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Event #99: $5,000 8-Handed No-Limit Hold'em
Day 2 Completed
2026 World Series of Poker
Event #99: $5,000 8-Handed No-Limit Hold'em
Day: 2
Event Info
2026 World Series of Poker
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 2
Buy-in
$5,000
Prize Pool
$4,066,400
Total Entries
884
Level
37
Blinds
500,000 / 1,000,000
Ante
1,000,000
Entries
72
Players Left
1
Players Left 1 / 884
Filter
Level 37
: Blinds 500,000/1,000,000, 1,000,000 ante
The road to anywhere significant is often a winding one, and today Darren Rabinowitz embodied that sentiment.
Less than one week ago, Rabinowitz was making a deep run in the 2026 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event, only to see his championship dreams come to an abrupt end when a brutal two-outer sent him to the rail in 145th place.
As the famous saying goes, though, 'It ain't about how hard you hit. It's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward; how much you can take and keep moving forward. That's how winning is done!'
Rabinowitz produced his own Rocky Balboa moment inside Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas today, claiming victory in Event #99: $5,000 8-Handed No-Limit Hold'em, a triumph that earned him $695,256 and the second WSOP bracelet of his career.
"When you go deep in something, there’s a huge emotional dump afterwards. But I didn’t feel that after the Main. I played well. Yeah, it was unlucky, but it never affected me. All I wanted to do was keep playing poker.
Sometimes you go deep in something and bust, and you want to take three or four days off. But the summer was ending, and I just tried to keep a good mindset. I can’t believe it worked out so well. It’s crazy."
Event #99: $5,000 8-Handed - Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Darren Rabinowitz | United States | $695,256 |
| 2 | Phil Hellmuth | United States | $464,286 |
| 3 | Nicholas Palma | United States | $326,136 |
| 4 | Joshua Stewart | United Kingdom | $232,570 |
| 5 | Nick Pupillo | United States | $168,402 |
| 6 | Victor Li | Canada | $123,846 |
| 7 | Max Kingstone | United States | $92,527 |
| 8 | Connor Belcher | United States | $70,245 |
The River, The Rail and The Redemption
Rabinowitz's path to the bracelet was anything but straightforward. With around 30 players remaining, he looked poised to seize control of the tournament before a four-way all-in went disastrously wrong.
"If you watch the video, I couldn't believe it," Rabinowitz admitted. "That's the first time I've reacted to losing an all-in like that in so long."
Having just won a huge pot moments earlier, he suddenly found himself watching what he described as a "dream situation" slip away.
"I lost the hand, got annoyed for one second, let out a little frustration, and then we reset and got back to it."
As the field dwindled and Phil Hellmuth edged closer to an unprecedented 18th bracelet, the atmosphere inside the Horseshoe became increasingly one-sided. Rabinowitz estimated there were 1,500 spectators in the room, joking that, "It felt like 1,400 of them were against me."
While he understood the support for poker's biggest star, he admitted there was extra motivation in denying Hellmuth another historic victory.
"I’m a poker fan, so I understand it, but I really didn't want to lose to this guy," he said. "I wanted to beat him. I wanted to win."
Despite the pressure, Rabinowitz never allowed the moment to overwhelm him. Instead, he retreated into a routine that had served him throughout the tournament.
"Every decision felt so important," he said. "Whenever I started to feel nervous or anxious, I'd put my headphones in, walk around, message a few friends and just try to stay in my own world."
That same mindset had carried over from the Main Event, where a heartbreaking exit just days earlier failed to shake his confidence.
"I played well. It was unlucky, but it never affected me," Rabinowitz said. "All I wanted to do was keep playing poker."
Fast and Furious
The fast-paced structure of the tournament meant chips were certain to fly as soon as cards were in the air, and sure enough, within the first few minutes of the day, Renan Meneguetti hit the rail, opening the floodgates for eliminations.
By the first break, two hours into play, more than half the field had already seen their final opportunity for a 2026 WSOP bracelet fall flat.
Sean Winter (68th), Niall Farrell (59th), Artur Martirosian (48th), and Jennifer Harman (33rd) were among those unable to survive until the first break.
Once play resumed, Ren Lin (28th) fell shortly after, with Brian Rast (27th) following him out the door after falling victim to the river in a four-way all-in.
The steady pace of eliminations continued on the road to the final table, with David Peters (16th), Nick Guagenti (15th), and Tom Hall (13th) falling in quick succession.
Adam Hendrix’s elimination in 10th place then set the final table lineup. Having gotten his money in good, the deck ultimately turned against him, sending him home one spot shy of the final table.
Although nine players made the final table, one storyline dominated the conversation inside the Horseshoe and Paris corridors, as news quickly spread that Hellmuth was the chip leader and chasing a record-extending 18th bracelet.
With every elimination on the final table, and every step Hellmuth took closer to history, the rail behind him grew deeper and louder, sensing that something special was unfolding.
One by one, the players standing in his way fell, until just Rabinowitz remained.
Despite the tournament's fast-paced structure, the heads-up battle lasted more than an hour, with Rabinowitz taking a nearly 2:1 chip lead into the duel.
It didn't take long for Hellmuth, or his rail, to find reason to celebrate, as a turned straight earned him a double-up through Rabinowitz's flopped two-pair.
The swing in momentum didn't faze Rabinowitz, though, as he found himself in the middle of a pressure cooker with a WSOP bracelet on the line.
“This was like, as big of a spot as I’ve had in a while… every decision felt so important, and I was just trying to really lock in and make the right decisions.”
