PokerNews live coverage of this event will begin on Day 2 (July 4). Until then, we will keep readers informed with updates on chip counts and core event statistics, including entries and the prize pool. Scroll down to see more.
The road to success at the World Series of Poker isn’t just built at the tables anymore. In 2026, players are increasingly turning to technology to sharpen their edge, streamline their schedules, and survive the grind of a long Las Vegas summer.
While real-time assistance during play is strictly prohibited, there is a growing ecosystem of tools that players can use away from the table to prepare, study, and stay organized throughout the series.
According to the WSOP LIVE app.
Have you heard about MyStack by PokerNews? It is a free-to-use tool built into the PokerNews website that puts you in control of your chip counts on our live reporting pages. MyStack directly connects you to PokerNews live reporting pages, making you an even bigger part of the action in the events you play.
MyStack is a free poker tool and PokerNews activates MyStack for every event it is live reporting from, regardless of that tournament's buy-in. Once you have created a free PokerNews account, you can use MyStack to update your chip counts in real time; hopefully, your stack will continue increasing throughout the event!
Day 1b, the final flight of Event #81: $800 Summer Celebration No-Limit Hold'em, is set to shuffle up and deal at 10 a.m. local time on July 3. Yesterday's flight saw 124 players advance from a field of 2,584, and another big crowd is expected today.
With a starting stack of 40,000 chips and 30-minute levels, the structure moves briskly while late registration is available for the first 12 levels. Those who make it through Day 1b will join the Day 1a survivors on Saturday, July 4, allowing the tournament to crown a champion on Independence Day, during the United States' 250th anniversary celebration.
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nino Papava | Georgia | 3,095,000 |
| 2 | Frederick Robitaille | Canada | 2,745,000 |
| 3 | Sander Ressler | United States | 2,365,000 |
| 4 | Vladyslav Shovkovyi | Ukraine | 2,180,000 |
| 5 | Eric Ladny | United States | 1,830,000 |
| 6 | Joseph Cutler | United States | 1,820,000 |
| 7 | Bruno Souza | Brazil | 1,690,000 |
| 8 | Graham Cowan | Australia | 1,595,000 |
| 9 | Matt Solano | United States | 1,590,000 |
| 10 | Noah Curhan | United States | 1,575,000 |
Each starting flight will play 22 levels with 20-minute breaks every four levels and a 75-minute break after Level 16 (≈ 7 p.m.).
The combined field returns Saturday, July 4, at 11 a.m. to play down to a winner. Breaks are 15 minutes every four levels, with a 60-minute break prior to the final table.
Giuseppe Zarbo, a recreational player from Italy, took down last year's Summer Celebration, winning over half a million dollars and his first WSOP bracelet. Following his victory, Zarbo told PokerNews, "It’s incredible, I played well, but I was very lucky. I win coin flip, coin flip, coin flip, then 20/80 percent, 30/70 percent, and on and on.”
This is the third edition of the $800 Summer Celebration. In 2024, the championship stayed in America as Francis Anderson became the inaugural champion.
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From railbirds to backers, MyPlayers is the smarter way to stay connected to the game.
Event #81: $800 Summer Celebration
Day 1b Started
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