The Muck · WSOP Daily Brief
Day 35
Skye Chen won the Ladies Championship last night in what is one of the better WSOP bracelet stories in recent memory - a rookie who had never entered a live tournament before, beating a field of 1,475 to take $194,630 and a gold bracelet. She defeated Aubrey Williams heads-up with pocket fours holding over ace-five. Meanwhile the $50K Poker Players Championship is down to its final hand - Josh Arieh and Benny Glaser are heads-up for the Chip Reese Memorial Trophy. Joao Simao won his fourth career bracelet overnight in the $50K High Roller PLO. Stud Hi-Lo and PLO Championship both play on today.
Story 01 of 5
Skye Chen won Event #68: $1,000 Ladies No-Limit Hold'em Championship on the night of June 28-29, claiming her first WSOP bracelet and $194,630 in what PokerNews described as her first-ever live tournament cash. Chen entered Day 4 second in chips at 5,450,000 behind chip leader Emily Spencer (10,290,000) and won the bracelet after a heads-up match against Aubrey Williams lasting more than two hours. The final hand: both players near-equal in chips, Chen shoved with pocket fours, Williams called with ace-five of clubs. The board ran 8d-9d-9h-Qs-Td and the fours held. Full final table results: 1st Skye Chen $194,630; 2nd Aubrey Williams $129,692; 3rd Lisa Teebagy $93,149; 4th Caitlin Comeskey $67,735; 5th Emily Spencer $49,874; 6th Victoria Ailloud $37,192. Earlier in the day, Caitlin Comeskey busted in one of the harder beats of the final table: she flopped a set of fours but Teebagy runner-runnered a flush to eliminate her. Emily Spencer, who entered as a 3-to-1 chip leader over the field, couldn't convert - she went out 5th. Cherish Andrews was eliminated on Day 3 by Spencer. Lexy Gavin-Mather was eliminated 8th by Chen. The event drew 1,475 entries, generated a $1,298,000 prize pool, and paid 222 players.
Why it mattersThis is the story of the week from a narrative standpoint. Chen had zero live tournament history per the Hendon Mob - this was apparently her first one. Winning a WSOP bracelet in your debut live tournament, from a 1,475-person field, against players who have been grinding for years, is absurd. Emily Spencer entered as a dominant chip leader and couldn't close - that's a painful result for someone who just eclipsed her entire lifetime earnings. Aubrey Williams, a transgender woman who dealt with public social media harassment in the lead-up to the event, received a warm welcome at the tables from her fellow players throughout the run and finished as runner-up.
Story 02 of 5
The $50,000 Poker Players Championship has reached its heads-up conclusion with Josh Arieh facing Benny Glaser. Michael Mizrachi was eliminated before the final table per a PokerNews report from late June 28 ('Mizrachi's Quest To Win His Fifth $50K PPC Falls Flat'). Arieh currently leads and the heads-up is confirmed by a PokerNews sidebar headline ('Arieh vs. Glaser for the $50k Poker Players Championship'). Exact chip counts and heads-up timeline not confirmed at press time.
Why it mattersArieh vs. Glaser in the PPC is about as high-quality a heads-up as you can construct in mixed game poker. Arieh is a six-time WSOP bracelet winner, has years of PPC experience, and his runner-up in the H.O.R.S.E. Championship this summer is already on his 2026 record. Glaser is a British mixed game specialist, a multiple EPT winner, and a force in limit formats. Whichever one takes this wins the Chip Reese Memorial Trophy and one of the most respected bracelets on the schedule. The PPC is eight games - you don't end up heads-up in this event without being excellent at all of them.
Story 03 of 5
Joao Simao won Event #55: $50,000 High Roller Pot-Limit Omaha Sunday night/early Monday, claiming his fourth WSOP bracelet - referred to in Portuguese as 'tetra.' PokerNews published the result approximately 21 hours before press time, placing the win late Sunday, June 28. Simao is a high-stakes PLO specialist with significant European tournament results.
Why it mattersFour WSOP bracelets in a game where the average buy-in is $50,000 is a legitimate career landmark. A $50K PLO field draws the narrowest, most dangerous player pool on the schedule. The result adds high-roller PLO points to the global POY race.
Story 04 of 5
Event #69: $1,500 Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo 8 or Better bags 10 overnight and plays its final table Monday, June 29. Daniel Geeng leads at 3,625,000. Dave Stann (3,020,000) and Daniil Fedunov (2,950,000) are right behind. Taylor Atchison (1,455,000), Adam Owen (1,240,000), David Bach (1,025,000), Jeff Myers (885,000), Alan Ledford (640,000), Kane Kalas (275,000), Thomas 'The Cockroach' Bessoir (170,000). Prize pool $858,892 from 647 entries.
Why it mattersDavid Bach has four WSOP bracelets and specializes in mixed games. At 1,025,000 in sixth with a manageable final table, he's in real contention. Bessoir survived from 45,000 chips on Day 2 by flopping a straight and earned his table nickname - now he's at 170,000 trying to run it up again.
Story 05 of 5
Event #70: $10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha Championship completed Day 2 with 309 survivors from 730 total entries ($6,789,000 prize pool). Michael Mizrachi returns as chip leader at 840,000. Joseph Liberta second at 470,000, Michael Banducci third at 387,000. Also returning: Gus Hansen, Sam Soverel, and Justin Liberto (343,500). Day 3 is in progress Monday morning. Mizrachi is nearly six times the 141,000 chip average.
Why it mattersMizrachi busted the PPC last night, which clears his schedule for PLO focus. He's one of the elite PLO players in the world. A bracelet here would be his ninth career. Six times average with 309 players remaining is a genuine chip lead in a format where big stacks can apply real pressure.
Two confirmed bracelets from the June 28-29 overnight window.
First live tournament she ever entered. Beat Aubrey Williams heads-up, pocket fours over ace-five. Won on the night of June 28-29.
Simao's fourth career WSOP bracelet ('tetra'). Won late Sunday, June 28.
Day 2 bags from events still in play. PLO Day 3 chip counts updating live - Mizrachi's 840K is his overnight bag. Stud Hi-Lo stacks are final bags heading into the final table today.
Notable eliminations from Ladies Championship final table and PPC.
Entered Day 4 as chip leader at 10,290,000 - nearly a third of all chips in play. Couldn't convert. Had already exceeded her lifetime earnings with this cash.
Flopped a set of fours in a key pot vs. Lisa Teebagy, who runner-runnered a flush to eliminate her. Comeskey had the loudest rail of the final table.
France. First cash outside Europe. Said reaching the final table was a lifelong dream.
Eliminated by Emily Spencer on Day 3. Former GPI Female POY and bracelet winner who entered Day 3 third in chips at 1,610,000.
Eliminated by Skye Chen in a flip late on Day 3, which vaulted Chen into second place heading into the final six.
Defending POY and 2025 Main Event champion exits before the final table. Still in PLO Championship as Day 3 chip leader.
Foxen is the current POY leader per prior reporting. No confirmed results from him in Day 35 events at press time.
PPC run ends before the final table, a significant miss. However, he enters PLO Championship Day 3 as chip leader in a $6.789M event. A deep run or bracelet here is the most points-efficient outcome remaining on his schedule.
Arieh is heads-up with Benny Glaser for the $50K Poker Players Championship and the Chip Reese Memorial Trophy. A win here would be his seventh bracelet and a massive POY points haul.