Poker legend Phil Ivey produced the most thrilling run of his summer at the 2026 World Series of Poker, only to see it end one seat away from the unofficial final table bubble in the $250,000 Super High Roller. The 11-time bracelet winner battled back from the bottom of the counts to finish eighth, banking $553,270 in a tournament that drew 56 entries and built a prize pool of $13,720,000.
Phil Ivey’s Final Table Comeback Falls Just Short
Ivey began the last day of play in dead-last position among the nine remaining players, putting him squarely on the brink of elimination. Rather than folding to the pressure, he engineered one of the more memorable rallies of the entire series.
His turnaround began when he doubled through eventual table leader Bryn Kenney, with ace-queen holding against king-queen to push his stack to 4,200,000 chips. Ivey then fired off a pair of well-timed three-bet shoves that pushed him past the 20-big-blind mark, putting the poker legend firmly back in the mix and sparking real talk of another deep Ivey run.
That momentum shifted abruptly when, with blinds at 150,000/300,000, Ivey raised from early position and Kenney three-bet from the big blind. Ivey moved all in for 5,800,000, and Kenney called instantly. Ivey’s pocket jacks were dominated by Kenney’s pocket queens, and despite both players improving to two pair on a board that ran out without a jack, Kenney’s hand held to send the legendary pro to the rail in eighth.
Results Table: $250,000 Super High Roller Final Table
| Place | Player | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 8th | Phil Ivey | $553,270 |
(Full final table results to be updated as the event concludes.)
Who Is Phil Ivey?
Widely regarded as one of the greatest poker players of all time, Phil Ivey has built a résumé that spans high-stakes cash games and major tournament titles across two and a half decades. With 11 WSOP bracelets to his name, Ivey remains one of the most feared competitors at any table he sits down at, and his pursuit of bracelet number 12 continues to be one of the most closely watched storylines of every WSOP series.
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The Bigger Picture: Ivey’s Slow Start to a Hot Finish
This eighth-place finish capped a turbulent summer for Ivey at the tables. He fired multiple bullets early in the series without success before notching his first cash in a limit hold’em championship event, finishing just outside that final table. A subsequent attempt in a high roller event also came up empty. The Super High Roller represented his deepest and most lucrative result of the summer by a wide margin, reaffirming that even on a quiet WSOP for Ivey, he remains capable of going toe-to-toe with the game’s top high-stakes specialists.
Trends Worth Watching
Ivey’s run adds to a growing narrative this WSOP season of seasoned legends mixing it up with the new generation of high-stakes specialists at marquee buy-in events. His ability to claw back from short stacks, even in defeat, continues to fuel discussion about whether he can add a 12th bracelet before the series wraps.
Quick Facts
- Finish: 8th place
- Prize: $553,270
- Field size: 56 entries
- Prize pool: $13,720,000
- Eliminating hand: Pocket jacks vs. pocket queens
- Career WSOP bracelets: 11
Phil Ivey’s run in the $250,000 Super High Roller stands as his best result of the 2026 WSOP so far, even though it ended without the bracelet he’s chasing. The comeback bid showcased the resilience that has defined his legendary career, and with more high-stakes events left on the schedule, poker fans will be watching closely to see if Ivey can finally add to his bracelet count this summer.
