2026 World Series of Poker

Day: 1
12
Event Info
2026 World Series of Poker
Event Info
Buy-in
$25,000
Prize Pool
$3,478,000
Total Entries
148
Players Left
16
Average Chip Stack
1,228,125
Total Chips
19,650,000
Next Payout
Place 16
$50,340
Level Info
Level
19
Limits
0 / 0
Ante
0
Players Info - Day 1
Entries
109
Players Left
64
Players Left 16 / 148
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Lonis Lays it Down

Level 1

Limit Hold’em

Thomas Keller raised from the hijack and called a three-bet from Jesse Lonis on the button.

Keller check-called a bet from Lonis on the 5107 flop and then both players checked on the 9 turn.

Keller led out for a bet after the 4 completed the board and Lesse re-checked his hole cards before sending them into the muck.

"I could beat queen-jack," Lonis said as Keller collected the pot.

Tags: Jesse LonisThomas Keller

Eslami Takes Early Chip Lead after Crazy Razz Hand

Level 1
Ali Eslami
Ali Eslami

Razz

Matt Glantz completed, Ali Eslami raised, Thomas Keller cold-called, and Glantz called.

Ali Eslami: XxXx / 6x6x5x4x / Xx
Thomas Keller: XxXx / 7x10x10x4x / Xx
Matt Glantz: XxXx / 2xJx7xJx / Xx

Keller led on fourth, Glantz called, Eslami raised, Keller three-bet, Glantz called, Glantz made it four bets, Keller capped it at five, and both opponents called.

"Two maniacs from the Commerce," Glantz joked as he found himself caught in the middle of a raising war.

Glantz was the only one with no pair on fifth and led, Eslami raised, Keller cold-called, Glantz made it three bets, and both opponents called.

"I'm I really the low pair?" Eslami commented on sixth as he led, and both Keller and Glantz called as finally just a single bet went in.

Eslami led a final time on seventh, getting two calls again as he tabled 5x3x2x in the hole, announcing, "I had two pair but improved," and he collected a massive pot for this early in the tournament as his six propels him to the chip lead.

Tags: Ali EslamiMatt GlantzThomas Keller

More Fixed-Limit Poker Enthusiasts Join

Level 1

Gupta up Early

Level 1

Razz

Ali Eslami: XxXx/3xQxAx7x/Xx
Ashish Gupta: Jx7x4x/6x5x2xQx
Brian Tate: XxXx/2xQxKx - folded on fifth street

Three ways on fourth street in a raised pot, Ashish Gupta bet and both Eslami and Tate called.

Gupta bet again on fifth street, which got a call from Eslami and a fold from Tate.

Eslami called one more bet from Gupta on sixth street and then both players checked on seventh.

Gupta turned over his hole cards for a seven and Eslami scooped up his cards and sent them into the muck.

Tags: Ali EslamiAshish GuptaBrian Tate

Buchalter Wins Early Pot

Level 1

Razz

Jiyang Gan: 8x5xXx/2x3x10x9x
Yehuda Buchalter: Qx7x2x/Ax8x7x5x

On a multi-way fourth street, Jiyang Gan bet, and only Yehuda Buchalter called. Buchalter caught bets on fifth street and led out. Gan called, and he called another bet by Buchalter on sixth street.

Seventh street then checked to showdown, where Buchalter tabled an eight-seven. Gan showed a nine-eight, mucking his final card to admit defeat.

Tags: Jiyang GanYehuda Buchalter

Earliest Entrants

Level 1

Shuffle up & Deal

Level 1

With 10 players to get things started, Event #97: $25,000 High Roller H.O.R.S.E. is now underway!

Level: 1

Limit Flop: 1,000-1,500 Blinds, 1,500-3,000 Limits
Stud Games: 500 Ante, 500 Bring-In, 1,500 Completion, 1,500-3,000 Limits

Who Will Ride Off Into the Sunset With the $25,000 High Roller H.O.R.S.E. Title?

Chad Eveslage - Winner - Event #98: $25,000 High Roller H.O.R.S.E.
Chad Eveslage - Winner - Event #98: $25,000 High Roller H.O.R.S.E.

The final $25,000 buy-in event of the series sees the return of Event #97: $25,000 High Roller H.O.R.S.E. to the 2026 World Series of Poker (WSOP) at the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas. It’s a three-day event, with the action starting at 2:00 p.m. on July 13.

This event historically attracts some of the biggest stars in poker, with Phil Ivey, David Oppenheim and Nacho Barbero being just some of the game’s heavyweights who cashed last year. It’s one of the most challenging events to take down, given the buy-in and the fact that gameplay fluctuates between five different poker variants.

📌 Event Snapshot

  • Event: #97 – $25,000 High Roller H.O.R.S.E.
  • Date(s): July 13-15, 2026
  • Time: 2:00 p.m. local time
  • Buy-In: $25,000
  • Format: H.O.R.S.E.
  • Late Registration: Open for 12 levels (Approximately 4:15 p.m. on Day 2.)
  • Starting Stack: 150,000 chips
  • Levels: 60 minutes
  • 2025 Winner: Chad Eveslage ($883,841)
  • 2025 Field Size: 150
  • 2025 Prize Pool: $3,525,000

Structure and Schedule

Day 1 of the $25,000 High Roller H.O.R.S.E. begins at 2:00 p.m. local time. Players start with 150,000 chips, but the margin for error is tight with only one re-entry being permitted per player. A 15-minute break will take place every two levels.

Play ends on the first day after Level 10, and those still left will return on July 14 when Day 2 commences at 1:00 p.m. local time. Late registration remains open until the end of Level 12, at approximately 4:15 p.m. on Day 2, before a short 10-minute break. A 60-minute dinner break will interrupt the action after Level 16 ends.

The final day kicks off on July 15, though its start time is yet to be confirmed at the time of writing. All remaining entrants will then play until a winner is crowned.

Past Champions & History

Poker Hall of Famer Brian Rast couldn’t quite clinch gold last year, as he was defeated by fellow American Chad Eveslage. Eveslage took home the bracelet and an impressive $883,841 for his efforts.

The 2024 edition of this event was won by China’s Xixiang Luo, who somewhat shocked a more established, star-studded field to take home $725,796.

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Tags: Brian RastChad EveslageDaniel NegreanuDavid OppenheimNacho BarberoPhil IveyXixiang Luo

Event #97: $25,000 High Roller H.O.R.S.E.

Day 1 Started