Money Bubble Looms In 2026 WSOP Main Event

The hallowed halls of the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas are buzzing with anticipation as the 2026 World Series of Poker $10,000 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em Main Event inches closer to its pivotal money bubble. With an astounding 9,208 entries, this year's Main Event has carved out its place in history as the fourth-largest ever held in the tournament's 57-year run, generating a colossal prize pool of $85,634,400.

Day 3, held on Wednesday, July 8, marked the first time the entire surviving field of 3,294 players converged, creating an electric atmosphere. As the day concluded, the tension was palpable: only 1,389 players remained, meaning a mere seven more eliminations are needed to burst the money bubble. Once the bubble bursts, the top 1,382 finishers will secure a minimum cash of $15,000, all vying for the life-changing $10,000,000 top prize.

Leading the charge into Day 4 is cash game regular Sasha Liu, who bagged an impressive 2,364,000 chips. Liu is no stranger to deep runs in this prestigious event, having previously finished 324th in 2019 for $38,240 – a score she looks poised to eclipse significantly. Her strong performance positions her perfectly to navigate the treacherous bubble and make a serious run at the title.

Hot on Liu's heels are a host of poker luminaries. Two-time bracelet winner Martin Zamani holds the second-largest stack with 1,963,000, followed by bracelet winners Zdenek Zizka (1,576,000) and Will Givens (1,540,000). The 2019 World Champion, Hossein Ensan, also remains a formidable presence with 1,280,000 chips, showcasing his enduring skill.

Further down the chip counts, but still well-stacked, are a collection of other notable figures. Farid Jattin (1,279,000), World Poker Tour champion Masato Yokosawa (1,135,000), five-time bracelet winner Brian Yoon (1,132,000), four-time bracelet winner Artur Martirosian (1,063,000), bracelet winner Chris Hunichen (1,055,000), and two-time bracelet winner Erick Lindgren (1,000,000) all boast seven-figure stacks. Nine-time bracelet winner Shaun Deeb narrowly missed that milestone, finishing with 960,000.

Other familiar faces still in contention include bracelet winners Dutch Boyd (950,000) and Michael Banducci (933,000), alongside two-time bracelet winners Craig Varnell (932,000) and Boris Kolev (913,000). Current Card Player Player of the Year race leader, Alex Foxen, also remains a significant threat, bagging 839,000 chips. With over $60.9 million in career cashes and four bracelets to his name, Foxen is well-positioned to add another colossal score to his impressive resume.

While many stars shine brightly, Day 3 also saw the departure of numerous poker legends. All-time bracelet leader Phil Hellmuth, 2015 WSOP Main Event champion Joe McKeehen, nine-time bracelet winner Benny Glaser, and seven-time bracelet winners Scott Seiver and Brian Rast all hit the rail. The list of eliminated notables continued with five-time bracelet winner John Monnette, four-time bracelet winners Farzad Bonyadi, Julien Martini, Huck Seed, and Mike Matusow, as well as WSOP Circuit ring leader Maurice Hawkins, Kathy Liebert, and Viktor Blom.

Intriguingly, a strong contingent of former Main Event champions are still in the hunt for an unprecedented second title. Beyond Hossein Ensan, the field includes 2018 champion John Cynn (927,000), reigning champion Michael Mizrachi (615,000), 2013 champion Ryan Riess (431,000), 2017 champion Scott Blumstein (387,000), 2005 champion Joe Hachem (353,000), and 2004 champion Greg Raymer (205,000). Even the iconic 2003 winner, Chris Moneymaker, bagged 221,000 chips, despite a brutal hand where his K♥7♥ was outdrawn by Scott Sterling's A♠J♠ on a board of A♥7♠7♣J♥, with the A♦ on the river delivering a superior full house to Sterling.

The remaining 1,389 players will return for Day 4 at 11:00 AM on Thursday, July 9. Blinds will be 4,000-8,000 with an 8,000 big blind ante for level 16. With an average stack of 397,754 chips, players will have nearly 50 big blinds of breathing room when the cards are back in the air, ensuring strategic play as the money bubble looms large.

Here is a look at the top ten chip stacks heading into Day 4:

| Rank | Player | Chips | |------|-----------------|-----------| | 1 | Sasha Liu | 2,364,000 | | 2 | Martin Zamani | 1,963,000 | | 3 | Levon Khachatryan | 1,745,000 | | 4 | Robert Gill | 1,604,000 | | 5 | Zdenek Zizka | 1,576,000 | | 6 | Will Givens | 1,540,000 | | 7 | Brian Carraher | 1,463,000 | | 8 | Jared Passanante | 1,361,000 | | 9 | Abhishek Goindi | 1,355,000 | | 10 | Noah Andrew | 1,322,000 |