PokerNews live coverage of this event will begin on Day 2 (July 15). 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 #98: $800 Deepstack No-Limit Hold’em
Day 1 Completed
The 2026 World Series of Poker (WSOP) may be rapidly approaching its conclusion, but that didn't stop 2,036 players from buying into Event #98: $800 Deepstack No-Limit Hold'em. After 22 levels, only 129 of those players had chips requiring bagging and tagging, and only a handful of those had more betting tokens than Jonathan Little.
Little ended Day 1 with 1,280,000 chips, enough for eighth-place when play resumes on July 15. The popular poker strategist already has a bracelet, which he won in an online event last summer. He now has a legitimate chance of becoming a two-time champion.
Israel's Kfir Nahum (2,030,000) sits proudly atop the overnight chip counts and was the only player to break through the two million chips barrier. Josei Kamei (1,790,000) and Atanas Pavlov (1,635,000) keep the Israeli company at the chip counts' summit.
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kfir Nahum | Israel | 2,030,000 | 68 |
| 2 | Josei Kamei | United Kingdom | 1,790,000 | 60 |
| 3 | Atanas Pavlov | Bulgaria | 1,635,000 | 55 |
| 4 | Ivan Govorov | Russia | 1,525,000 | 51 |
| 5 | Michael Stein | United States | 1,500,000 | 50 |
| 6 | Danette Smith | United States | 1,480,000 | 49 |
| 7 | Ryuta Nakai | Japan | 1,295,000 | 43 |
| 8 | Jonathan Little | United States | 1,280,000 | 43 |
| 9 | Brett Richey | United States | 1,225,000 | 41 |
| 10 | Tristan Mcmillan | Canada | 1,225,000 | 41 |
Others who navigated their way to Day 2 include Ryuta Nakai (1,295,000), Jason Wheeler (1,200,000), Brett Apter (1,020,000), Ryan Laplante (845,000), Lara Eisenberg (620,000), John Riordan (575,000), Justin Zaki (570,000), Stoyan Madanzhiev (475,000), Simeon Spasov (385,000), Christopher Staats (250,000), and Roman Korenev (123,000).
The second and final day of this tournament shuffles up and deals at 11:00 a.m. local time on July 15. It will play down to a champion, and PokerNews will be on the ground at the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas providing live updates until the event's conclusion.
Here are the chip counts of the 129 players who advanced to Day 2, according to the WSOP LIVE app.
Day 1 of Event #98: $800 Deepstack No-Limit Hold'em has concluded. Of the 2,036 entries to the flight, 129 players bagged to return for Day 2.
Standby for the full chip counts and recap.
The least and most surprising World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event champion ever is arguably the same person.
Confused? You won't be in a bit. Poker's most prestigious annual event, with the purpose of crowning a 2026 world champion, is underway at Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas. Michael Mizrachi, the newest Poker Hall of Famer, won this $10,000 buy-in tournament last summer for $10,000,000.
"The Grinder's" win brought some excitement around the poker community, but it wasn't a huge surprise like some past champs. Mizrachi didn't come out of nowhere before winning the Main Event. He wasn't an accountant who won a cheap online satellite to enter the tournament or some random amateur low-stakes cash game player.
According to the WSOP LIVE app.
In the 990th episode of the PokerNews Podcast, which is sponsored by FanDuel Poker, Chad Holloway, Mike Holtz, and Ben Ludlow are at Level 9 Studios in Las Vegas, where special guest cohost Remko Rinkema joins them.
The crew discusses the impromptu introduction of poker shot clocks on Day 7 of the 2026 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event. It was an unexpected development implemented after a 15-minute tank by Loren Klein on Day 6, and while it was technically allowed by Rule 80, a lot of players took issue with it, such as Chris Brewer and Patrick "Pads" Leonard. However, some players came out in support of it, such as Shaun Deeb, who was still in the tournament.
Speaking of Pads, some thought he wasn't getting the airtime he deserved during his deep run in the Main Event. Was he blacklisted, or was it just bad luck? Chad then talks about live reporting on Jamie Dwan winning the $50K High Roller event over a stacked final table that included Daniel Negreanu, Bryn Kenney, and Kristen Foxen. Finally, Remko talks about PokerGO's "He Brought $1,000,000 to the Biggest Poker Game of His Life" video featuring Andrew "Ace" Pacheco, his new podcast, and other upcoming PokerGO plans.
Oh, and did we mention that Chad is headed to California's Thunder Valley Casino this weekend for the $400 buy-in, $250K GTD PokerNews Cup as part of the RGPS Passport Season Finale?
Be sure to check out the audio version of the PokerNews Podcast that is available on all major podcasting platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and SoundCloud.
Daniel Negreanu will wrap up his most profitable World Series of Poker in years on Wednesday, and he'll finish the summer in contention for WSOP Player of the Year.
The GGPoker ambassador came into the series having played minimal poker since the WSOP Paradise series in December. But he didn't show any rust and not only won his second bracelet in three years, he reached four final tables and still has a chance at one more in the $25,000 High Roller H.O.R.S.E. event.
Negreanu bagged an above-average stack Monday on Day 1 and will return to action at 1 p.m. PT for Day 2. It could be his final shot at another deep run at what has been a successful 2026 WSOP for the Poker Hall of Famer.
There are just five players standing between Poker Hall of Famer Erik Seidel and his 11th World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet.
The poker legend reached the final table of Event #96: $3,000 6-Handed Pot-Limit Omaha, one of the last events of the series as action in Las Vegas winds down significantly.
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