WSOP Event 20: Four Poker Hall of Famers Make Day 2

The mixed-game elite descended upon the 2026 World Series of Poker (WSOP) for Event #20: $1,500 Dealers Choice, a tournament designed specifically for players whose skills extend far beyond traditional Texas Hold'em. This unique format allows participants to select from a rotation of 20 different poker variants, testing the true versatility of the field. 

A total of 656 players entered the arena with dreams of capturing a WSOP gold bracelet, but by the conclusion of Day 1, that dream remained alive for only 132 survivors.

Leading the charge at the end of the opening day is Mexican veteran Luis Velador, who set the pace by bagging an impressive 366,000 chips. 

Velador is no stranger to success on poker's biggest stage, having secured his first career bracelet at the 2008 WSOP in a $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em event, followed by a second victory two years later in a $2,500 Pot-Limit Hold'em/Omaha mixed tournament.

Sitting just behind the chip leader is Norway's Tobias Leknes, a renowned mixed-game specialist widely recognized in the online poker community by his moniker "Senkel92." Leknes finished second in the Day 1 standings after accumulating 324,000 chips. 

While the Norwegian standout is still searching for his inaugural WSOP gold bracelet, his strong performance positions him safely for another deep tournament run.

The remaining field is packed with dozens of mixed-game aficionados who advanced to Day 2 with healthy stacks. Several notable figures secured positions within the top 20 chip counts, including Allan Le with 265,000 chips, Dario Sammartino with 236,000 chips, and Ryan Hughes with 207,500 chips.

They are joined near the top by four-time bracelet winner Jeff Madsen, who bagged 202,500 chips, and Maxx Coleman with 193,000 chips.

Further down the official chip counts, plenty of poker pedigree remains in contention. Nathan Gamble and Nick Schulman will both return to action with identical stacks of 165,000 chips. Josh Arieh is also firmly in the hunt after wrapping up his day with 159,500 chips.

The tournament landscape features four distinct Poker Hall of Famers who are actively competing for the top prize. While Schulman leads this elite group, fellow Hall of Fame members Michael Mizrachi, Eli Elezra, and a star-studded lineup of veterans still have work left to do. 

Mizrachi concluded Day 1 with 107,000 chips, Greg Mueller advanced with 97,500 chips, and mixed-game regular Ari Engel bagged 80,000 chips. Elezra will face the toughest uphill battle when play resumes, returning with a shorter stack of 58,500 chips.