WSOP 2026 Day 23: Smith and Aharoni Win Big

WSOP 2026 Day 23 delivers two major champions

The latest day of WSOP 2026 brought a packed schedule, two marquee title runs, and several important updates across the series. The biggest headlines belong to Justin Smith, who conquered the massive Colossus, and Daniel Aharoni, who navigated one of the toughest final tables of the summer to win the $10,000 Big O Championship.

For poker players, this is exactly why the World Series remains the most compelling festival in the game. One event offers a low buy-in shot at a life-changing score in a field of more than sixteen thousand entries; the other is a high-stakes mixed-game battle where every mistake is magnified. Same series, completely different skill tests.

Justin Smith wins the Colossus from a field of 16,269

The Colossus once again lived up to its name. With 16,269 players taking their shot, the event created the kind of deep, volatile environment where patience and survival matter as much as aggression.

In the end, Justin Smith emerged as the champion. That’s a huge result not only because of the title, but because of the economics: Smith entered for just $500 and converted that buy-in into $550,000. That kind of return is the dream scenario for anyone who loves WSOP-style value.

Smith defeated Myles German in the heads-up match, with German earning $367,000 for second place. The final table also featured:

• Victor Chong — $278,000
• Yuefan Wang — $212,000
• Jose Orozco Gomez — $163,000
• Karabet Keshishyan — $125,000
• Andrew Sanchez — $98,000
• Eric Baldwin — $76,000

Eric Baldwin was one of the more notable names at the table. He had been positioned well in the chip counts the day before, but in a field this large, a single rough stretch can completely change the story. That is the reality of Colossus: the road to the title is long, and variance is always lurking.

Daniel Aharoni takes the Big O Championship

If Colossus is about volume and endurance, the $10,000 Big O Championship is about technical depth and elite decision-making. Big O is a demanding five-card mixed game, and the final table brought together a serious lineup of specialists and high-level all-around players.

Daniel Aharoni came out on top after a difficult path that included wins over Scott Clements, Sean Troha, Sam Soverel, and Poker Hall of Famer Nick Schulman. That list alone tells you how meaningful the title is.

The heads-up battle against Aaron Kupin was hard-fought, but Aharoni closed it out and claimed $861,287. Kupin collected $574,168 for second.

Final-table payouts:

• Daniel Aharoni — $861,287
• Aaron Kupin — $574,168
• Doug Lorgeree — $394,724
• Bruno Furth — $276,471
• Nick Schulman — $197,362
• Sean Troha — $143,645
• Sam Soverel — $106,635
• Scott Clements — $80,773

For players who want to better understand why formats like Big O are so respected, studying fundamentals at poker school and observing how top regulars compete in poker clubs can be extremely useful. The best mixed-game players are usually the ones who combine technical knowledge with patience and adaptability.

High Roller $25,000: David Benyamine sits near the top

The $25,000 High Roller is still in progress, and the numbers are already impressive. The tournament drew 329 entries, with 110 players remaining after Day 1B wrapped up. That flight alone included 224 entrants, and 83 advanced to the next stage.

Italian player Youness Barakat leads the way with 1,675,000 chips. Right behind him is Philip Marsico with 1,570,000, while French star David Benyamine sits third on 1,209,000. That is a very healthy position heading into Day 2, especially in a field full of proven crushers.

The average stack is 448,000, and play will resume at 2,000/4,000 blinds. Another player to watch is Daniel Negreanu, who ended the day with 789,000.

For many players, events like this are a reminder of how carefully bankroll planning matters at the highest levels. Whether you follow the action through poker rooms or track value through promotions & bonuses, the path to major series success often starts long before cards are dealt.

$2,500 Freezeout: 12 French players move on

The $2,500 Freezeout No-Limit Hold’em also finished its opening day. Out of 1,561 starters, 320 players remain, and the French contingent has done well: 12 French players advanced.

The current French leader is Loris Gauthier, who bagged 448,000 chips. Close behind is Benoît Flasson with 418,000. Also still alive are:

• Sébastien Grax
• Cédric Schwaederle
• Tristan Forge
• Leo Soma
• Leo Lombardozzi
• Hugues Girard

The average stack is 170,000, so several of the French survivors are in strong shape relative to the field. That matters a lot in a freezeout, where every chip gained in the early levels can pay off later because there is no re-entry safety net.

The bad news is that Antoine Saout has been eliminated in 279th place and will not continue. Still, the winner of the tournament will take home $513,885, so the remaining field is playing for a very serious score.

Expert analysis: what these results mean for players

This day at WSOP 2026 highlights two core truths about tournament poker. First, Colossus rewards endurance, discipline, and the ability to survive enormous-field volatility. Second, Big O rewards technical mastery, composure, and the ability to make correct decisions under constant pressure from elite opposition.

For recreational players, the takeaway is simple:

• in huge-field events, stack preservation and table awareness matter more than fancy lines;
• in mixed games, studying structure and hand selection is essential;
• at WSOP, chip leads are valuable, but they are never enough by themselves.

The broader industry lesson is also clear. The World Series still succeeds because it serves every poker audience at once: mass-entry dreamers in the Colossus, high-rollers in the $25K event, and specialists in formats like Big O. That balance is what makes the series relevant to everyone from poker agent clients to players grinding satellite paths in poker clubs.

Final takeaways from Day 23

Day 23 of WSOP 2026 delivered a little bit of everything: a massive-field champion in Justin Smith, a technically demanding title for Daniel Aharoni, and promising signs for David Benyamine and several French players still alive in the Freezeout.

The biggest lesson is that WSOP rewards different skill sets in different arenas, but the common denominator is always the same: adaptability. Whether you are battling through thousands of entries or navigating a deep mixed-game final table, the players who adjust best are the ones who usually end up lifting the bracelet.

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