WSOP: What we are still talking about.
Yesterday
Naoya Kihara just pulled off the greatest comeback of the 2026 WSOP.
How often have you heard the famous poker phrase, “All you need is a chip and a chair”? This is exactly why that saying has stood the test of time. As long as you have a single chip left in your stack and a seat at the table, you still have a chance to win. And that’s precisely what happened in the $10,000 No-Limit 2-7 Lowball Single Draw Championship.
What makes this tournament particularly interesting to me is the game itself. No-Limit 2-7 Single Draw is often considered one of the purest forms of poker, with a heavy emphasis on reading opponents, betting decisions, and hand selection. It’s also my favorite poker variant and was the game I spent most of my time playing when PokerStars was available in my country. I’ve put in a lot of volume over the years and crossed paths with many of the format’s best players.
The tournament was eventually won by Naoya Kihara, a former Team PokerStars Pro from Japan and a highly respected player in this format. He’s someone I’ve played against online over the years, and from my experience, he’s always been a very tough opponent in 2-7 Single Draw.
According to PokerNews, Kihara outlasted a field of 198 entries to capture the bracelet and $428,923 in prize money. The victory ended a 14-year WSOP bracelet drought dating back to his win in the $5,000 Pot-Limit Omaha Six-Handed event in 2012, when he became Japan’s first-ever WSOP bracelet winner.
What’s remarkable is that Kihara nearly didn’t make it to the final table. On Day 1, a bluff gone wrong against Benny Glaser left him with just a small blind after Glaser made the call. Most players would have been headed for the rail shortly after.
Instead, Kihara fought back through a series of double-ups and triple-ups, completed one of the most incredible comebacks of the summer, and went on to win the tournament. Along the way, he also eliminated Phil Hellmuth, who finished in ninth place.
A chip and a chair. Sometimes that’s all you need. Well done Kihara!
That’s one easy way to make someone’s day.
It’s easy to put WSOP dealers on the blast for their mistakes. We need more of this, and rest assured the poker gods will reward you with some good karma. Or they won’t, but do it for the vibes!June 03
Can Tara Dunn go all the way?
With just over 100 players left and a big stack of chips to work with, Tara Dunn is in a great spot to make the final table and go after that bracelet. But it is PLO, so, who knows…Daniel Negreanu’s 2026 WSOP adventure continues.
It’s a new day and a whole new WSOP vlog from one of the game’s best. His day starts with some action from the $10k High Roller, where Negreanu has some chips to work with. But, as we all know, poker tournaments can be very fickle.June 02
Chance Kornuth is looking for a deep run.
After bagging a big stack yesterday, he returns today to continue his journey in the $10k GGMillion$ High Roller, but the bracelet is still quite a bit away.What does the lucky $1M bounty winner has to say?
This man turned his $550 tournament entry into a $1,000,000 mystery bounty, and he says he’s done for the summer. I mean, who can blame him?June 01
Here’s your free map to Water Coolers at the World Series of Poker.
Kevin Mathers is the go-to man for all WSOP info, big and small, and one of his latest post brings you information about where you can find water coolers in and around the tournament area.
It’s important to stay hydrated while grinding or working all sorts of poker media jobs, so it’s useful info to have.
May 28
Some interesting WSOP predictions from David Lappin.
He believes that the attendance in the Main Event will be down compared to the last year, and that this drop will lead to the event introducing a single reentry per player. Surely, they can’t do that for the Main?May 27
Ever wondered what your lifetime odds are to win a WSOP bracelet?
Honestly, on this occasion, ignorance is bliss.Daniel Negreanu put his money where his mouth is in this year’s $25K Fantasy draft, drafting himself for $116.
He was only outpriced by Shaun Deeb and Michael Moncek, with Deeb going for a whopping $133.
Negreanu’s advice for teams? Don’t blow your budget on one superstar, even if it’s Deeb. He told PokerOrg:
Some teams are willing to go all-in on one guy because they feel like they have a really good stable of $1 guys. However, if you look historically at this draft, those teams don’t typically win; the more balanced teams do.
With 44 players available for just $1, Negreanu sees the value in finding hidden gems.
But make no mistake—he’s confident in his own ability to rack up points, which explains why he didn’t hesitate to draft himself. Sometimes the best value is the player you know best.