WSOP 2026: Deeb Falls Short of Ninth Bracelet as Joey Couden Triumphs (Event #52)

Event #52: $3K Nine Game Mix highlighted the increasing popularity of mixed formats, drawing a record 472 entries. This pushed the total prize pool to $1,260,240, distributed among the top 71 players.

The main story on the final day was Shaun Deeb's quest for his ninth career bracelet, a win that would have boosted his ranking in the Player of the Year standings, where he is defending last year's title.

Deeb entered the final heads-up as the favorite with a 2:1 chip lead. However, Couden delivered a tenacious performance, and after hours of technical play in which they swapped the lead multiple times, he managed to turn the tables.

For Couden, this prestigious win enhanced his career-high earnings by a few thousand dollars and secured his third bracelet.

While Shaun Deeb faced his third heads-up defeat in WSOP tournaments this year, he at least managed to break the streak of bad luck that's been dogging him during this series. This marks only his second victory at WSOP 2026.

Final Table Results of Event #52: $3,000 Nine Game Mix

Source: WSOP

#result