WSOP 2026: Chess Master Michael Casella Prevents Schulman from Securing Eighth Bracelet in Badugi (Event #8)

American Michael Casella, known primarily as a chess master, managed to outplay two of today’s top players in a thrilling finale to claim his first gold bracelet. In the battle for the title, he defeated newly inducted Hall of Famer Nick Schulman, thwarting both him and Scott Seiver in their bids for a historic eighth bracelet.

Event #8: $1,500 Badugi attracted 554 entries at the WSOP 2026, creating a prizepool of $735,435. Casella entered the final day as the chipleader and continued his dominance, at one point holding nearly half of all the chips in play.

The road to victory wasn't easy, especially due to a marathon heads-up against Nick Schulman, which lasted over three hours.

Casella, who holds the prestigious FIDE Master title in chess, noted that his extensive experience in chess tournaments helped him maintain focus and withstand the physical and emotional pressure during the heads-up.

For his triumph, he took home a prize of $141,963, marking the second-largest win of his tournament career.

Final Table Results of Event #8: $1,500 Badugi

Position	Player	Country	Winnings
1.	Michael Casella	USA	$141,963
2.	Nick Schulman	USA	$94,607
3.	Scott Seiver	USA	$62,920
4.	Gary Benson	Australia	$42,815
5.	Brant Hale	USA	$29,824
6.	Stephan Nussrallah	USA	$21,279
7.	Walter Chambers	USA	$15,560
8.	Kyle Arora	USA	$11,668
9.	Jon Turner	USA	$11,668

Source: WSOP Live, PokerNews