Jumalon and Saaskilahti Set for Heads-Up in WSOP Main Event

Lucas Jumalon will play for the biggest prize of his life after a frantic second day of the 2026 World Series of Poker Main Event final table sent five more players to the rail, leaving just two in contention for the $10,000,000 top prize and the WSOP Main Event bracelet.

After a comparatively slow opening night, action picked up quickly once play resumed, with doubles, suckouts and a runner-runner beat reshaping the counts inside the Horseshoe in Las Vegas . Jumalon, the 22-year-old chip leader from Washington, has yet to relinquish top spot at any point across the two days. He will now face Finland’s Lauri Saaskilahti heads-up, after the Finn was boosted by a river runner-runner straight that cracked the pocket aces of fifth-place finisher Han Feng.

“That was probably the key hand for today,” Saaskilahti said at the end of play. “I had a little bit of (an) unlucky (start today), … but after that, pretty much everything went my way.”

2026 WSOP Main Event Final Table Results

Shaevel First to Fall Wearing Kobe Tribute

Shaevel First to Fall Wearing Kobe Tribute

The first elimination of the day arrived when Jamie Shaevel raised to 10,000,000 with only 4,500,000 behind. Jumalon called, and the flop landed seven-four-three. Jumalon checked, Shaevel shoved his remaining chips, and Jumalon called. Both the turn and river brought jacks, pairing the board - Jumalon’s king-ten held up against Shaevel’s king-six on the better kicker, sending Shaevel to the rail in seventh place for $1,500,000.

Shaevel, a Southern California cash game specialist, played the final table wearing a Kobe Bryant tribute jersey.

“Growing up and watching Kobe and embracing and appreciating Mamba Mentality shaped who I am,” he said afterwards. “The jersey I wore was given out at the memorial game after Kobe passed. It’s very special to me, so I thought if I’m going down, I’d like to go down wearing this.”

Hammoud Departs in Sixth Despite Emotional Run

Rami Hammoud followed shortly after, moving all in on a spade-heavy flop with queen-jack. Jumalon had already committed with ace-five of hearts, and neither the turn nor the river changed the outcome, sending the Canadian out in sixth place for $1,750,000.

“Grateful, a lot of gratitude,” Hammoud told reporters. “What an experience, to share this with all my friends and family, this will change my life. Imposter syndrome is a big thing for me, to be able to see myself compete at the highest level… under the pressure this is massive for me.”

Feng’s Aces Cracked in Brutal Fashion

The pivotal hand of the day came when Han Feng moved all in for the remainder of his stack holding pocket aces, only for Saaskilahti to make the call with pocket nines. A diamond-heavy flop kept Feng in front, but the turn gave Saaskilahti an open-ended straight draw, and the river completed it, cracking the aces and ending Feng’s run in fifth place for $2,250,000.

“It’s fine, man, it happens,” Feng said of the exit. Asked about his next stop, he confirmed he already had a seat booked for EPT Barcelona.

Gagliano Eliminated in Fourth

Michael Gagliano , playing as the short stack for much of the session, moved all in from the button with king-queen. Greg Mueller called from the small blind with pocket fours before Jumalon three-bet all in from the big blind with king-jack, and Mueller folded. Jumalon’s jack landed on the turn to make two pair and move him into the lead, and the river blanked, sending Gagliano to the rail in fourth place for $2,750,000.

“It’s unbelievable,” Gagliano said afterwards. “I couldn’t have asked for more. The support from my friends, my family, people online, people playing, the rest of the fans. It was just unbelievable. Obviously, I wish I did a little bit more, but you do what you can with what you’re dealt.”

Mueller’s Rail Roars Until the End

No player drew a louder reaction on Day 2 than Greg Mueller . The Canadian and three-time bracelet winner survived multiple short-stack spots to the delight of his rail, doubling twice, including a hand where his king-jack out-flopped Saaskilahti’s ace-king, before three-handed play began.

Three-handed, Mueller shoved the button with king-seven and picked up the blinds. On the next hand, Saaskilahti limped the small blind and Mueller checked his option in the big blind. The flop paired the board with two aces, and both players checked. Saaskilahti bet the jack turn and Mueller called. On the river, Saaskilahti moved all in, and Mueller made the call, tabling ten-four for two pair, aces and fours. It wasn’t enough, though, as Saaskilahti’s pocket kings gave him the bigger two pair, and Mueller was eliminated in third place for $3,750,000.

“The energy they brought me, whether I was up … or down, and making me feel good, the love, the outpour … honestly, I can’t even describe it,” Mueller said of his rail after busting.

Two Remain: Jumalon and Saaskilahti Set for Heads-Up

With Mueller’s elimination, the WSOP Main Event field has been reduced to its final two, and Jumalon has yet to be knocked off top spot across either day of the final table.

Jumalon received final table coaching from poker streamer Patrick Leonard, who himself finished 32nd in this year’s Main Event for $265,000.

“Some of the stuff Lucas was doing was at such a high level that I wouldn’t even have contemplated doing some of the stuff that he did,” Leonard said ahead of Day 10. “But it makes so much sense.”

Asked about his heads-up game before play wrapped, Jumalon kept his cards close. “You know, you guys are just gonna have to stay tuned and find out,” he said.

Heads-up play resumes at 6 p.m. local time, with Jumalon looking to close out the win he has led from the start, and Saaskilahti aiming to become Finland’s first-ever WSOP Main Event champion.

All quotes courtesy of PokerNews, images courtesy of WSOP.