place, decreasing his losses for the summer by $3,670. At the final three tables, Christopher Vitch seemed unbustable for a while, but he finally fell in 15th place for $9,370 on his umpteenth all-in of the night. Robert Wells received the same amount when he became the final elimination of Day 3, busting with a full house against Deeb's rivered straight flush.

Robert Wells
Robert Wells

The 13 remaining players will return on June 30 at 1 p.m. local time for Day 3 of the $1,500 8-game. The limit for the fixed-limit games will be at 60,000/120,000, while the blinds for PLO and no-limit hold’em will restart at 15,000/30,000. All levels will remain 60 minutes long, and a break is scheduled after every two of them. A marathon session might be on the cards for the remaining players, as Day 3 will not conclude until a winner has been crowned.

The 13 remaining contenders have secured themselves a payout of $9,370, with the next pay jump set to happen when 11 remain. The final table of six will be guaranteed a payday of $28,420, while six-figure payouts await those who make it to heads-up play.

Remaining Payouts

PlacePrize
1$181,625
2$120,570
3$81,530
4$56,230
5$39,570
6$28,420
7$20,840
8-9$15,620
10-11$11,960
12-13$9,370

PokerNews will be back on the floor on Day 3 to bring you the thrilling conclusion to the $1,500 8-game, so tune back in then to not miss any of the mixed-game action.

Tags: Alexandre AmielAllen KesslerBenny GlaserBlaz ZerjavBrad RubenChris BrewerChristopher KayChristopher VitchDaniel NegreanuDean JoeFu WongItsuko YoroiJason RiesenbergJaswinder LallyMichael BalanMichael KoenigMike MatusowPatrick MahoneyPhil LaakRobert WellsRyan LengScott SeiverShaun DeebThomas FullerTyler PhillipsViktor Blom

Final Day Seat Draw

Level 25
TableSeatPlayerCountryChip Count
841Thomas FullerUnited States510,000
842Michael BalanUnited States1,290,000
843Jason RiesenbergUnited States1,795,000
846Viktor BlomSweden720,000
     
851Fu WongUnited States1,900,000
853Michael KoenigUnited States860,000
854Itsuko YoroiJapan1,410,000
855Alexandre AmielFrance875,000
856Shaun DeebUnited States3,090,000
     
971Patrick MahoneyUnited States1,350,000
973Jaswinder LallyCanada1,885,000
975Dean JoeUnited States1,245,000
976Blaz ZerjavSlovenia2,330,000

Day Ends; End of Day 2 Chip Counts

Level 25

The 13 remaining players have bagged and tagged their stacks.

Their chip counts can be found below; a recap of the day will follow shortly.

Blom Gets a Near-Shove Through on the Last Hand

Level 25
Carl Blom
Carl Blom

2-7 Triple Draw

On the last hand of the night, Viktor Blom bet from the button after the first draw and Fu Wong called under the gun.

Both players drew one and Wong led out with a bet. Blom then raised, leaving one 5,000 chip behind. Wong took a minute before folding, and Blom survived to see Day 3.

Tags: Fu WongViktor Blom

Wong Crosses Two Million in Dying Minutes

Level 25
Fu Wong
Fu Wong

2-7 Triple Draw

Fu Wong raised in the cutoff, Jaswinder Lally called on the button, and Viktor Blom followed suit in the small blind. The trio took two cards each on the first draw, after which it checked to Lally. He bet, Blom called, and so did Wong.

Blom and Wong then drew one card each, seeing Lally stand pat. Lally bet again after two checks, receiving two more calls. Blom still needed one on the final draw, but Wong stood pat.

Lally then broke his hand by drawing one card, and the players checked it to showdown. Lally announced a nine-low, but Wong tabled 8x7x6x3x2x for an eight-low to win the big pot late in the evening.

Tags: Fu WongJaswinder LallyViktor Blom

Three More Hands

Level 25

Tournament officials announced that players will see three more hands before bagging up their chips for the night.

Deeb Stuns Wells on the River

Level 25
Robert Wells
Robert Wells

Pot-Limit Omaha

Robert Wells raised to 85,000 under the gun and Shaun Deeb reraised in the small blind. Wells then moved all in for 315,000, and Deeb called.

Robert Wells: KJ86 All in
Shaun Deeb: Q10109

"That's a good flop for you," Deeb said as Wells made trips on the AJJ flop. The K turn improved Wells to a full house and left him poised for a double up, but the 9 fell on the river to give Deeb a straight flush and sent Wells to the rail.

Tags: Robert WellsShaun Deeb

Mahoney Takes More From Balan

Level 25

Limit Hold'em

Heads-up on a flop of 524, Michael Balan led out with a bet from the small blind and Patrick Mahoney called in the hijack.

Balan checked the 10 turn, and Mahoney bet. Balan called that bet, and another on the 8 river. Mahoney then showed KK, and Balan mucked.

Tags: Michael BalanPatrick Mahoney

Amiel Wheels Out Vitch

Level 25
Christopher Vitch
Christopher Vitch

Razz

Christopher Vitch: 5x4x/6x3x7x6x/3x All in
Alexandre Amiel: 4x2x/Ax3x9x8x/5x

Alexandre Amiel completed, Christopher Vitch raised, and Amiel put his opponent all in with a three-bet. Vitch quickly called.

Vitch made a seven-low on fifth street, remaining ahead on sixth street. Amiel found a wheel on seventh street, however, leaving Vitch drawing dead.

Tags: Alexandre AmielChristopher Vitch

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