WSOP Day 6: Negreanu's Brutal End in $25K Head-Up, Hellmuth Nearing 18th Bracelet

Brutal Blow for Daniel Negreanu

One of the major highlights of the sixth day was the round of 16 and quarterfinal matches in the prestigious Event #7: $25,000 Heads-Up NLH Championship. The spotlight was on Daniel Negreanu, who seemed on course for a dominant win against Chinese pro Biao Ding. At one point, Negreanu built a staggering tenfold lead, and it appeared the victory was secure.

However, a series of three consecutive double-ups by his opponent culminated in an exceptionally painful moment for the Canadian star. Negreanu went all-in with A h Q d, and Ding joined with A s 9 s. On the board 6 d 5 h 2 d T s, Negreanu stayed in the lead, only one card away from advancing. But the river 9 d was one of Ding's three outs. Frustrated, "Kid Poker" could only mutter helplessly: "I can't f*%king take it anymore."

Negreanu's ordeal ended in elimination. Although he logged his first cash of WSOP 2026, it came with a bitter taste.

Michael Mizrachi was also eliminated in the round of 16 by future semifinalist Ryuta Nakai. From the original star-studded field of 128 players, only four remain after the tough second day: Alex Foxen, Dimitar Danchev, Ryuta Nakai, and Nikita Kuznetsov.

In the final day, the remaining players will battle in direct match-ups for the title and the $800,000 top prize, with each already guaranteed at least $300,000.

Hellmuth Chasing 18th Bracelet

The prestigious Omaha Hi-Lo championship drew a total of 204 players after late registration closed, pushing the prize pool to $1,897,200. After a grueling second day, only 15 players remain in the hunt for the title and the top prize of $450,176.

The spotlight is firmly on legendary Phil Hellmuth, who from a provisional sixth place is making a run for his record-breaking 18th gold bracelet.

Chipleading ahead of the final day is three-time champion Scott Clements, with Omaha specialist Dylan Weisman hot on his heels. The second day ended fatally for many legends, including Phil Ivey, Brian Rast, and Jennifer Harman, while Brian Yoon took on the unpopular role of "bubble boy."

Despite this, the tournament remains star-studded. Alongside Phil Hellmuth, 11 other WSOP bracelet holders are still in the game.

Top 10 stacks after Day 2 in Event #9: $10,000 Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better

Andrew Shelton Becomes a Millionaire and David Prociak Leads Mini Mystery Millions

The massive opening tournament Event #1: $550 Mini Mystery Millions saw one of the most iconic moments of the series so far. With a total of 20,488 entries and a combined prize pool of $7,746,082 (over 4 million dollars in bounty prizes), all eyes were on the "golden chest" podium.

The most excitement was for recreational player Andrew Shelton, who, on a single attempt, advanced to the second day and then drew the main $1,000,000 bounty from the chest. Shelton celebrated boisterously, joking that he plans to use the money for a "party."

The tournament narrowed to the last 13 players after the second day, who will compete in the final day for the gold bracelet and a $400,000 win. All remaining participants are guaranteed a minimum payout of $21,790. American David Prociak has taken the chipleader position, eyeing his fourth career bracelet.

Top 10 stacks after Day 2 in Event #1: $550 Mini Mystery Millions

Schulman and Seiver Checkmated by Michael Casella

An extraordinary story unfolded in Event #8: $1,500 Badugi. American Michael Casella, who holds the prestigious chess title of FIDE Master, managed to defeat two of the most feared players on his path to his first gold bracelet.

In the final heads-up, Casella overcame freshly inducted Hall-of-Famer Nick Schulman, leaving Scott Seiver in third place. Both Schulman and Seiver missed their chance to snag their historic eighth bracelet.

The final day was filled with dramatic moments. Casella later admitted he had envisioned the final showdown the night before, planning to conquer a final four including Seiver, Schulman, and Dzivielevski.

Yet he likely didn't expect the heads-up to last over three hours. Schulman showcased incredible resilience, going all-in six times and surviving each.

Thanks to his chess discipline, which bolsters his ability to handle physical and emotional pressure, Casella maintained focus and captured the bracelet. He took home $141,963 from a total prize pool of $735,435 for his triumph in a field of 554 entries.

Results of the final table in Event #8: $1,500 Badugi

Negreanu and Ivey Aim for Redemption in GGMillion$ High Roller

Action kicked off in the prestigious Event #11: $10K GGMillion$ High Roller, attracting 194 entries in its first flight 1a. Ninety-two players advanced to Day 2, led by Taiwan's Chih Wei.

Among those advancing are several global stars, including Daniel Negreanu and Phil Ivey. Both have had a shaky start to WSOP 2026, but this event presents an opportunity to turn things around.

The tournament will continue with the second flight 1b, with registration remaining open during the first two levels of Day 2. It's anticipated that the total prize pool will grow as more world-class players join in.

Massive Deepstack Opening

Event #10: $600 Deepstack NLH saw an enormous turnout with 4,622 entries on its opening day, ballooning the prize pool to $2,329,488.

After the first day, only 230 players remain, competing for the trophy and a $259,829 top prize. Leading into the next day is American Adam Cohen, who secured his first WSOP cash with this advance. Notably, two-time bracelet winner Marco Johnson is the only WSOP champion in the top 10 of the standings.

The sixth day of WSOP 2026 also saw the start of the first lowball event of the series, Event #12: $1,500 No-Limit 2-7 Lowball Draw. This format attracted 626 entries, lifting the prize pool to $831,015, with a $155,819 reward for the future champion. After the opening day, 96 players remain, meaning the tournament is just shy of the money bubble, with 94 spots paid.

Current chipleader is American Andrew Park, with renowned poker names like Patrick Leonard and Jerry Wong in the top ten.

Sources: WSOP, X, PokerNews