WSOP 2026: Kristen Foxen Wins Sixth WSOP Bracelet in $25,000 High Roller, Kihara Claims First Double of Series
Six times was the charm last night in Las Vegas as the Canadian poker legend and PokerStake seller Kristen Foxen won her sixth World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet. Conquering the $25,000 No Limit Hold’em High Roller Event #19 for a top prize of $1.77 million, Kristen beat Galen Hall heads-up in a gutsy performance that showed off her complete range of poker skills. In the $10,000 Seven Card Stud Championship, there was a very near-miss for another PokerStake legend as Naoya Kihara became the first player to win two WSOP bracelets this series.
Kristen Foxen Creates Poker History in Las Vegas
“It feels like where I’m supposed to be and what I’m supposed to be doing.”
The Canadian poker legend and popular PokerStake seller Kristen Foxen created a piece of poker history inside the Paris Ballroom last night as she became the first-ever six-time female winner of a WSOP bracelet. Conquering the $25,000-entry NLHE High Roller Event #19, Kristen topped a field of 345 total entries, which had produced a prize pool of an astonishing $5,804,500, winning the top prize of $1.77 million, the largest result of her career so far.
When six returned to the final day to play down to a winner, Galen Hall was the player in charge and was hot on the heels of seven eliminations of his rivals to stack up over a third of the chips in play. That run continued when he took out Czech backgammon professional and WSOP bracelet winner Zdenek Zizka in sixth for $300,942 after a flush draw came in. Not to be deterred, Kristen took out Ignacio Moron in fifth for $413,389 after a crucial coinflip before Joey Weissman was dominated to defeat by Biao Ding, the American exiting in fourth place with $577,326.
Down to three, Kristen’s ace-eight beat Ding’s king-seven as the Chinese pro departed with $819,504 in third place. Heads-up, Kristen had a slim lead but both players grabbed the initiative on several occasions as Kristen went through her full repertoire of river pressure-bets, an inspired bluff with just jack-high and finally, trapping with the better straight. In the final hand, her limp with aces was perfectly times as Hall shoved and Kristen called to win the final hand of the night before the river even landed, claiming her sixth WSOP bracelet and a top prize of $1.77m, her best score in poker so far.
“I haven’t won a large $25k yet, so it feels really good,” she told reporters after the event. “It was really a dream. It feels like where I’m supposed to be and what I’m supposed to be doing. I’m just so blessed that I found poker, that I’m able to do this.”
Kristen encouraged other female players to join her in Las Vegas and work to improve at the game without doubting themselves.
“Just because you’re a female doesn’t mean you don’t belong there or that you can’t do it,” she said. “Just because you’re a female doesn’t mean you don’t belong there or that you can’t do it. If this is what you want to do, pursue it. There’s nothing stopping you.”
You can watch Kristen Foxen win her sixth WSOP bracelet right here:
| WSOP 2026 Event #19: $25,000 NLHE High Roller Final Table Results: | |||
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
| 1st | Kristen Foxen | Canada | $1,773,083 |
| 2nd | Galen Hall | United States | $1,182,050 |
| 3rd | Biao Ding | China | $819,504 |
| 4th | Joey Weissman | United States | $577,326 |
| 5th | Ignacio Moron | Spain | $413,389 |
| 6th | Zdenek Zizka | Czechia | $300,942 |
| 7th | Ihar Soika | Belarus | $222,798 |
| 8th | Giuseppe Calio | Argentina | $167,792 |
Naoya Kihara Claims Double Delight, Chainsaw Just Misses Out
It was a case of the same pain all over again for Allen ‘Chainsaw’ Kessler as the PokerStake seller and legend of the game fell just short of ending his long wait for WSOP gold. In the $10,000 Seven Card Stud Championship in Las Vegas, Event #23 thrilled poker fans who gathered at the rail in the Paris Ballroom largely to support Allen.
The $10,000-entry Seven Card Stud Championship is a prestigious bracelet and featured legends of the game at every table, including the final one. The reigning 2025 world champion and GGPoker Global Ambassador Michael Mizrachi missed out in sixth place for $54,458 after losing to Chris Brewer with aces in the hole, but the drama was only just beginning.
After the departure of Brewer himself (5th for $72,254), two PokerStake legends were alive in the final four players, but sadly they both left in the next two consecutive spots. First, Jeremy Ausmus drew dead after fifth street when British player James Cheung made Broadway, sending Ausmus home with $98,782 in fourth place. Then Allen Kessler met with disaster.
Holding the lead with three left, Allen was desperately unlucky when first Cheung rivered a six-high straight which overtook Allen’s aces up. Then Kihara filled up on seventh street to render Allen’s flush draw meaningless, sending the American to the rail which stood to a fan to applaud him off the stage as he went off to collect $139,036.
Heads-up, both Kihara and Cheung were aiming to become the first player to win two bracelets this series, but it was the Japanese player who was feted by Lady Luck. Winning the final hand with two-pair, Naoya Kihara could celebrate victory and a top prize of $301,970 as he became the first double bracelet winner of the 2026 WSOP in Event #23.
| WSOP 2026 Event #23: $10,000 Seven Card Stud Championship Final Table Results: | |||
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
| 1st | Naoya Kihara | Japan | $301,970 |
| 2nd | James Cheung | United Kingdom | $201,308 |
| 3rd | Allen Kessler | United States | $139,036 |
| 4th | Jeremy Ausmus | United States | $98,782 |
| 5th | Chris Brewer | United States | $72,254 |
| 6th | Michael Mizrachi | United States | $54,458 |
| 7th | Ryan Miller | United States | $42,333 |
| 8th | Jason Kluska | United States | $33,974 |
Arieh Goes Close in PLO Showdown
Josh Arieh went incredibly close to victory for Team PokerStake, cashing for $110,085 in third place in Event #21, the $1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better event. With 12 players left, Josh explained to his X followers that he was in a tricky predicament where he could have controlled the table. Losing that hand, Josh then dropped back a little, and while he made the final table, it wasn’t in the shape that he would have like.
When the last eight of the tournament assembled, the race for the finish line was truly on, and after the efforts of Rocky Paradise (6th for $41,668), Dennis Weiss (5th for $56,738) and Ryan Hansen (4th for $78,430), Josh Arieh made his bow, the first player to collect six figures when Frederic Normand called or almost all of it with just top. Josh had a gut shot and bottom two pair, but Normand overtook the PokerStake player on the turn to make a superior two-pair.
“There was a lot in the pot,” Normand said afterwards. “It was a close spot with the backdoor low draw. I didn’t think he had much ace-nine or kings, and apparently a nine is not a good card in this game. I feel that I had to put it in with the backdoor equity. It was very close. Someone better than me will tell me.”
Eventually, Normand beat Michael Rodrigues heads-up to claim the win in his first Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-Lo event, banking $235,377 heads-up after outlasting 1,092 other events, the stuff of dreams.
| WSOP 2026 Event #21: $1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better Results: | |||
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
| 1st | Frederic Normand | Canada | $235,377 |
| 2nd | Michael Rodrigues | Portugal | $156,863 |
| 3rd | Josh Arieh | United States | $110,085 |
| 4th | Ryan Hansen | United States | $78,430 |
| 5th | Dennis Weiss | Germany | $56,738 |
| 6th | Rocky Paradise | United States | $41,688 |
| 7th | Jordan Polk | United States | $31,117 |
| 8th | Tobias Hausen | Germany | $23,602 |