Kihara Conquers as Hellmuth & Deeb Crash Out of WSOP Lowball

Naoya Kihara claimed his first WSOP bracelet and $428,923 in the $10,000 No-Limit 2-7 Single Draw Championship, outlasting a field that saw poker legends Phil Hellmuth and Shaun Deeb exit in frustrating fashion. The tournament’s glacial pace and brutal variance exposed even the most seasoned professionals to the unforgiving nature of championship lowball poker.

What Happened

The 2026 edition of Event #17 attracted 198 entries, generating a prize pool just north of $1.8 million. This represented a noticeable decline from the previous year’s 233 entries, though the field quality remained elite. Day 3 began with thirteen survivors, headlined by eight-time bracelet winner Shaun Deeb and the always-theatrical Phil Hellmuth.

Ryutaro Suzuki commanded the chip lead entering the final day, with Deeb positioned as his closest pursuer. Hellmuth, meanwhile, found himself short-stacked and needing to make moves immediately. The field also included mixed game specialists John Monnette and Chad Eveslage, along with 2018 Main Event champion John Cynn, who was cashing his first tournament since 2022.

Hellmuth’s tournament ended in ninth place after a brief rally. He managed to climb past several opponents early but couldn’t sustain momentum. Robert French doubled through him before Kihara delivered the knockout blow with jack-ten. That elimination set the official final table, where the action ground to a near standstill.

The final eight players endured over three hours before Robert French busted in eighth. The pace remained torturous throughout, with extended tanking sessions becoming the norm. John Cynn seized the chip lead during this stretch, with Dan Shak and Deeb occupying the next two spots. Per Hildebrand eventually fell in seventh after dinner break, setting up the critical middle-stage confrontations.

Deeb’s tournament unraveled through a series of setbacks. Dan Shak busted in sixth against Kihara, and Deeb soon found himself in serious trouble after doubling up Suzuki. In that pivotal hand, Suzuki shoved from the button with over twenty big blinds. Deeb called from the small blind, and Suzuki stood pat with his nine-eight. Deeb held ten-eight and drew one card, needing a seven, six, five, four, or deuce to survive. The three of clubs sealed his fate, giving him ace-high and ending his run in fifth place for $99,557.

The eliminations accelerated after Deeb’s exit. Suzuki finished fourth and Cynn third, leaving David Lin to face Kihara heads-up. Kihara dominated the final battle and closed out his first WSOP victory, adding $428,923 to his career earnings. Lin collected $288,711 for second place.

The Poker Strategy Breakdown

No-Limit 2-7 Single Draw presents unique strategic challenges that separate it from traditional poker formats. Your objective is constructing the worst possible five-card hand, where straights and flushes count against you. The wheel (A-2-3-4-5) that dominates other lowball variants becomes worthless here due to the straight. Instead, seven-five-four-three-deuce (the “perfect seven”) represents the nuts.

The single draw element creates enormous pressure on every decision. Unlike Triple Draw, where you have multiple opportunities to improve, one draw means you must accurately assess your hand’s strength and your opponent’s likely holdings before committing chips. Standing pat with a marginal hand like jack-ten can be correct against aggressive opponents, while drawing to hands like ten-eight requires precise pot odds calculations.

Suzuki’s button shove with a pat nine demonstrates proper aggression in short-handed play. With antes and blinds creating dead money, shoving twenty big blinds from the button puts maximum pressure on opponents who must decide whether to call and draw or stand pat with weaker holdings. His nine-eight was strong enough to stand behind, particularly against an opponent who would need to draw.

Deeb’s call with ten-eight reflects the compressed ranges in short-handed lowball. He held a hand with legitimate equity—approximately eleven outs to beat a nine. However, the decision illustrates the razor-thin margins in championship poker. Drawing dead to an eight or better meant any card above an eight eliminated him, and the three-high board card proved fatal.

The tournament’s glacial pace at the final table reveals another strategic dimension: mental endurance. Extended decision-making periods can induce fatigue and errors. Players who maintain focus during these marathon sessions gain significant edges. The three-hour stretch before the first final table elimination tested everyone’s patience and concentration.

Reading The Field & Table Dynamics

The final table featured a fascinating mix of player types and stack dynamics. Cynn’s emergence as chip leader despite not cashing a tournament in four years demonstrated the variance inherent in lowball poker. His Main Event pedigree showed in his patient approach, allowing him to accumulate chips while others battled.

Deeb entered the final table as the most accomplished player in terms of WSOP success, chasing Player of the Year honors. This created an interesting dynamic—he needed the win more than most for POY points, potentially influencing his risk tolerance. His willingness to call Suzuki’s shove suggests he understood that folding his way to a slightly better finish wouldn’t significantly impact his POY chase.

The power gap that developed between the top three stacks and the rest of the field created classic ICM pressure. Shorter stacks faced the dilemma of waiting for better spots versus making moves before blinds consumed them. This dynamic contributed to the slow pace, as medium stacks avoided confrontations with chip leaders.

