WSOP 2026: Richard Alsup Wins Monster Stack for $1.3M

WSOP 2026 Monster Stack ends with a massive payday for Richard Alsup

Las Vegas delivered another packed day at the World Series of Poker, and the headline result came from the $1,500 Monster Stack, one of the most popular deep-structure events of the summer. From a field of 11,933 entries, Richard Alsup came out on top, claiming $1,302,125 and his second WSOP bracelet.

The Monster Stack is a special kind of tournament. Because the starting stacks are deep and the field is enormous, players need more than just card luck. Endurance, patience, and the ability to navigate a wide range of opponents all matter just as much as winning key all-ins late in the event.

Richard Alsup outlasts Salvatore Dicarlo heads-up

Alsup’s path to the title ended with a heads-up win over Salvatore Dicarlo, who also locked up a huge score relative to the buy-in: $900,000. John Ripnick finished third and collected $700,000.

That top-heavy payout structure is exactly why WSOP final tables carry so much pressure. At this stage, one pot can change a player’s entire summer, and every ladder up the payout list becomes meaningful.

Final results:

• Richard Alsup — $1,302,125
• Salvatore Dicarlo — $900,000
• John Ripnick — $700,000
• Aaron Massey — $520,000
• Matthew Miller — $400,000
• Pierre McKellar — $305,000
• Kevin Eyster — $240,000

For players studying how live fields differ from online pools, comparing poker rooms and poker clubs can be useful. The pace, stack depth, and table dynamics often change the correct strategic approach.

Santhosh Suvarna takes the $50,000 High Roller

Another major storyline of the day came from the $50,000 High Roller, where a tough field of 167 players included names like Chris Brewer, Pieter Aerts, Ben Heath, and Adrian Mateos.

In the end, Santhosh Suvarna emerged victorious, earning $1,922,870 and his third WSOP bracelet. That result matters because high roller tournaments are the clearest test of elite tournament skill: players face world-class opponents, short windows for mistakes, and very real ICM pressure.

Final results:

• Santhosh Suvarna — $1,922,870
• Chang Lee — $1,281,905
• Colin Robinson — $893,225
• Chris Brewer — $634,870
• Anatoly Zlotnikov — $460,445
• Brandon Wilson — $340,905
• Brian Beck — $257,770

If you want to improve for these events, a structured poker school can help you build a stronger preflop and postflop foundation, while smart use of promotions & bonuses can support the volume needed to practice.

Dennis Weiss wins the $1,500 NLHE 7-Handed event

The $1,500 No Limit Hold’em 7-Handed event also reached its conclusion. Going into the final stages, eight players were still alive, and Dennis Weiss ultimately took the title for $133,704.

It was a particularly notable win because Weiss added a third WSOP bracelet to his résumé. That kind of consistency is what separates strong one-off runs from real long-term tournament success.

Final results:

• Dennis Weiss — $133,704
• Omar Mehmood — $88,053
• Ronnie Bardah — $59,247
• Jorge Ufano — $40,732
• Thomas Miressi — $28,626
• Patrick Leonard — $20,576
• Vo Ngo — $15,134

Patrick Leonard’s sixth-place finish was a reminder of how brutal late-stage WSOP poker can be. In major series like this, many regulars also work with a poker agent to manage schedules, event selection, and logistics.

Event #36 $100,000 High Roller begins with Ren Lin in front

The ultra-premium Event #36 $100,000 buy-in also got underway, and Day 1 ended overnight. From 67 starters, 31 players survived to Day 2.

The field was loaded with elite talent: Jason Koon, Sean Winter, Artur Martirosian, Nick Petrangelo, Martin Kabrhel, Brynn Kenney, and Stephen Chidwick all took part. Emilien Pitavy represented France in the event, but he was eliminated in 44th place and did not advance.

At the top of the counts sits Ren Lin, who bagged 3,175,000 chips. That gives him a healthy edge over the nearest challenger, who finished the day with 2,525,000. The average stack is 1,296,774, and play will resume at 10,000/20,000 blinds.

Expert analysis: why these WSOP results matter

This set of results offers a useful snapshot of modern live tournament poker.

First, the Monster Stack once again showed that huge-field events reward more than aggression. Deep stacks create room for maneuvering, but they also punish overplaying marginal edges. The winners in these events are usually the players who can stay patient, avoid unnecessary variance, and still apply pressure at the right moments.

Second, Suvarna’s high roller victory reinforces an important trend: at the very top of the game, success comes from technical precision. ICM awareness, balanced ranges, sizing discipline, and emotional control are all essential when the table is stacked with world-class opponents.

Third, the opening of the $100,000 event underlines how critical early chip accumulation can be in elite fields. When buy-ins are this high, every postflop decision carries extra weight, and a strong Day 1 stack can shape the entire rest of the tournament.

Final takeaways from a busy WSOP day

Richard Alsup, Santhosh Suvarna, and Dennis Weiss all made major statements on the same day in Las Vegas. Alsup conquered a massive Monster Stack field, Suvarna added another high-roller title, and Weiss strengthened his WSOP legacy with bracelet No. 3.

With the $100,000 event now in motion, the summer’s biggest battles are only getting started. For poker fans and players alike, this is exactly why WSOP remains the sport’s ultimate testing ground.

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