Slowly but surely, Rabinowitz ground Hellmuth down, and by the time the first break of the heads-up battle arrived, the stacks were once again level. From there, Rabinowitz never looked back, building his lead with relentless pressure and winning the majority of the key exchanges.
Eventually, Hellmuth was forced to make a stand, putting his tournament life at risk with bottom pair. It wasn't enough, though, as Rabinowitz's top pair held to secure victory, earning him his second career bracelet and a $695,256 payday.
That concludes coverage of Event #99: $5,000 8-Handed No-Limit Hold’em, as Darren Rabinowitz claims the penultimate bracelet of the 2026 WSOP. Be sure to check out the PokerNews homepage for all the latest news from the poker world.
Level 37
: Blinds 500,000/1,000,000, 1,000,000 ante
Darren Rabinowitz has won Event #99: $5,000 8-Handed No-Limit Hold'em, defeating Phil Hellmuth heads-up to deny the Poker Hall of Famer his record-extending 18th WSOP bracelet. Rabinowitz takes home the top prize of $695,256.
Stay tuned for a full recap of the day's action and an interview with the newest WSOP bracelet winner.
Event #99: $5,000 8-Handed No-Limit Hold'em Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Darren Rabinowitz | United States | $695,256 |
| 2 | Phil Hellmuth | United States | $464,286 |
| 3 | Nicholas Palma | United States | $326,136 |
| 4 | Joshua Stewart | United Kingdom | $232,570 |
| 5 | Nick Pupillo | United States | $168,402 |
| 6 | Victor Li | Canada | $123,846 |
| 7 | Max Kingstone | United States | $92,527 |
| 8 | Connor Belcher | United States | $70,245 |
Level 37
: Blinds 500,000/1,000,000, 1,000,000 ante
Darren Rabinowitz raised to 2,000,000 on the button. Phil Hellmuth defended his big blind, seeing the 2♣8♠9♣ being fanned by the dealer.
Hellmuth checked to Rabinowitz, who continued for 3,500,000. Hellmuth called, checking in the dark before the 4♦ hit the turn.
Rabinowitz decided to put Hellmuth to the ultimate test. He shoved all in, covering Hellmuth's stack of 10,200,000. Hellmuth went deep into the tank, muttering to himself while thinking things through.
"It feels like you're on a draw," he ultimately concluded. He then called for his tournament life.
Phil Hellmuth: A♥2♠ 
Darren Rabinowitz: 9♠7♦
Rabinowitz had a strong lead with his pair. Hellmuth needed a deuce or an ace on the river, but the 7♥ emerged from the deck instead to give Rabinowitz two pair.
The two competitors shook hands before Hellmuth departed the tournament area, falling one spot shy of capturing his record-extending 18th bracelet.
Level 37
: Blinds 500,000/1,000,000, 1,000,000 ante
Phil Hellmuth just won three hands on the trot.
First, Darren Rabinowitz called on the button, and Hellmuth checked in the big blind.
Both players checked the 2♦6♥5♠ flop before the 6♠ landed on the turn. Hellmuth led out for 1,400,000, and Rabinowitz called.
The 4♣ completed the board, and Hellmuth fired 6,000,000 on the river, prompting a snap-fold from Rabinowitz.
In the next hand, Hellmuth completed on the button, and Rabinowitz checked his option in the big blind.
On the Q♦8♦4♠ flop, Rabinowitz check-folded to a bet of 1,400,000 from Hellmuth.
After that, Rabinowitz raised to 2,000,000 on the button before folding when Hellmuth jammed from the big blind.
Level 37
: Blinds 500,000/1,000,000, 1,000,000 ante
Darren Rabinowitz limped in on the button, and Phil Hellmuth checked in the big blind. Rabinowitz continued for 1,000,000 on the A♥8♦A♦ flop, which Hellmuth check-called.
The Q♥ turn was checked through to the 2♦ river, where Hellmuth checked again. Rabinowitz re-engaged with a bet of 2,000,000, which quickly got Hellmuth to fold.
During the next few hands, Rabinowitz open-shoved twice preflop, both times receiving a fold from Hellmuth.
Level 37
: Blinds 500,000/1,000,000, 1,000,000 ante
Phil Hellmuth called from the button, and Darren Rabinowitz checked in the big blind.
Rabinowitz check-called a bet of 1,000,000 from Hellmuth on the 3♦Q♥10♠ flop, then did the same when Hellmuth fired a second barrel of 2,500,000 on the J♣ turn.
Both players checked the 10♣ river, and Rabinowitz tabled Q♠6♥ for a pair of queens to win the pot.
Level: 37
Blinds: 500,000/1,000,000
Ante: 1,000,000
Level 36
: Blinds 400,000/800,000, 800,000 ante
Phil Hellmuth and Darren Rabinowitz have been sent on a 15-minute break.
Level 36
: Blinds 400,000/800,000, 800,000 ante
Darren Rabinowitz limped in on the button, and Phil Hellmuth checked in the big blind. Hellmuth led out for 1,000,000 on the 6♥Q♥7♠ flop, which Rabinowitz called.
Hellmuth checked in the dark before the A♠ turn appeared on the river. Rabinowitz bet 3,200,000, quickly getting his opponent to fold.
A few hands later, Darren Rabinowitz limped in again, and Hellmuth opted to check.
After the duo checked the 10♦5♣6♦ flop, Hellmuth bet 2,000,000 on the 9♦ turn. Rabinowitz called, and the 5♦ river was subsequently checked to showdown.
Hellmuth tabled Q♣4♦ for a flush, but Rabinowitz had a higher flush with 8♦2♦ to rake in another pot.
