WSOP 2018 Main Event Winner John Cynn Cashes $10K 2-7 Lowball Championship

By Mrinal Gujare

2 hours ago

Mrinal Gujare 2 hours ago

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John Cynn earns first live tournament cash since July 2022 at 2026 WSOP.
2018 champ is focusing on cash games, not a full tournament schedule.
Cynn plans to play the Main Event, highlighting its ongoing significance.

Image Credit: Eloy Cabacas/pokernews

The 2018 world champion John Cynn secured his first live tournament poker cash since July 2022. Cynn finished in the money in Event #17: $10,000 No-Limit 2-7 Lowball Draw Championship at the 2026 World Series of Poker.

Former world champion "Magic" John Cynn ended a notable tournament drought on Wednesday at the 2026 World Series of Poker (WSOP). By navigating his way into the money, the Chicago-area native secured his first live poker tournament cash since July 2022.

Cynn officially locked up his first cash in nearly four years by avoiding the money bubble in Event #17: $10,000 No-Limit 2-7 Lowball Draw Championship.

The crucial tournament milestone was reached just after the Day 2 dinner break when Jon Shoreman was eliminated in 31st place, guaranteeing a payout for the remaining field.

This performance represents Cynn's first cash in any live tournament setting, marking his return to the payout structures since his last recorded result four seasons prior.

Famous for defeating Tony Miles in one of the lengthiest and most memorable heads-up matches in Main Event history, the 2018 WSOP Main Event winner shared his thoughts on the achievement.

He noted that it felt good to secure a cash, acknowledging that it was his first tournament in a while and that he had forgotten how much of a grind the experience can be.

Following his monumental $8.8 million victory against Miles eight years ago, Cynn has accumulated under $500,000 overall in live tournament earnings.

Despite this recent success in the $10,000 buy-in lowball event, he indicated that a busy summer schedule is not on the horizon. Cynn revealed that the Main Event is likely the only other tournament he will play this summer.

Though tournament poker is no longer an important part of his life, he maintains a strong sense of nostalgia for the world championship event he won eight years ago.

Cynn expressed that the Main Event remains special on its own and stated that he tries to get excited for it every single year.

In addition to stepping away from the tournament circuit, Cynn has also scaled back his time at the tables overall. When discussing his recent activities, he explained that he has been playing some cash games.

While he does not play as much as he used to, he noted that he still plays a good amount, confirming that his current poker focus is mostly centered around cash games.

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