It was an action-packed Wednesday on the 2026 World Series of Poker on June 3. Three bracelets had been awarded through the night hours, with two first-time champions topped contained in the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas and one earlier winner including to his assortment of {hardware}.
The latter story noticed Justin Liberto take down this 12 months’s $1,500 blended Omaha eight-or-better occasion for his second bracelet and $265,297 in prize cash. This got here almost 11 years after he emerged victorious within the 2015 $3,000 no-limit maintain’em six-max occasion. Liberto topped a stacked subject on day 3 to return away with the gold but once more.
Earlier within the evening, 26-year-old Georgia Tech PhD scholar Honghao Zhang got here out on prime in a $1,500 no-limit maintain’em six-max occasion for his first bracelet and $346,108. Zhang bested 1,840 entries in that short-handed affair, taking down the title along with his very first WSOP money.
Philip Ardire triumphed within the $600 pot-limit Omaha Deepstack event, outlasting a hefty subject of 2,636 entries within the four-card occasion to earn his first bracelet and $171,589.
Liberto Scoops Bracelet No. 2
The blended Omaha eight-or-better occasion featured a trio of split-pot variations of the favored sport, with pot-limit, mounted restrict, and Big O (five-card PLO8). The 1,287-entry turnout made for a prize pool of $1,708,492, with 194 gamers getting a bit of that sum.
Justin Liberto took down the biggest share value over 1 / 4 of one million {dollars}, growing his lifetime event earnings previous the $7.7 million mark within the course of. This was the seventh-largest payday of his profession, and his tenth last desk on the WSOP.
“I’ve gotten every spot at the final table, except first, since I got (my first bracelet), so, I feel well overdue, and I’m really happy,” Liberto instructed PokerInformation stay reporters on the scene after closing out the win.
In addition to the title and the cash, Liberto additionally scored 960 Card Player Player of the Year factors for the win. This was his second title and fourth final-table end of 2026, having additionally gained an eight-game occasion on the PGT Mixed Games competition in February. With 1,922 complete factors, he now sits inside the highest 75 within the general POY standings introduced by CoinPoker.
Big names like Nick Guagenti (fortieth), Ari Engel (thirty ninth), Perry Green (thirty seventh), Ray Henson (twenty ninth), Brandon Cantu (seventeenth), Lawrence Berg (thirteenth), and Michael Banducci (twelfth) ran deep however fell brief of the official last desk.
2024 WPT Voyage excessive curler champion Brian Battistone bowed out in ninth place ($21,386), and was quickly joined on the rail by Edward Spivack (eighth – $27,725) and Joseph Weinberger (seventh – $36,464). Bracelet winner Chris Lee then busted Naween Fernando (sixth – $48,642) and five-time bracelet winner Brad Ruben (fifth – $65,801).
Action From The Final Four
Two-time bracelet winner Brandon Shack-Harris additionally fell at Lee’s fingers. He bought his final guess in on the river in restrict Omaha eight-or-better with 6♥5♣4♦3♣ on a Q♦J♦7♥4♥2♣ board. Lee referred to as with A♠Ok♠4♠3♠ for the nut low and the identical pair with an ace kicker to scoop. Harris earned $90,249 because the fourth-place finisher.
Jean Laurent (third – $125,476) was the subsequent to be despatched packing, with Lee once more touchdown the ultimate blow. He was left on fumes after working right into a straight for Liberto on a high-only board. He then bought the final of his stack in preflop with Q♥Q♦5♣2♦ towards Ok♥J♠10♥7♥. Lee made kings as much as scoop the pot.
Even with the elimination spree, Lee entered heads-up play trailing Liberto. The disparity began out as roughly 3:2 in Liberto’s favor, however the stacks quickly evened out. After just a few swings forwards and backwards, Liberto gained a hefty pot with sevens full of eights to regain the lead in time for the ultimate hand. Lee raised to 500,000 on the button in Big O with A♣9♠6♠5♠3♣ and Liberto referred to as from the massive blind with A♦Q♠8♣2♠2♦. The flop got here down 8♥7♦5♦ and Liberto check-called 1,000,000.
The flip introduced the Ok♦ to offer Liberto the nut flush to go along with his nut low. He checked to Lee, who fired 1,500,000. Liberto check-raised to six,700,000 and Lee jammed for 13,800,000 along with his flopped straight and second-nut low. Liberto referred to as and the river introduced the 10♥ to deliver the event to a detailed. Lee settled for $176,809 because the runner-up.
Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Payout | POY Points |
| 1 | Justin Liberto | $265,297 | 960 |
| 2 | Chris Lee | $176,809 | 800 |
| 3 | Jean Laurent | $125,476 | 640 |
| 4 | Brandon Shack-Harris | $90,249 | 480 |
| 5 | Bradley Ruben | $65,801 | 400 |
| 6 | Naween Fernando | $48,642 | 320 |
| 7 | Joseph Weinberger | $36,464 | 240 |
| 8 | Edward Spivack | $27,725 | 160 |
First Time Charmed For Zhang
Honghao Zhang solely picked up poker just a few years in the past, whereas working in direction of a complicated diploma in Operations Research. He had by no means cashed in a WSOP bracelet occasion previous to coming to Las Vegas this summer time, however he has had some success on the stay felt earlier than scoring this breakout win. He completed second in a $1,100 buy-in ultimately 12 months’s WPT World Championship competition for $355,110. That stays his highest rating, though he got here near topping it with the $346,108 that got here along with his victory on the collection.
Zhang secured 1,080 POY factors for the win, sufficient to maneuver him inside hanging distance of the highest 250 within the general standings. This was solely his tenth recorded stay rating.
“I’m still a student,” stated Zhang after his win. “Poker isn’t full-time for me. It’s a hobby, but I like it.”
Zhang Bides His Time, Surges Across The Finish Line
The prime 194 finishers cashed on this $1,500 six-max occasion, which ran from June 1-3. Big names that got here near the ultimate desk included current $25,000 heads-up championship semifinalist Ryuta Nakai (forty fourth), Barry Shulman (thirty third), Justin Lapka (twenty sixth), Frank Marasco (14th), Chris Hunichen (thirteenth), and Cherish Andrews (twelfth). The last day started with 9 remaining and Michel Molenaar within the lead. Zhang was in fourth chip place when motion resumed.
Rania Nasreddine (ninth – $35,250), Justin Arnwine (eighth – $35,250 ), and Moelenaar (seventh – $46,619) had been all early eliminations on the ultimate day. Zhang didn’t rating his first knockout of the day till three-handed play. He made the second-nut flush on the river in an enormous pot, besting the aces and tens of David Rees to just about pull even forward of heads-up play. Rees earned $163,172 because the third-place finisher.
Zhang was capable of pull forward within the last showdown after which develop his benefit. The last hand pitted Harlan Karnofsky’s A♥4♣ towards Zhang’s A♦5♣. The board got here down A♣3♠2♥7♠10♥ and Zhang’s superior kicker one way or the other performed to earn him the pot and the title. Karnofsky earned $230,626 for his second-place displaying.
Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Payout | POY Points |
| 1 | Honghao Zhang | $346,108 | 1,080 |
| 2 | Harlan Karnofsky | $230,626 | 900 |
| 3 | David Rees | $163,172 | 720 |
| 4 | Thai Van Dinh | $116,951 | 540 |
| 5 | Daniel Hill | $84,929 | 450 |
| 6 | Julien Duveau | $62,501 | 360 |
Philip Ardire Triumphs In Fast-Paced PLO Event
Philip Ardire
The largest rating of Philip Ardire’s poker-playing life got here in an occasion that he had not deliberate to play. He got here to Las Vegas to attempt his hand in some each day tournaments. After busting from his scheduled occasions, he noticed the $600 Deepstack PLO occasion on the WSOP listed and determined to increase his journey by a day. That determination wound up paying massive, as Ardire beat out over 2,600 entries to earn his first six-figure event rating and his first gold bracelet.
This decrease buy-in occasion awarded over $1.3 million in prize cash, with each Ardire and runner-up Randy Jacks taking residence over $100,000 for his or her efforts.
Plenty of notables ran deep on this occasion, together with Freddy Deeb (forty fifth), Martin Kabrhel (seventeenth), and Erik Cajelais (sixteenth). The five-figure payouts started at eleventh place. Jacks scored a number of consecutive knockouts late on the ultimate day to arrange the heads-up showdown with the lead. Ardire quickly edged forward, although, when his flopped two pair held towards the overpair of aces for Jacks. The last hand of the event pitted Ardire’s flopped broadway straight towards Jacks’ set of queens and outs to a chop. The straight held by means of the flip and river to ship Jacks packing with $114,200.
Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Payout | POY Points |
| 1 | Philip Ardire | $171,589 | 600 |
| 2 | Randy Jacks | $114,200 | 500 |
| 3 | Francisco Baruffi | $82,928 | 400 |
| 4 | David Avina | $60,837 | 300 |
| 5 | Daniel Haywood | $45,092 | 250 |
| 6 | Cole Gauthier | $33,771 | 200 |
| 7 | Daniel Carter | $25,560 | 150 |
| 8 | Grantel Gibbs | $19,552 | 100 |
| 9 | Matt Newcombe | $15,117 | 50 |
Photo credit: WSOP / Lennart Hennig, Miguel Cortes, Dominic Iaquinto
