2026 WSOP: Benny Glaser Leads $50,000 Poker Players Championship Day 3
After Day 3 of the 2026 WSOP $50,000 Poker Players Championship PPC, Benny Glaser leads with 4.705 million chips. Former champion Brian Rast was eliminated, while Phil Ivey, Josh Arieh, Phil Hellmuth, and other notables cracked the top 15. The event has 15 players remaining, all vying for the title.
2026 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Event #60 – $50,000 Poker Players Championship (PPC) has entered Day 3, with elite players beginning to distinguish themselves. After three intense days, only 15 players remain, and a new champion will emerge, as defending champion Brian Rast was eliminated on Day 3. Before Day 4 begins, Benny Glaser leads with 4.705 million in chips, but he is closely followed by a strong field of players, including multiple gold bracelet winners Josh Arieh, Phil Ivey, and veteran Phil Hellmuth.
Empty-Handed for Some Players
Day 3 saw 39 players return, but only 17 would make the money (total prize pool $5.13 million), meaning 22 would leave empty-handed. Therefore, players first needed to avoid becoming one of them.
Rast was among the early exits, but not without a fight. As the shortest stack among the 39 survivors, he managed to survive using his mixed-game skills, but was ultimately overpowered by big stacks and missed the money. Joining him out were notable players such as Yuri Dzivielevski, David 'ODB' Baker, Jared Bleznik, Gus Hansen, and John Racener.
The money bubble was intense, taking over 40 hands to determine the elimination. Bryce Yockey had nearly lost all his chips in the previous hand and was forced all-in during the Pot-Limit Omaha round, left to watch the action unfold. Ultimately, Nick Guagenti hit a Jack full house on the river, sending Yockey out in 18th place (no prize).
Deep Stack Slow Down Eliminations
After the bubble burst, all remaining players secured at least $102,474, but no one was eager to leave. After Yockey's elimination, only two players were knocked out, one of whom was a previous chip leader.
In Deuce to Seven Triple Draw, Jesse Lonis raised from the hijack, Dara Taherpour three-bet, Josh Arieh four-bet from the small blind, Lonis called, and Taherpour shoved all-in. Everyone drew one card, Arieh bet, Lonis called. On the second draw, Taherpour and Arieh stood pat, while Lonis drew one. Arieh bet again, Lonis called. After the third draw, Arieh showed 8-7-6-3-2 to beat Lonis for the side pot, while Taherpour revealed 8-7-6-5-3, finishing 17th ($102,474).
In the No-Limit Hold'em round, Matt Glantz was eliminated. Jesse Lonis raised from under the gun, Glantz shoved all-in, Lonis called. Glantz held J♠3♥, Lonis held K♣5♠. The flop came K♦Q♠K♠, giving Lonis trip kings. Glantz could only hope for a flush, but the turn 9♥ and river 3♠ didn't help, sending Glantz out in 16th place ($102,474) to end the day's play.
Chip Counts at the Start of Day 4:
- Benny Glaser – 4,705,000
- Paul Volpe – 4,020,000
- Kristopher Tong – 3,305,000
- Nick Guagenti – 2,850,000
- Josh Arieh – 2,640,000
- Phil Ivey – 2,555,000
- Alex Livingston – 2,530,000
- Jason Mercier – 2,180,000
- Maxx Coleman – 1,780,000
- Chris Brewer – 1,565,000
- Chris Hunichen – 1,550,000
- Roy Thung – 1,025,000
- Jesse Lonis – 840,000
- Phil Hellmuth – 545,000
- Maksim Pisarenko – 135,000
Play has resumed at Paris Las Vegas casino, with plans to reduce the field from 15 to a final table of 7. Day 4 of the PPC will not be live-streamed on the WSOP YouTube channel, but the final table will be featured on Thursday evening.