For the first time, a timer was implemented in the deeper stages of the WSOP Main Event.

The 2026 WSOP Main Event introduced a timer for the first time on Day 7, giving players 20 seconds to act. This move was intended to speed up the pace of the game, but it has drawn mixed reactions.

If you watched the live stream of Day 7 of the WSOP Main Event, you would have noticed a major change that has already impacted the competition.

For the first time in the 57-year history of the World Series of Poker, a timer has been implemented. Timers, or "action timers," are not new to tournament poker. The PGT and the World Poker Tour (WPT) have used them for years to speed up the pace of the game and eliminate long deliberations.

Implementing this change during the deeper stages of the year's biggest event should benefit viewers of ESPN+ who are frustrated by long deliberations during the broadcast—a problem that has plagued Main Event broadcasts in the past. However, others are not fond of the timer implementation, including WSOP commentator and 2004 WSOP Main Event runner-up David Williams.

"This is a terrible idea. The tournament director should exercise discretion when someone behaves badly, like Loren and many others did yesterday," Williams tweeted.

Williams was referring to Loren Klein's 15-minute long deliberation on Day 6 with only one chip left, attempting to climb the ranks in hopes that another player would be eliminated if he were. Klein ultimately finished in 72nd place, winning $105,000, and he received harsh criticism on social media for this long deliberation.

Is this good or bad for the WSOP Main Event?

Day 7 begins at 11:00 AM Pacific Time on Sunday, with live streaming and PokerNews coverage starting approximately an hour later. The timer is immediately activated. Players will have 20 seconds to act, or they will be forced to check or have their hand deemed dead when facing a bet, unless they use time to extend their stack.

Time-Extended Chips give players an extra 30 seconds to act, and each player starts the day with six chips. Once the Time-Extended Chips are used up, they will be forced to act within a 20-second limit.

Chris Brewer, a high-stakes pro who is accustomed to using time-extended stacks in high-stakes tournaments, called the rule change "a completely terrible decision" and "extremely unfair" to recreational players.

The impact of the timer will be noticeable to viewers watching the live stream for the remainder of the tournament. Some poker players—including bracelet winner Galen Hall—support the timer. Others, such as Brewer and Andrew Lichtenberger, do not.

With 62 players remaining at the start of Day 7, the main event will proceed to the final table of nine on Monday – the "August Nine" – which will be held from August 3rd to 5th in Paris, Las Vegas. The final table will be streamed live on ESPN2 (August 3rd-4th) and ESPN (August 5th), not on paid subscription apps.

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