WSOP Day 27: Simao Claims Fourth Bracelet, Mizrachi Falls Short in $50K PPC

The Start of the 'Main Event of Mixed Games' and the Fall of Mizrachi

The highly anticipated Event #60: $50K Poker Players Championship attracted 87 elite players on its opening day. This five-day marathon, featuring nine poker disciplines, is considered by many pros to be the ultimate test of skill. The winner not only receives a gold bracelet but also the prestigious Chip Reese trophy.

The biggest shock came with the elimination of reigning champion Michael Mizrachi. The legendary 'The Grinder,' who made history last year with his fourth victory in this event, had to bow out on the first day. It was a Razz hand that spelled doom for him, with Brad Ruben knocking him out. Making things worse for the famous poker family, his brother Robert Mizrachi won't see Day 2 either, as he was eliminated as well.

Late registration remains open until the start of Level 10 on the second day, but the tournament doesn't allow re-entry, so only players who missed the opening day can join.

Daniel Negreanu told a different story, surviving a near disaster when he lost 80% of his stack to Chris Brewer in a massive hand early on. However, Negreanu managed to recover, rebuilding a solid stack, and continues with a strong position heading into Day 2.

Currently leading the 66 remaining players is American Matt Glantz, closely followed by British mixed-games specialist Benny Glaser.

Top 10 Stacks After Day 1 – Event #60: $50,000 Poker Players Championship

Simao's Dramatic Heads-up Turnaround

Brazilian poker is experiencing a hot summer, thanks to its brightest star. Joao Simao triumphed in the $50K PLO High Roller (Event #55), earning his fourth gold bracelet along with a $1,368,700 payday.

Simao conquered a stellar field of 110 entries and celebrated with his exuberant rail, chanting "Tetra, Tetra!" a phrase iconic in Brazil since 1994 when footballers celebrated their fourth World Cup title.

The final heads-up faced seasoned pro Simao against Indian businessman and casino owner Santhosh Suvarna, who had already claimed a $50K High Roller this summer.

Suvarna delivered a heroic performance, clawing his way into the heads-up after being the short stack and even entering it as the chipleader.

Simao, however, kept his cool during critical moments, shifting the tide in his favor. In the evening's final hand, holding A s A c J h 9 c, he called Suvarna’s all-in with T h T c 8 c 6 s. The board of A d 8 h 7 h 5 c K h gave Simao a decisive third ace, sealing his victory.

With this win, the Brazilian surpassed $20 million in lifetime tournament earnings.

Final Table Results of Event #55: $50,000 High Roller Pot-Limit Omaha

Isaia Leads the Final Twelve

The popular lowball discipline Triple Draw, with a $1,500 buy-in (Event #58), attracted a total of 657 entries, creating a prize pool of $872,167.

After a grueling second day, only 12 players remain in the hunt for the prestigious title, led by the veteran Italian player Alessio Isaia. Slovak player Oliver Tot holds the second position, followed by first-time bracelet winner Nick Pupillo. Seven WSOP bracelet winners have advanced to the final day.

The day was filled with tension, particularly when the bubble burst, leaving Germany’s Tobias Hausen as the unfortunate 'bubble boy.'

A remarkable story unfolds with Michelle Chin, who achieved a miraculous comeback. Though she was near the bottom of the leaderboard late in the day, a series of wins propelled her to fifth place.

Standings of the Final 12 Players in Event #58: $1,500 Limit 2-7 Lowball Triple Draw

Jamie Gold Scores First Win of 2026

The $500 Salute to Warriors charity event (Event #59) in honor of war veterans once again proved its massive popularity, drawing an impressive 4,478 entries. Nearly $180,000 was raised for veteran organizations.

After the opening day, 672 players survived the bubble's challenges, all guaranteed a minimum of $1,000.

Legendary 2006 Main Event champion Jamie Gold secured his path to Day 2, marking his first win of 2026. Other notable survivors include Brett Shaffer and Ari Engel.

Top 10 Stacks After Day 1 – Event #59: $500 Salute to Warriors

Millionaire Maker Braces for Field Merge

One of the most beloved tournaments at the entire WSOP is the $1,500 Millionaire Maker (Event #50). This year saw registrations reach an astounding 11,769 entries, generating a massive prize pool of $15,623,347. Only 424 players have advanced to the joint third day of play from this massive field.

Today marked Day 2d, with 164 players advancing. Leading the charge is Jamhour Qasem, who will enter Day 3 as the chipleader when the entire field converges.

Among those advancing are stars like Eugene Katchalov and Jim Collopy. Conversely, the tournament saw the exits of Kristen Foxen, Shiina Okamoto, and 2024 Main Event champion Jonathan Tamayo.

Madsen Chases Sixth Bracelet

The more affordable Event #57: $1K PLO continued with its second 1b flight, drawing an impressive 1,235 entries, raising the total to 1,918 over two days, with a prize pool now standing at $1,687,840.

After 17 levels, only 77 players moved on. Leading the day was American Craig Jones, the only player to bag over a million chips.

Among the successful are a stellar line-up of pros, including Jeff Madsen, David Prociak, and recent bracelet winner Stephen Hubbard.

All remaining players will meet in a unified second day of play following the final flight 1c.

Sources: WSOP, WSOP Live, X, PokerNews