Phil Ivey busted early on Day 2d of the 2026 WSOP Main Event, continuing a pattern that stretches back to 2003. Chris Moneymaker, meantime, advanced to Day 3 and remains alive in the tournament.
The symmetry is striking. Twenty-three years ago at the 2003 Main Event, Moneymaker eliminated Ivey one seat short of the final table on his way to winning the bracelet. That run launched Moneymaker into poker stardom and sparked the poker boom that reshaped the game. Ivey, then a young pro with tremendous potential, fell just short of cashing in that historic event.
This year's collision echoes that moment. Ivey's early exit on Day 2d means he failed to make the money again, at least in this iteration. Moneymaker advanced through Day 3, keeping his tournament hopes alive in what remains poker's most prestigious event.
The narrative carries weight in poker circles. Moneymaker's 2003 victory proved an amateur could compete with and defeat seasoned professionals. His underdog story inspired millions to take up the game. Ivey, for his part, has gone on to become one of the era's elite high-stakes players and tournament competitors, with ten WSOP bracelets and countless deep runs in major events.
Yet at the 2026 Main Event, history repeated itself in the most basic way. Ivey couldn't get past Moneymaker. One bust on the bubble, another early exit two decades later. The difference this time is that Moneymaker doesn't need to win a bracelet to validate his poker prowess. He's already done that. Ivey, meanwhile, continues chasing more hardware.
Day 3 chip counts and remaining field size weren't specified in available reports