WSOP 2026: 15 Italians Advance in Millionaire Maker, Calvin Anderson Wins 7th Bracelet

Fifteen Italian poker players have successfully advanced to the second day of the $1,500 Millionaire Maker at the 2026 World Series of Poker (WSOP) following a strong showing in the Day 1D flight. While the tournament saw a high volume of entries, with 4,526 players starting the latest round, Candido Cappiello emerged as the top-ranked Italian participant with a stack of 181,000 chips.

Italian Performance in the Millionaire Maker

The field for the $1,500 Millionaire Maker reached 11,769 total entrants as of the latest update, with registration still pending closure. Following a difficult Day 2C where no Italian players advanced, the Day 1D cohort successfully re-entered the competition. Beyond Cappiello’s lead, Mario Perati secured 159,900 chips, while Raffaele Sorrentino, who previously exited in Day 2C, successfully qualified for the next stage with 140,000 chips.

Other Italian qualifiers heading into the next stage include Stefano Spataro with 98,500 chips and Andrea Rocci with 98,000. The remaining contingent features Alessandro Predaroli and Leonardo Tononi, both at 88,000, followed by Gino Fedele (84,500), Mario Colavita (83,000), Daniele Fadini (69,000), Marco Zevola (67,500), Antonio Scalzi (52,000), Mauro Suriano (52,000), Domenico De Francesco (33,000), and Simone Andrian (32,500).

Recent WSOP 2026 Bracelet Winners

Calvin Anderson secured his seventh career WSOP bracelet by winning the $10,000 H.O.R.S.E. Championship, marking his second consecutive championship victory. Anderson topped a field of 189 players to claim a $413,580 first-place prize, defeating runner-up Josh Arieh. Additionally, Zachary Gruneberg earned his first career bracelet in the $1,500 Five Card Pot-Limit Omaha event, outlasting 1,318 entrants to take home $271,552.

In the $3,000 6-Handed No-Limit Hold’em event, Abhishek Mhatre defeated 1,149 rivals, including 2014 World Champion Martin Jacobson in heads-up play, to secure his first bracelet and $492,050. These results highlight the high level of competition across the diverse event formats currently underway in Las Vegas.

Did You Know? The $10,000 H.O.R.S.E. Championship victory for Calvin Anderson represents his seventh career WSOP bracelet, placing him among an elite group of multi-time winners in the tournament’s history.

Youness Barakat’s High Roller Exit

Youness Barakat finished in ninth place in the $50,000 High Roller Pot-Limit Omaha event after a significant shift in his chip count during the final stages. Despite maintaining a top-five position for much of Day 2, Barakat lost a critical hand when his A-A-9-2 fell to the K-K-8-8 of Venkat Chivukula on a board of Q-J-J-6-10. The result earned Barakat $125,920 from a total prize pool of $5,225,000.

Expert Insight: Professional tournament structures in high-stakes variants like Pot-Limit Omaha often feature extreme volatility in the late stages. A single “cooler” hand, such as the one encountered by Barakat, can instantly transition a player from a dominant chip lead to an early exit, underscoring the high-variance nature of professional high-roller events.

What Happens Next

Players like Alessio Isaia, who advanced to Day 2 of the $1,500 Limit 2-7 Lowball Triple Draw with 145,000 chips, remain in contention for upcoming bracelets. As the Millionaire Maker approaches its third day, the 1,228 players who survived the Day 1D flight are expected to consolidate with survivors from other flights. Analysts expect the remaining field to narrow significantly as the tournament pushes toward the money bubble and subsequent final table stages.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is the current chip leader among the Italians in the Millionaire Maker?
Candido Cappiello leads the Italian group with 181,000 chips.

How many players participated in the $50,000 High Roller Pot-Limit Omaha?
The event attracted 110 participants, with the prize pool divided among the top 17 finishers.

What is the status of Alessio Isaia in the $1,500 Limit 2-7 Lowball Triple Draw?
Alessio Isaia has successfully advanced to Day 2 with 145,000 chips, placing him 48th in the current count.

Which of the current WSOP 2026 events do you believe presents the most significant challenge for the remaining field?