Halfway Review: Highlights and Regrets of the First Half of the 2026 WSOP

2026 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Midpoint Highlights

The 2026 WSOP schedule is halfway through, with 49 events completed. The first half has seen both highs and lows. Here are some highlights and low points.

Negreanu and Hellmuth's Slow Start

For Daniel Negreanu, the 2026 WSOP has been a frustrating opening. With his wife Amanda expecting, Negreanu had extra motivation to perform well on the WSOP stage, but in the events he played, he only cashed five times and made one final table (Event #28: $600 NLHE/PLO Eight-Handed Deep Stack). He had previously mentioned a more focused schedule, but now he urgently needs tangible results.

Phil Hellmuth is also off to a rough start. The former world champion and holder of 17 WSOP gold bracelets has faced repeated setbacks in Las Vegas summer tournaments—whether due to card luck or opponents' interference. Making his first WSOP appearance after moving to Nevada, Hellmuth has only cashed three times in the first half, with two final-table appearances (Event #17: $10,000 No-Limit 2-7 Lowball Draw; Event #9: $10,000 Limit Omaha Hi-Lo). But never count out the "Poker Brat"—he may yet erupt in the second half.

The Ferguson Couple: A Friendly Rivalry

The battle between poker's "golden couple," Alex and Kristen Ferguson, has drawn attention. As of the midpoint, both have won gold bracelets, continuing the family competition that started the series: Kristen leads with two bracelets (six in her career).

Kristen conquered an ultra-tough field in Event #19 ($25,000 No-Limit Hold'em High Roller). Her victory wasn't surprising, but she won so effortlessly it seemed fated. This is her sixth WSOP gold bracelet, further extending the record for female players and adding to her case for the Poker Hall of Fame.

Alex has also been busy, making five final tables in the first half and winning Event #44 ($10,000 Eight-Handed Super Bounty). This brings his total to four gold bracelets—still trailing his wife—but he currently leads the WSOP Player of the Year standings, an accomplishment Kristen has yet to achieve.

Mateos: Young and Accomplished

Looking back at the career of Spanish player Adrian Mateos, his achievements in a short time are remarkable. In the first half of the 2026 WSOP, he defeated Phil Ivey, Sean Winter, and runner-up Bryn Kenney to win the $250,000 No-Limit Hold'em Super High Roller, earning $4.4 million and his sixth gold bracelet. At 31, he is considered a potential candidate to challenge Hellmuth's record of 17 bracelets.

Double Winner: Naoya Kihara

Every WSOP, winning two gold bracelets is a major achievement. Japanese player Naoya Kihara accomplished this feat in just 23 events (about two weeks). On June 4, he won the $10,000 No-Limit 2-7 Lowball Draw World Championship; just three days later, he took down the $10,000 Seven-Card Stud World Championship. With over a month left in the schedule, can Kihara become a rare WSOP triple crown winner in a single year (only eight players have done so before, most recently Benny Glaser in 2025)?

These are the highs and lows of the first month of the 2026 WSOP. We look forward to witnessing more poker history being folded and unfolded in the second half.