At the start, 9,208 hopefuls had a single dream: to win the 2026 WSOP Main Event. Now, after almost two weeks of poker, the final nine men have been determined in the race. It is also time to epitomize one of the axioms of the United States Marine Corps when it comes to taking action on a situation – hurry up and wait – as these players will go into the cooler until August 3, when they will return to Paris Las Vegas to battle for the World Championship.
What Could Have Been…
There is a swath of poker’s fandom (this writer included) that is going to be left wanting for what the WSOP Main Event final table could have been. At the start of the Day Eight action, there were three distinct favorites for making it to that final table. Former World Champion Hossein Ensan was making a stirring run to try to win a second WSOP Main Event title, and defending WSOP Player of the Year Shaun Deeb was among the Top Ten. Meanwhile, Poker Hall of Famer Todd Brunson was showing the “new blood” that the “old guard” still had game. Alas, none of these three men will be around when the WSOP Main Event final table reconvenes on August 3.
Brunson was the first to go, and he went in his usual understated style. Despite fighting off the short stack from the start on Day Eight, he was able to get his chips to the center with a massive lead over Day Seven chip leader Malcolm Trayner, who would make a flush on the river to eclipse Brunson’s pocket Aces and send Brunson home in 20th place. He was followed by Deeb, who demonstrated an odd desire NOT to win the Main Event but to get back into action in other events still left on the WSOP schedule to pursue his POY defense and garner more points; he showed his lack of respect for the Main Event by finishing in 15th place.
By far the most impressive of the trio of top pros was Ensan. Ensan constantly had his chips in action during the Day Eight play, and he yo-yoed up and down the leaderboard. When he found A-Q in his hand, that was enough to push all his chips to the center against an early raiser. Unfortunately for the 2019 World Champion, three-time WSOP bracelet winner Michael Gagliano found Kings in the big blind and looked up Ensan; the runout failed to bring an Ace for Ensan, and he was out in 13th place.
A Good Day to Run Good
For Spokane, WA’s Lucas Jumalon, it was a magical day of poker. He started Day Eight in prime position, third on the leaderboard, and he never seemed to make a bad decision during the run-up to the final table. Check that…he made some bad decisions, but he came out on the right side of the ledger when the cards came down. Through some fortunate outcomes, Jumalon would build a stack that would make him a formidable opponent come August.
The final hand of the night would be an example of the good fortune that Jumalon had going for him throughout Day Eight. After Jumalon raised the betting to three million chips and Trayner made the call, the flop came 4-8-8. Trayner, on a J-4, was ahead and moved his stack to the center after Jumalon checked his option, holding only a K-Q. Jumalon would call and, miraculously, running nines would come on the turn and river, counterfeiting Trayner’s two pair and giving the hand to Jumalon’s King kicker. By adding those chips, Jumalon will have a massive lead – but will have to wait a month before he can do anything with it.
1. Lucas Jumalon (USA), 194 million
2. Rami Hammoud (Canada), 79 million
3. Jamie Shaevel (USA), 56 million
4. Greg Mueller (Canada), 48.5 million
5. Michael Gagliano (USA), 46.5 million
6. Mario Boos (France), 44 million
7. Lauri Saaskilahti (Finland), 37.5 million
8. Han Feng (USA), 25 million
9. Evagoras Evagorou (Cyprus), 22.5 million
Along with Gagliano, the other notable name in the mix of the final nine is Mueller. ‘FBT’ is older now, but he has three WSOP bracelet wins in his pocket and a newfound “calm” in his approach to the game of poker that has made him a challenge for all who have come against him. It will be difficult for someone to mount a charge against Jumalon at the top of the mountain, however.
Now it is time for folks to howl. The WSOP Main Event final table will be reconvened on August 3, and the festivities will be televised LIVE on ESPN. The final table on August 3 will not begin until midnight (Eastern Daylight Time) on ESPN2 (playing to the final six), and the same will occur on August 4 as the table plays down to the final three. August 5 will see the final three players fight it out for the World Championship, but the action will not start until 10:30 PM, and it will run on ESPN until its conclusion.
(Photo courtesy of WSOP.com)
