Todd Brunson aims for a gold bracelet again after 21 years! WSOP Day 31 focuses on the ultimate showdown of the 2-7 Championship Match.

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On Day 31 of the 2026 WSOP, Todd Brunson leads the final 11 of the $10,000 Limit 2-7 Lowball Triple Draw Championship, aiming for his second WSOP gold bracelet. The Women's Championship has officially begun, and several other championship events are simultaneously entering their crucial stages.

Published: June 26, 2026 Updated: June 26, 2026 Category: International News
International Poker News Todd Brunson aims for a gold bracelet again after 21 years! WSOP Day 31 focuses on the ultimate showdown of the 2-7 Championship Match. WSOP Latest News WSOP High Stakes Tournament Report
 
Todd Brunson leads the 2026 WSOP 10K 2-7 Championship Series.
Todd Brunson entered the final 11 of the 10K Limit 2-7 Championship as the scoreboard leader.

 

The 2026 World Series of Poker (WSOP) entered its 31st day, with various events gradually reaching a fever pitch.

The day's most anticipated event was Event #67: the $10,000 Limit 2-7 Lowball Triple Draw Championship. This championship, hailed as a litmus test for mixed-game masters, saw only 11 players remain to compete for the title after two days of intense competition.

Leading the pack was Todd Brunson, a member of the legendary poker family.

The son of poker legend Doyle Brunson currently holds 2,010,000 chips, holding a narrow lead at the top of the leaderboard as he races for his second WSOP gold bracelet.


Trying for a gold bracelet again after 21 years

For Todd Brunson, this advancement to the deep end was of great significance.

His only WSOP gold bracelet came from the $2,500 Omaha Hi-Lo event in 2005. Since then, although he has reached the WSOP final table many times and achieved deep results, he has never been able to win the title again.

Now, 21 years later, 56-year-old Todd Brunson is once again standing in front of the championship door.

If he wins the title, he will have won his second gold bracelet in his career, while continuing the Brunson family's legendary status in WSOP history.


The competition for the final 11 spots was extremely fierce.

Although Todd Brunson is currently in the lead, his advantage is not significant.

Justin Smith, who is in second place, is only 50,000 chips behind, and the two are almost on the same starting line.

The top ten scoreboards after Day 2 are as follows:

RankingcontestantsScoreboard
1Todd Brunson2,010,000
2Justin Smith1,960,000
3Koji Fujimoto1,275,000
4Nick Schulman1,125,000
5Andrew Kelsall1,085,000
6Tommy Hang875,000
7Billy Baxter665,000
8Robert Wells600,000
9Naoya Kihara430,000
10Nam Le420,000

The field still boasts a large number of top players in the mixed gaming genre, making the outcome of the championship still highly uncertain.


Nick Schulman is aiming for the championship again.

Among the finalists, Nick Schulman is undoubtedly one of the most watched figures.

Just days ago, Schulman won his eighth WSOP gold bracelet, further solidifying his status as a contemporary master of hybrid games.

He has now made it to the later stages of the championship and entered the final day in fourth place.

If he can continue to advance, he will have the opportunity to achieve the feat of winning two titles at this year's WSOP.


Naoya Kihara continues his pursuit of new records.

Japanese poker legend Naoya Kihara also successfully made it into the final 11.

During this year's WSOP, Naoya Kihara has achieved several impressive results, including winning the $10,000 Limit Hold'em Championship.

Now he is back in the championship battle, continuing to add honors to his resume.

Although there are only about 5 high-scoring cards left, the experienced Kihara still has the ability to turn the tide at any time.


The Women's Championship officially begins

Besides the 2-7 Championship, another highlight of Day 31 is the WSOP Ladies Championship.

This year's tournament attracted a large number of female poker players, with the biggest focus naturally being Japanese star Shiina Okamoto.

Over the past three years, she has achieved:

  • 2023 runner-up
  • 2024 Champion
  • 2025 champion

They are now aiming for a historic three-peat.

If she successfully defends her title, she will become one of the most dominant players in the history of the WSOP Women's Championship.


Multiple championships are being held simultaneously.

Several other important matches will also be held on the 31st day of competition:

10K Triple Draw Championship

With the final 11 rounds underway, the winner of the $392,478 prize will soon be revealed.

Tag Team Championship

The popular duo team competition enters Day 2, with multiple star teams continuing to compete for the championship.

Other gold bracelet events

Multiple No-Limit Texas Hold'em and mixed game events were held simultaneously, setting the stage for the championship battles in the following days.


Preview of Match Day 32

As the WSOP enters its second half, the level of excitement continues to rise.

The most noteworthy points to watch next include:

  • Todd Brunson is aiming for his first gold bracelet in 21 years.
  • Nick Schulman seeks his second WSOP title.
  • Naoya Kihara continues to make history.
  • Okamoto Shina begins her three-peat journey
  • Multiple championship events enter the final stage

For Todd Brunson, this may be his closest chance to win the championship in recent years.

For the entire poker world, a new legendary story may be quietly unfolding in Las Vegas.

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