WSOPE Main Event 2026 Final Table (Credit: Tomás Stacha)

The stage is set at the King’s Casino Prague for the final showdown of the 2026 World Series of Poker Europe (WSOPE) Main Event.

This year’s edition didn’t just break records, it shattered them. The €5,300 buy-in event drew a massive 2,617 entries, making it the largest open event and the richest €5,000+ buy-in tournament in European history. The substantial €13,085,000 (~$15,264,300) prize pool easily cleared the €10M guarantee, leaving a life-changing €2,000,000 and a gold bracelet waiting for the winner.

Hengtao Zhu Leads The Final Nine

After a strong performance on Day 5, Hengtao Zhu remains the man to beat. Zhu, who started the day as the leader, maintained his dominance to bag a massive 36,300,000 (91 big blinds), more than double the average stack.

Zhu’s path to the top was paved with key eliminations, including a rivered straight to bust Michael McNicholas and an ace-king vs. ace-jack encounter against Maksym Mamon . A timely runner-runner flush against Rokas Asipauskas late in the day solidified his pole position.

I’m very happy and very grateful to be at the final table. I’ve been very lucky. I picked up strong value hands, and I know there are a lot of players better than me, but I try not to put too much pressure on myself for tomorrow.

The “Immortal” Eychenne and the Bracelet Hunter

Sitting second in chips is Thomas Eychenne with 25,825,000 (65 big blinds). It was a rollercoaster day for the 2025 EPT Barcelona champion, who spent hours nursing a stack of fewer than 10 big blinds. An improbable double-up with queen-four ignited a “god-mode” heater where he couldn’t lose a flip, eventually eliminating Thomas Hall in 10th place to set the WSOPE final table.

I ran so good! Of course, I’m very happy, but it’s funny because you’re never really satisfied. Since EPT Barcelona, I’ve only been losing, so it’s been tough to deal with. So when you run good like today and win all your all-ins, you almost feel like you don’t deserve it, which makes it hard to really enjoy it.

Third in chips is Brandon Sheils with 20,850,000 (52 big blinds). For Sheils, this isn’t just about the money. After a close call in Las Vegas last summer, the Brit is laser-focused on the hardware.

That one last summer was actually annoying. Bracelets are the thing I want more than anything else in the world. I’ve probably played more WSOP events over the last few years than anyone in this room. It’s the ultimate token. The money would change my life for sure, but if you told me ‘take twice the money and finish second,’ I’d still choose first and the bracelet.

WSOPE Final Table Chip Counts

Player	Flag	Chip Counts	Big Blinds
Hengtao Zhu	China	36,300,000	91
Thomas Eychenne	France	25,825,000	65
Brandon Sheils	UK	20,850,000	52
Chris Hunichen	USA	19,300,000	48
Marius Kudzmanas	Lithuania	18,050,000	45
Akihiro Konishi	Japan	14,400,000	36
Nikolay Bibov	Bulgaria	13,200,000	33
Antonio Guimaraens	Portugal	5,700,000	14
Joona Nyholm	Finland	3,275,000	8

Akihiro Konishi Carries Asia’s Hope at WSOPE Main Event

While the chip lead belongs to Zhu, all eyes from the Eastern circuit are also on Japan’s Akihiro Konishi . A regular in Asian events and a familiar face across the circuit, Konishi has successfully navigated a field dominated by European pros to secure his first-ever WSOP final table appearance.

Entering the final table with 14,400,000 (36 big blinds), Konishi is already guaranteed the largest live score of his career. However, for the Japanese pro, this is a chance to secure a career-defining title and a massive €2,000,000 prize that would send shockwaves through the Asian poker community. As the lone Japanese representative, he carries the hopes of a nation currently experiencing a massive poker boom.

Tournament Veterans and Short Stacks

The WSOPE final table features two established bracelet winners: Chris Hunichen (19,300,000), who won the WSOP $100K High Roller gold bracelet in 2024, and Marius Kudzmanas (18,050,000), a two-time WSOP Online champion.

On the shorter side of the spectrum, Nikolay Bibov (13,200,000), Antonio Guimaraens (5,700,000), and the shortest stack Joona Nyholm (3,275,000) will be looking for an early double-up to stay in contention.

WSOPE Final Table Payouts

Place	EUR (€)	USD ($)
1st	2,000,000	2,340,000
2nd	1,250,000	1,462,500
3rd	900,000	1,053,000
4th	650,000	760,500
5th	480,000	561,600
6th	360,000	421,200
7th	270,000	315,900
8th	200,000	234,000
9th	140,000	163,800

The action resumes this Friday at 12:00 PM local time, with blinds starting at 200,000/400,000. All eyes now turn to the final table as the €2,000,000 top prize and WSOPE Main Event bracelet are on the line in Prague.

All photos and quotes courtesy of PokerNews.