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Michael "Texas Mike" Moncek Among Final 16 Chasing Ultra Stack Glory
Welcome to Day 3 of Event #85: $600 Ultra Stack No-Limit Hold’em at the 2026 World Series of Poker, hosted by Horseshoe and Paris, Las Vegas.
After two marathon days of play, the field of 8,007 entries has been whittled down to just 16 players, all still in contention for their share of the $3,297,121 prize pool. Awaiting the eventual champion is the top prize of $400,000 and a coveted WSOP gold bracelet.
France's Henry Benamram carries the chip lead into the final day with 72,000,000 after ending Day 2 on a high note. Finland's Mikko Torkki sits second with 66,500,000, while 25K Fantasy Draft pick Michael "Texas Mike" Moncek rounds out the top three with 44,500,000 as he looks to add a WSOP bracelet to his already impressive résumé.
Top Ten Chip Counts
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Henry Benamram | France | 72,000,000 | 48 |
| 2 | Mikko Torkki | Finland | 66,500,000 | 44 |
| 3 | Michael Moncek | United States | 44,500,000 | 30 |
| 4 | Sriharsha Doddapaneni | India | 43,000,000 | 29 |
| 5 | Yunhan Yang | United States | 34,000,000 | 23 |
| 6 | Eric Weber | United States | 31,000,000 | 21 |
| 7 | Renato Roizenblit | Brazil | 28,000,000 | 19 |
| 8 | Aaron Crisp | United Kingdom | 26,500,000 | 18 |
| 9 | Daniel Biddle | United States | 24,500,000 | 16 |
| 10 | Kazuto Takeuchi | Japan | 19,000,000 | 13 |
Among the remaining contenders, Moncek is the most accomplished with more than $8 million in live tournament earnings according to The Hendon Mob, while Kazuto Takeuchi will be hoping to complete a remarkable comeback after battling back from just 1,900,000 chips late on Day 2.
All 16 remaining players have locked up $19,300, but their sights will be firmly set on the $400,000 first-place prize and the WSOP gold bracelet. The final table of nine players is guaranteed at least $40,071, while each of the final six finishers will earn no less than $83,000.
Remaining Prize Pool
| Place | Prize | Place | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $400,000 | 7 | $64,000 |
| 2 | $260,000 | 8 | $50,000 |
| 3 | $193,000 | 9 | $40,071 |
| 4 | $145,000 | 10 -11 | $30,700 |
| 5 | $110,000 | 12-13 | $24,200 |
| 6 | $83,000 | 14-16 | $19,300 |
Day 3 is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. local time, with action resuming at Level 40 with blinds at 1,000,000/2,000,000 with a 2,000,000 big blind ante. Players will battle until a champion is crowned, with 40-minute levels, a 15-minute break every three levels, and a dinner break to be determined by tournament staff.
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Be sure to stay tuned to PokerNews for live and exclusive coverage as the final 16 play down to a winner in the $600 Ultra Stack No-Limit Hold'em.