Kihara’s patient accumulation strategy proved optimal. Rather than forcing action, he allowed opponents to clash while picking strategic spots to apply pressure. His knockout of Hellmuth with jack-ten showed willingness to gamble when the situation warranted, while his patient approach against Shak and during heads-up play demonstrated adaptability.

The extended tanking sessions reveal the mental warfare inherent in high-stakes lowball. Each decision carries enormous weight with only one draw available. Players must balance showing strength through quick decisions versus extracting maximum information through deliberation. The slow pace frustrated spectators but represented optimal play given the stakes.

How To Apply This To Your Game

Understanding pat hand ranges is crucial for lowball success. When an opponent stands pat, they’re representing a made hand, typically jack-low or better in most situations. Your decision to call or fold with a drawing hand depends on your number of outs and the pot odds offered. Practice calculating outs quickly—knowing you have eleven outs to beat a nine helps you make correct mathematical decisions under pressure.

Aggression in position remains paramount, even in lowball variants. Suzuki’s button shove exemplifies how position allows you to apply maximum pressure with marginal holdings. When short-handed, expanding your shoving range from late position forces opponents into difficult decisions. They must either stand pat with weaker hands or draw against your perceived strength.

Manage your mental game during extended sessions. The three-hour stretches between eliminations test concentration and discipline. Develop routines to maintain focus—take breaks when allowed, stay hydrated, and avoid dwelling on previous hands. Players who remain sharp during hour ten of play gain enormous edges over fatigued opponents.

Study ICM implications in tournament lowball. The compressed payout structure at final tables means each pay jump matters significantly. Understanding when to tighten up versus when to attack shorter stacks separates good players from great ones. Sometimes folding a marginal calling hand is correct when another player is on the verge of elimination.

Practice drawing decisions in isolation before attempting them under tournament pressure. Set up common scenarios—holding ten-eight against a pat hand, deciding whether to break a jack, or choosing which card to discard from one-card draws. The more you’ve analyzed these spots away from the table, the more confident you’ll be when facing them for real money.

Key Takeaways

• Naoya Kihara captured his first WSOP bracelet and $428,923 by outlasting 197 opponents in the $10,000 2-7 Single Draw Championship
• Phil Hellmuth’s ninth-place finish and Shaun Deeb’s fifth-place exit highlighted the variance and difficulty of championship lowball poker
• The final table’s glacial pace—over three hours between eliminations—tested mental endurance as much as poker skill
• Proper aggression with position proved crucial, as demonstrated by Ryutaro Suzuki’s successful button shove that eliminated Deeb
• Drawing decisions in 2-7 Single Draw require precise out-counting and pot odds calculations with no second chances
• ICM considerations and stack dynamics created the slow, methodical play that characterized the final table

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes 2-7 Single Draw different from other lowball variants?

In 2-7 Single Draw, aces are high, and straights and flushes count against you. This makes 7-5-4-3-2 (with at least two suits) the best possible hand. Unlike Triple Draw, you only get one opportunity to improve your hand, making each draw decision critical. The no-limit betting structure adds another layer of complexity, allowing players to apply maximum pressure with position and stack leverage.

How should you approach calling all-in bets when you need to draw?

Calculate your outs precisely and compare them to the pot odds offered. If you hold ten-eight against a suspected nine, you have eleven outs (any seven, six, five, four, or deuce). With eleven outs from forty-seven unseen cards, you’re roughly 23% to win. You need pot odds better than 3.3-to-1 to make the call profitable. Also consider ICM implications—sometimes folding is correct even with proper pot odds if another player is shorter-stacked.

Why was the final table pace so slow in this tournament?

Several factors contributed to the glacial pace. First, 2-7 Single Draw requires complex decision-making with only one draw available, encouraging deliberation. Second, ICM pressure at the final table made players cautious about unnecessary confrontations. Third, the field included highly skilled professionals who understood that patience often trumps aggression in lowball tournaments. Finally, the significant pay jumps incentivized conservative play from medium stacks waiting for shorter stacks to bust.

Final Thoughts

Naoya Kihara’s victory in the $10,000 2-7 Single Draw Championship demonstrates that patience and precise execution trump reputation in championship poker. While Hellmuth and Deeb commanded the headlines entering Day 3, Kihara’s steady accumulation and smart aggression at key moments earned him the bracelet. His willingness to gamble when appropriate, combined with discipline during the marathon final table, exemplifies the complete skill set required for lowball success.

The tournament also reinforced that variance spares no one in single-draw lowball. Deeb’s elimination hand—calling with ten-eight and drawing dead to an eight or better—represented a standard spot that simply didn’t work out. These marginal decisions define championship poker, where the difference between victory and fifth place often comes down to a single card. Understanding these spots theoretically doesn’t eliminate the pain when the deck doesn’t cooperate, but it ensures you’re making correct long-term decisions.

For players looking to add lowball variants to their arsenal, this tournament provides a masterclass in patience, position, and pressure. Study how the survivors navigated ICM considerations, managed their mental game through extended sessions, and executed their drawing decisions with precision. These lessons apply across all poker formats, making lowball an excellent training ground for developing complete poker skills.