Variance Spares No One: Inside Phil Ivey’s Cashless Start to the 2026 WSOP

The 2026 World Series of Poker (WSOP) in Las Vegas has reached day 17, bringing a highly unexpected storyline to the tournament floor. Phil Ivey , widely considered by many poker players to be the “Greatest of All Time” (GOAT), is still searching for his first cash finish of the summer.

This losing streak extends beyond the current series. The 11-time bracelet winner and Poker Hall of Fame member has not recorded a live tournament cash since December 2025, where a deep run concluded with a 140th-place finish at the WPT World Championship .

Early Elimination in the $100K High Roller

The latest opportunity to cash ended abruptly on Day 2 of Event #36: $100,000 High Roller No-Limit Hold’em. Facing a field of tough competitors, Ivey risked all his remaining chips before the tournament reached the money.

The final hand happened when Ivey went all-in with king-queen. Andrew Lichtenberger called the bet with pocket sevens. A seven hit the flop, giving Lichtenberger three of a kind and knocking Ivey out of the tournament. Just like Ivey always does, he stayed firm and quiet, leaving the room without showing any frustration.

Phil Ivey is all in and at risk during the 2026 WSOP $100K High Roller as Andrew Lichtenberger looks to score the knockout. 🥊

Can the G.O.A.T. win the flip and keep his tournament life alive? 👀 pic.twitter.com/pHdvJObEeq

- PokerNews (@PokerNews) June 11, 2026

Historical Context for Phil Ivey’s Summer Starts

While going two weeks without winning any money is surprising, past results show that slow starts happen even to the best players. During the 2025 WSOP , Ivey did not get a single cash finish until Event #38. After that first score, his luck changed quickly, and he made it to four separate final tables before the summer ended.

With a large part of the 100-event schedule still left to play – including the $50,000 Poker Players Championship and the $10,000 Main Event – Ivey has plenty of chances left to turn his summer around.

All photos courtesy of WSOP.