WSOP 2026 Day 2 Recap: Selbst, Seed and Negreanu Back on the Felt in Las Vegas

Day 2 of the 2026 World Series of Poker (WSOP) at the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas lived up to its billing as one of the busiest days of the early festival, with four events running simultaneously and a host of big names making their WSOP 2026 debuts. The first gold bracelet of the summer is still to come, but the action is well and truly underway.

Event #1: $550 Mini Mystery Millions — Day 1b

Day 1b added another 1,562 entries to the Mini Mystery Millions, with 57 more players punching their tickets to Day 2. Israel's Tal Avivi led the flight, bagging 2,800,000 chips (92 BBs) to sit comfortably clear of the field. Avivi, a two-time WSOP Circuit ring winner, came agonisingly close to a bracelet last year, finishing fourth in the $1,500 H.O.R.S.E. for $64,607.

Several bracelet holders also advanced, including Valentino Konakchiev (570,000), Ryan Laplante (520,000), Brett Shaffer (505,000), Mike Leah (246,000), and Erick Lindgren (194,000). Through two flights, 117 players have now bagged for Day 2 from a combined 3,197 entries. Day 1c fires at 10:00 a.m. on May 28.

Event #1: $550 Mini Mystery Millions — Day 1b Top 10 Chip Counts

Event #2: $5,000 8-Handed No-Limit Hold'em — Day 2

The $5,000 8-Handed event is down to just 24 players, with Russia's Anatoly Nikitin holding a commanding lead on 3,290,000 chips (132 BBs). His fellow countryman Ivan Ruban sits second with 2,300,000, ahead of Xiaohu Liu (1,910,000) in third. The winner will collect $502,985. Phil Hellmuth, Daniel Negreanu, Shaun Deeb, and Scott Seiver all fell before the bubble. Day 3 begins at 1:00 p.m. on May 28, with the plan to play down to five-handed.

Event #2: $5,000 8-Handed No-Limit Hold'em — Day 2 Top 10 Chip Counts

Event #3: $500 Industry Employees — Day 1

The Industry Employees event drew 906 entrants, trimmed to 136 by the end of Day 1. Jerome Neppl leads the returning field with 758,000 (126 BBs), ahead of Yutaka Morishima (517,000) and Ronan Woolman (491,000). The first bracelet of the 2026 WSOP will be awarded when this event concludes on May 28, with the winner taking home $64,083.

Event #3: $500 Industry Employees — Day 1 Top 10 Chip Counts

Event #4: $1,500 Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better — Day 1

The first mixed game of the summer drew 828 entries and a $1,099,170 prize pool, with 179 players advancing to Day 2. Lawrence Berg, a bracelet winner from 2016, leads the way with 373,000 (62 BBs), just ahead of Dekel Balas (354,000) and William House (294,000).

Among the notables to advance are Vanessa Selbst (122,000), Huck Seed (59,000), and Allen Kessler (25,000), all making welcome returns to the WSOP felt. The champion will earn $191,362, with Day 2 resuming at 1:00 p.m. on May 28.

Event #4: $1,500 Omaha Hi-Lo — Day 1 Top 10 Chip Counts

What's Coming on WSOP 2026 Day 3

Six events will be in play on May 28 — the busiest day of the festival so far. Alongside the four continuing events, two new bracelet tournaments enter the mix: the $5,000 Pot-Limit Omaha (noon) and the $1,500 Seven Card Stud (2:00 p.m.), the latter of which Dan Heimiller won in 2025 for his third bracelet. The first gold bracelet of 2026 will be awarded when the Industry Employees event concludes.

All figures and data courtesy of PokerNews and the WSOP.