WSOP Day 15: Four Bracelets Awarded, Suvarna Leads $50K Event Heading into Final Day

Santhosh Suvarna Leads a Star-Studded Dozen in the $50K Event

The largest buy-in of this year's series so far lured 167 entries into Event #29: $50K High Roller NLH, pushing the prize pool to an impressive $7,932,500. The second day was marked by rapid eliminations, fierce battles among high-stakes elites, and the dominance of Indian player Santhosh Suvarna.

Already a double bracelet winner, Suvarna blazed through, eliminating the legendary Phil Hellmuth and breaking the money bubble by knocking out Bernhard Binder in 27th place.

Competing for the prestigious title and a top prize of $1,922,870, only 12 players remain. Behind Suvarna is a formidable lineup led by last year's $25K High Roller champion Chang Lee, Day 1 chipleader Brandon Wilson, and high-stakes expert Chris Brewer.

Day 2 saw a significant reduction in the field, with stars like Phil Ivey, Shaun Deeb, and Martin Kabrhel leaving the tournament without a payday.

Rankings of 12 Finalists Event #29: $50K High Roller No-Limit Hold'em

Bryce Yockey Claims Dream Title

One of the series' most revered events, where players must master a record 21 poker variants, concluded with the triumph of American specialist Bryce Yockey. In a record field of 163 entries, Yockey emerged undefeated, delivering a dominant performance at the final table to secure his third gold bracelet and a prize of $371,664. Yockey confessed this title means a lot to him, ranking it right behind the PPC and Main Event in his personal achievements.

The final table showcased poker's elite, with players boasting over 20 bracelets between them, including legends like Nick Schulman and Jeremy Ausmus. Yockey's dominance was clear as he once held 70% of the chips in play.

He dismantled his opponents with relentless pressure and aggressive play, a style he thoroughly enjoyed. A heartbroken Jake Schwartz once again reached for his first bracelet, only to settle for third place. In a brief heads-up, Yockey sealed his victory against Ryan Miller.

Results Event #27: $10,000 Dealer's Choice Championship

Brent Gregory Stuns World Elite

If you're looking for a 'David vs. Goliath' story, Event #28 fits the bill perfectly. Even though it was one of the cheapest tournaments in the series, its final table was arguably the toughest in low buy-in tournament history.

Out of 3,332 entries, names like Daniel Negreanu, Alex Foxen, Josh Reichard, and WSOP Circuit ring-record holder Maurice Hawkins reached the final.

However, the shocking winner was Brent Gregory, who earned a life-changing $204,140 for his first bracelet. Entering the final with great respect for his opponents, Gregory showcased an extraordinary comeback in heads-up play. Maurice Hawkins came tantalizingly close to his first bracelet, but Gregory turned the tables in his favor.

The day's most brutal moment came for Daniel Negreanu. In a crucial PLO hand against Hawkins, 'Kid Poker' was favorite to double up with a turn flush, only for Hawkins to hit a full house on the river, eliminating Negreanu in 8th place.

Similarly, Alex Foxen's tournament ended in 5th when Hawkins hit a straight on the flop, knocking him out alongside John Ghosn.

Final Table Results Event #28: $600 Deepstack Mixed No-Limit Hold'em / Pot-Limit Omaha 

Braxton Dunaway Shows the Importance of Experience

The first champion crowned on the day was American Braxton Dunaway, who triumphed in Event #26: $2K NLH. For Dunaway, who made a name for himself last year with a third-place finish in the WSOP Main Event, this marked his second career gold bracelet. Facing 968 entries, he delivered an intensely focused performance in what he later described as an 'emotional roller coaster.'

One of the day's standout stories was that of Ioannis Kapnopoulos. After a misjudged all-in against Briant Alavez, he thought he was out, only to find he had 55,000 chips left (less than one big blind). Returning to the table, he performed a 'zombie' run, doubling his stack three consecutive times to over a million chips before finishing in 7th place.

