Hellmuth is once again close to their historic 18th title.
After the ninth day of the 2026 World Series of Poker (WSOP), poker legend Phil Hellmuth once again became the focus of attention.
In Event #17:$10,000 No-Limit 2-7 Lowball Draw Championship, Hellmuth successfully advanced to the final 13, taking another step closer to his 18th WSOP gold bracelet.
Hellmuth currently holds 17 WSOP gold bracelets, firmly holding the record. If he wins this title, he will further extend his own record.
Although he is not in a leading position on the scoreboard, he still has 31 big blinds of room to maneuver, giving him a full chance to make a comeback.
The final 13 people collectively owned 44 gold bracelets.
This year's $10,000 No-Limit 2-7 Lowball Draw Championship is a gathering of top players.
As the competition entered its final day, 13 players remained, and these 13 players collectively possessed 44 WSOP gold bracelets, making it arguably one of the most prestigious finalist lineups in this year's WSOP so far.
Besides Hellmuth, the field also includes:
- Shaun Deeb (8 gold bracelets)
- Alex Foxen
- Chad Eveslage
- John Monnette
- John Cynn
- Jason Daly
- Naoya Kihara
World-class professional poker players.
This also means that every hand from now on will be a battle of skill between top professional players.
Shaun Deeb is chasing his ninth gold bracelet.
One of the players with the best chance of winning the championship is Shaun Deeb, an American hybrid game expert.
Deeb is second overall with 1.53 million chips, trailing only Japan's Ryutaro Suzuki with 1.57 million chips.
In recent years, Deeb has been one of the contenders for WSOP Player of the Year (POY).
Although he already has eight gold bracelets, he has suffered repeated defeats in championship battles in recent years.
Now that he has entered the final day again, many people are optimistic that he has a chance to win his ninth gold bracelet.
Many poker fans are looking forward to seeing Deeb and Hellmuth face off in a heads-up match.
The two have frequently joked with each other on social media in recent years, and if they eventually meet in the championship match, it will undoubtedly become one of the most talked-about moments of this year's WSOP.
The Japanese army rose to prominence.
It is worth noting that the Japanese athletes performed exceptionally well in this competition.
Besides scoreboard leader Ryutaro Suzuki, Japan WSOP bracelet winner Naoya Kihara also ranked in the top three.
In recent years, the Japanese poker market has developed rapidly, and a large number of professional poker players have become active on the international stage.
From the WSOP to Triton Poker, and then to major series like EPT and PokerStars, the presence of Japanese players has been steadily increasing.
The fact that two top Japanese players have both advanced to the final 13 once again demonstrates the competitive strength of the Asian contingent.
GGMillion $ High Roller Tournament Enters Final Stage
Besides the 2-7 Championship, another highlight event, Event #11:$10,000 GGMillion$ High Roller, is also entering a heated phase.
After several days of fierce competition, the number of participants has been reduced to the final eight.
Currently, Naseem Salem is leading the field, while several high-stakes pros still have a chance to win the title.
The tournament boasts an impressive total prize pool, with the champion's prize expected to exceed one million US dollars, thus attracting a large number of world-class players.
The US Tour Championship is highly competitive.
Event #16: $1, the 700 US Circuit Championship also garnered significant attention.
After the second day of competition, Antonio Vargas successfully climbed to the top of the scoreboard.
The event attracted more than 2,000 participants, with a total prize pool exceeding $3 million.
As the competition progressed into its second half, the competition became increasingly fierce.
Many professional poker players hope to add a championship title to their 2026 WSOP through this event.
WSOP reaches its true climax
Entering its second week, the 2026 WSOP has fully entered its most exciting phase.
From the creation of the Mini Mystery Millions million-dollar prize, to Dimitar Danchev winning the $25K heads-up championship, and the emergence of new champions such as Honghao Zhang and Justin Liberto, new stories unfold every day.
Now, Phil Hellmuth is once again on the verge of winning the championship, drawing all eyes back to this poker legend.
If he can successfully stage a comeback and win his 18th WSOP gold bracelet, it will undoubtedly be one of the most historic moments of the 2026 WSOP so far.
Want to change Texas Holdem from "can understand" to "can win"?
If you want to learn more about Texas Hold'em, you can continue reading：
The Origins of Texas Hold'em: Why is it the World's Most Popular Poker Variant?
Texas Hold'em Hand Rankings and Showdown Rules (Beginner’s Essentials)
Texas Hold'em Betting teaching: Check / Bet / Call /Raise and Betting Strategy Analysis
The importance of Texas Hold'em position? Why is the back position more advantageous?
How to play Texas Hold'em? Novices learn Texas Hold'em rules, processes and betting teaching in 10 minutes
Texas Hold'em Starting Hands Strategy Guide: Which Hands to Play?
Texas Holdem Starting Hands Chart Tutorial: Complete Starting Hand Chart and Position Strategy
How to play Texas Hold'em? Complete rules and a hand's flow (Preflop / Flop / Turn / River)
Hunter Poker offers comprehensive tutorials, hand analysis, and strategy sharing to help players upgrade from simply "reading the cards" to understanding the range . This allows you to make better decisions in every hand.
▶️ In Facebook Follow Hunter Poker.
📘 In Youtube Follow Hunter Poker.