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2026 WSOP Day 40: Annette Obrestad Returns For Day 1c Of Main Event
Annette Obrestad makes a long-awaited return to the WSOP Main Event, headlining a Day 1c that saw 1,573 entries and set the stage for an explosive Day 1d.
TL;DR
Poker phenom Annette Obrestad ended an eight-year hiatus, joining the 2026 WSOP Main Event Day 1c field alongside 1,573 hopefuls. This pivotal day also saw four bracelets awarded and the $1,000 NLH Event narrow to 53 contenders, as the Main Event prize pool surged past $31 million.
As the United States celebrated its independence, inside the bustling halls of Paris and Horseshoe Las Vegas, Day 40 of the 2026 World Series of Poker (WSOP) delivered a fireworks display of its own. Six events unfolded, culminating in the awarding of four coveted bracelets and setting the stage for the highly anticipated Day 1d of the Main Event.
The day's early action saw South Africa's Adriaan Jacobs, a mere 21 years old, claim his first WSOP bracelet and $282,817 in Event #78: $600 Deepstack Championship No-Limit Hold'em. Not long after, Myles Mullaly navigated a relentless gauntlet of all-ins to seize the title in Event #84: $5,000 Super Turbo Bounty No-Limit Hold'em, pocketing a hefty $593,601.
The emotional highlight of the day belonged to Toby Price, who, with a pair of lucky dice gifted by his father, triumphed in Event #81: $800 Summer Celebration. Price secured his inaugural bracelet and a substantial $500,000. Rounding out the bracelet winners was Justin Fawcett, who endured a grueling battle to clinch Event #83: $1,500 Double Board Bomb Pot Pot-Limit Omaha, the series' sole double-board event.
However, the poker world's gaze was firmly fixed on Day 1c of Event #82: $10,000 WSOP Main Event NLH World Championship, which saw the triumphant return of Annette Obrestad. Absent from the WSOP for eight years, Obrestad's presence was a significant talking point. She famously became the youngest bracelet winner in history at just 18 years old, capturing the WSOPE Main Event title in 2007. Her reentry into the poker scene earlier this year, after a prolonged break, signaled a comeback that fans had eagerly awaited.
Day 1c drew 1,573 new players, swelling the total Main Event entries to 3,383 and pushing the prize pool to an impressive $31,461,900. While these numbers are already substantial, expectations are high for Day 1d on Sunday, July 5th, which is projected to surpass the combined entries of the first three flights. Late registration will also remain open into the early stages of Day 2, ensuring the final attendance and prize pool figures will continue to climb.
Among the survivors of Day 1c, Yulian Bogdanov emerged as the chip leader, bagging an impressive 315,000 chips. Veteran pro Freddy Deeb also demonstrated his enduring prowess, securing an eighth-place stack with 267,800 chips. The day wasn't without its casualties, as former Main Event champions Jamie Gold, Martin Jacobson, and Qui Nguyen all saw their hopes dashed before the close of play. Yet, a host of notable players successfully navigated the day, including Dylan Smith (205,500), Brian Hastings (178,100), Jerry Wong (158,000), Brian Rast (119,100), Jessica Teusl (116,300), and Chino Rheem (171,300).
The 1,166 survivors from Day 1c will converge with the 1,810 players from Day 1a and 1b for a combined Day 2abc on July 6th, commencing at 11 a.m. local time. Meanwhile, Day 1d is scheduled to kick off simultaneously at 11:00 a.m. on Sunday, July 5th, promising another day of intense competition.
Here are the top chip counts from Main Event Day 1c:
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds | |---|---|---|---|---| | 1 | Yulian Bogdanov | Bulgaria | 315,000 | 394 | | 2 | Arturas Astrauskas | Lithuania | 296,700 | 371 | | 3 | Lawrence Brandt | United States | 292,800 | 366 | | 4 | Rahul Gangan | United States | 291,600 | 365 | | 5 | Jourdan Baptiste | United States | 281,600 | 352 | | 6 | Justin Arnwine | United States | 280,600 | 351 | | 7 | Gaspar Fernandez | Argentina | 279,000 | 349 | | 8 | Freddy Deeb | Lebanon | 267,800 | 335 | | 9 | Simon Wilson | Ireland | 264,000 | 330 | | 10 | Naveen Sama | India | 256,500 | 321 |
Beyond the Main Event, Event #85: $1,000 No-Limit Hold'em saw its Day 1 conclude with a massive field of 1,732 entries whittled down to a mere 53 players after 22 levels of play. Zixuan Liu established a dominant lead, bagging 2,075,000 chips, followed by Edgaras Kausinis with 1,520,000 and Fahir Han with 1,515,000. Bracelet winners Gregory Merson (1,030,000) and Lukas Pazma (580,000) also advanced, along with 25K Fantasy participant Charles Phillips (900,000). These remaining contenders will vie for their share of the $1,524,160 prize pool when Day 2 commences at 11:00 a.m. local time, with blinds at 15,000/30,000 and a 30,000 big blind ante, aiming to play down to a champion.
