2026 WSOP Day 41: $10,000 Main Event Dominates Proceedings

Day 41 of the 2026 World Series of Poker (WSOP) might have appeared deceptively quiet on paper, with only three events scheduled. However, the energy at the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas was anything but subdued, thanks to the sheer gravitational pull of the $10,000 Main Event. Day 1d alone drew an astounding 4,694 entrants, once again packing the venues to capacity and underscoring the enduring allure of poker's most prestigious tournament.

Amidst the Main Event frenzy, only one gold bracelet found a new owner on July 5. Zixuan Liu claimed his maiden bracelet and a substantial $219,391 prize in Event #85: $1,000 No-Limit Hold'em. Speaking to *PokerNews*, Liu revealed his plans to use a portion of his winnings to purchase a new car for his supportive wife, a heartwarming gesture following his significant victory.

The Main Event's Day 1d was a marathon of strategic play, with 4,694 hopefuls embarking on their quest for poker's ultimate title. By the time the dust settled, 3,638 players had successfully navigated the day's rigorous blind structure, bagging chips for Day 2. Leading this massive field was Massachusetts native Taylor von Kriegenbergh, who amassed an impressive 312,800 chips. Despite his considerable poker acumen and earnings, von Kriegenbergh is still chasing his first WSOP bracelet, and this dominant start positions him perfectly for a deep run.

While von Kriegenbergh was building his stack, Day 1d also witnessed some dramatic exits. Patrick Lander, for instance, learned a harsh lesson about ill-timed aggression, bluffing off his entire stack with nothing more than six-high. Lander's audacious preflop squeeze, followed by bets on the flop and turn, culminated in a river jam that was swiftly called by an opponent holding a set, ending Lander's Main Event dream prematurely.

The field of Day 1d survivors included a notable contingent of former Main Event champions, all vying to etch their names into an even more exclusive club of two-time winners. Max Neugebauer led this esteemed group with 198,700 chips. Other past champions advancing were Stoyan Madanzhiev (121,000), Jonathan Tamayo (109,300), Ryan Riess (106,800), Scott Blumstein (105,600), Simone Andrian (97,200), Joe McKeehen (75,000), Hossein Ensan (50,000), Chris Moneymaker (39,500), Alexandros Kolonias (36,700), and Robert Varkonyi (33,100). Their presence adds a captivating layer of narrative to the unfolding drama.

Beyond the former champions, many other prominent poker figures also secured their spots in Day 2. Kathy Liebert bagged a top-20 stack with 245,000 chips, showcasing her enduring skill. Other notable players who advanced with healthy stacks included Taylor Paur (224,500), Viktor Blom (217,100), Massoud Eskandari (206,400), Martin Kabrhel (202,200), Stephen Song (201,600), Tyler Smith (198,100), Asi Moshe (195,300), and Chris Hunichen (194,900), all comfortably within the top 100 chip counts.

| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 1 | Taylor von Kriegenbergh | United States | 312,800 | 391 | | 2 | Michael Comisso | United States | 293,000 | 366 | | 3 | Sean Costa | United States | 292,600 | 366 | | 4 | Michael Rossitto | Italy | 289,300 | 362 | | 5 | Terrence Burke | Ireland | 287,000 | 359 | | 6 | David Wells | United States | 283,000 | 354 | | 7 | Juan Becerra | United States | 277,000 | 346 | | 8 | Jameson Kauch | United States | 263,500 | 329 | | 9 | Gonzalo Almada | Argentina | 256,100 | 320 | | 10 | Alexander Dovzhenko | Ukraine | 255,000 | 319 |

In parallel to the Main Event, Event #86: $600 Ultra Stack No-Limit Hold'em kicked off its first of three flights. This more accessible event attracted 1,366 entrants, with 98 players punching their tickets to Day 2 after 22 levels of play. Two-time bracelet winner Ryan Bambrick navigated the field effectively, bagging 1,315,000 chips, placing him 15th overall. Bambrick's previous victories include a $1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha event in 2018 and the $10,000 Stud Hi-Lo Championship last summer.

Japan's Naoya Kihara continued his remarkable 2026 WSOP campaign, adding another Day 2 qualification to his impressive resume. Kihara, who has already cashed in 14 events this series, including five final table appearances and back-to-back bracelet victories in championship events, finished with 590,000 chips. He was joined by 888poker ambassador Ian Simpson, who, despite his recent arrival in Las Vegas, quickly made his mark by progressing with 635,000 chips. Simpson will be looking to improve upon his 26th-place finish in this event last year, where he outlasted 7,057 other players.

| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 1 | Rajan Patel | United States | 2,690,000 | 67 | | 2 | Wade Gillett | Canada | 2,460,000 | 62 | | 3 | Ming Chen | United States | 2,390,000 | 60 | | 4 | Son Ho | United States | 2,280,000 | 57 | | 5 | Zahor Maymon | Israel | 2,000,000 | 50 | | 6 | James Hollman | United States | 1,810,000 | 45 | | 7 | Michael Danley | United States | 1,780,000 | 45 | | 8 | Sanjeev Kapoor | United States | 1,730,000 | 43 | | 9 | Adill Kassou | United States | 1,660,000 | 42 | | 10 | Andrew Dubuque | United States | 1,635,000 | 41 |

Looking ahead, Day 2abc of the Main Event is scheduled to commence at 11:00 a.m. local time on July 6, bringing back 2,468 players to the tables. The Day 1d survivors will have an extra day of rest, returning to action on July 7 at the same time. Meanwhile, Day 1b of the $600 Ultra Stack will also get underway at 10:00 a.m. local time on July 6, promising another day of intense poker action as the 2026 WSOP continues its relentless march towards crowning new champions.