In heads-up, Dunaway faced off against Erwann Pecheux. Despite entering the duel with nearly a 2:1 chip lead, Pecheux saw Dunaway equalize and eventually overtake him. In the final hand, Dunaway's 4 d 4 h bested Pecheux's A h 9 s, sealing the win. 'It's reassurance for my peers and myself that I can still win. Again,' the champion stated, shortly after being awarded.

Final Table Results Event #26: $2,000 No-Limit Hold'em

Mike Holtz Dominates Rapid Championship

The super-fast-paced Event #31: $1,500 Super Turbo Bounty NLH attracted a massive field of 2,103 entries. The total prize pool allocated for prizes exceeded $1.7 million, with an additional approximately $1 million set aside for bounties.

American Mike Holtz secured his second career gold bracelet and his largest live win of $238,097. He grabbed his first bracelet online in 2022.

In the final heads-up, Holtz faced Malaysia's Mei Seow, who was on the brink of becoming the second woman to claim a title at WSOP 2026. However, Holtz entered with a massive lead and concluded the match in just three hands. 

Final Table Results Event #31: $1,500 Super Turbo Bounty No-Limit Hold'em

Kevin Eyster Leads Elite Eight in Monster Stack

One of the largest tournaments in history, the gigantic Monster Stack, has reached its conclusion after four days of intense battles. A record field of 11,933 entries has been whittled down to the final eight players, who will compete for the gold bracelet and the grand prize of $1,302,125.

Leading the pack is American Kevin Eyster, who delivered a dominant performance and currently holds over a fifth of the chips in play. Close behind him are fellow Americans Salvatore Dicarlo and Matthew Miller, with Greek Nikolaos Angelou as the lone 'intruder' in an otherwise all-American final.

Final Table Lineup Event #18: $1,500 Monster Stack

Carlson and Johnson at the Helm of Star-Studded Championship

Another prestigious $10K event, this time in the discipline of PLO Hi-Lo 8 or Better, kicked off with its opening day, drawing 267 entries. The prize pool has already reached $2,501,700, and this number will rise as late registration remains open through the first two levels of Day 2. After Day 1, 105 players have bagged their chips for the next day.

At the top of the leaderboard is the duo with nearly identical stacks. The slim leader is American Christopher Carlson, with Marco Johnson hot on his heels. While Carlson aims for his second career WSOP win, Johnson looks to add a third gold jewel to his collection.

Among those progressing are defending champion Philip Sternheimer and star Daniel Negreanu, who entered the tournament via late registration right after a cruel river ousted him from Event #28. Promising stacks also accompany Dylan Weisman, Josh Arieh, Benny Glaser, and Allen Kessler into Day 2.

Conversely, stars like Michael Mizrachi, Shaun Deeb, and Joao Vieira didn't find success in their first attempts but can still utilize the re-entry option.

Top 10 Stacks After Day 1 – Event #33: $10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better Championship

Vo Ngo Leads to Final, Patrick Leonard and Dennis Weiss in the Hunt

In the technical discipline of $1,500 Limit Hold'em 7-Handed, only 8 players remain from a total of 510 entries, competing for the bracelet and the top prize of $133,704.

Entering the final day as chipleader is American Vo Ngo, with experienced veteran Ronnie Bardah and elite online grinder Patrick Leonard close behind. 

Beyond the aforementioned pursuers, only German Dennis Weiss, currently fourth, can boast having already won a bracelet.

Rankings After Day 2 – Event #30: $1,500 Limit Hold’em 7-Handed

Aliaksandr Shylko Leads After Opening Day in $3K NLH

Event #32: $3,000 No-Limit Hold’em recorded 979 entries on its opening day, with this number expected to rise as late registration is open through the first level of Day 2.

A total of 295 players advanced to Day 2, led by Belarusian Aliaksandr Shylko. Familiar names like Jean-Robert Bellande and Niall Farrell have secured spots in the top 10, while Joe McKeehen, Chance Kornuth, Brian Yoon, and Jesse Lonis are also in the mix.

Sources: WSOP, WSOP Live, X, YouTube