Joao Hayashi won the first WSOP 2026 bracelet on GGPoker

Brazilian Joao Hayashi became the champion of Event #15: $1,000 Rounder Cup Battle of the Continents at the WSOP 2026, winning a gold bracelet and $164,990.

Another gold bracelet was awarded in the WSOP 2026 online series on the GGPoker platform—this time, the winner was Brazilian player Joao Hayashi. He claimed victory in the unique Event #15: $1,000 Rounder Cup Battle of the Continents , outlasting 1,022 opponents and earning not only the top prize of $164,990 but also the prestigious WSOP bracelet. In addition, Hayashi received a Super Pass worth $30,000, granting him entry into the WSOP Paradise Super Main Event with a $50,000,000 guarantee in 2026. Features of the Battle of the Continents Tournament The Rounder Cup Battle of the Continents tournament stood out from standard events due to its qualification format: four separate starting days were available only to players from specific geographic regions— Asia, Eurasia, Europe, and the Americas . Each participant could register only for their regional flight. After all Day 1s concluded, the surviving players merged into Day 2 to determine both the overall champion and the strongest continent of the series. This year, thanks to Joao Hayashi’s victory, the Americas emerged as the champions. Brazilians continue to dominate the series: after 15 completed tournaments, they already have three wins, three runner-up finishes, and four third places . Final Table Action: Prize Distribution The top 100 players advanced to Day 2, each guaranteed at least a min-cash —the minimum payout. However, only the nine strongest made it to the final table. On the way to the final, notable players such as Ole Schemion, Daniel Negreanu, Mark Radoja, David Miscikowski, Andras Nemeth, Tom Talboom , and David Mzareulov (who finished 11th) were eliminated in the money. All finalists received at least $20,623 from the total prize pool of $970,900. Here’s how the final table payouts were distributed: 1st place: Joao Hayashi (Brazil) — $164,990 + $30,000 Super Pass 2nd place: "sensor77" (Luxembourg) — $127,224 3rd place: Diego Zeiter — $98,103 4th place: Regis "AnimalRaro" Cardoso (Brazil) — $75,648 5th place: "flyingcowkiss" (Taiwan) — $58,332 6th place: "Atzamot" (Israel) — $44,980 7th place: Christian Rudolph — $34,684 8th place: "Sanchuu5527" (Mongolia) — $26,745 9th place: Ravid Garbi (Israel) — $20,623 The final table began with the elimination of Ravid Garbi, who finished 9th and received the minimum payout among the finalists. Next to bust were "Sanchuu5527" from Mongolia and well-known German pro Christian Rudolph. In 6th and 5th place, "Atzamot" from Israel and "flyingcowkiss" from Taiwan exited, each taking home a solid prize. The final four included another Brazilian—Regis "AnimalRaro" Cardoso, whose deep run earned him $75,648. After Diego Zeiter was eliminated in third place ($98,103), heads-up play featured Joao Hayashi and "sensor77" from Luxembourg. Both had already secured over $125,000, but it was Hayashi who managed to close out the win, capturing his first WSOP bracelet, the top cash prize, and a ticket to a major live tournament. Final Table Results for Event #15: $1,000 Rounder Cup Battle of the Continents Place Player Country Prize 1 Joao Hayashi Brazil $164,990 + $30,000 Super Pass 2 sensor77 Luxembourg $127,224 3 Diego Zeiter - $98,103 4 Regis "AnimalRaro" Cardoso Brazil $75,648 5 flyingcowkiss Taiwan $58,332 6 Atzamot Israel $44,980 7 Christian Rudolph - $34,684 8 Sanchuu5527 Mongolia $26,745 9 Ravid Garbi Israel $20,623 Upcoming WSOP Online Events: Hayashi Among the Leaders in Deepstack NLH Championship Joao Hayashi didn’t stop at his Battle of the Continents victory. In Event #16: $500 Deepstack NLH Championship , he also advanced to Day 2 with one of the largest stacks—2,988,483 chips, equivalent to 60 big blinds. This puts him in 12th place among the remaining 103 players out of the original 3,971. The tournament will conclude on September 7, with the winner taking home $194,703 from a prize pool of $1,886,225. Joris Ruijs from the Netherlands leads at the start of Day 2 with 5,482,910 chips. Other notable players include Fabian Schmidt (3,766,975), Brunno Botteon (2,546,003), Martin Finger (1,704,744), Boris Angelov (1,414,223), and Andrey Pateychuk (689,073). All are still in contention for the top prize. Mystery Millions with a $10,000,000 Guarantee Continues Alongside the above events, Event #17: $250 Mystery Millions with a $10,000,000 guarantee is underway on GGPoker. This tournament features multiple starting days (Day 1), and players can enter several flights—if they qualify for Day 2 more than once, their stacks are combined. At the time of publication, five starting days remain. Already, 3,414 players out of 40,687 registered have advanced to Day 2, which begins on September 7 at 19:00 UK time. Despite the impressive number of entries, the guarantee is still short by $641,990. The Day 2 chip leader is Xuanyi "Jokerwang777" Wang, who has 2,744,209 chips—the best result among all qualifiers. On Day 2, $5,000,000 in mystery bounty prizes will be up for grabs—random rewards given to players for knocking out opponents. The tournament will pause once the final table of nine is set. The top bounty prize is $1,000,000. Key Participants and Statistics Overview Other well-known pros continue to perform actively in the WSOP Online 2026 series on GGPoker. Among those who made the money but missed the final table of Battle of the Continents were stars like Daniel Negreanu, Ole Schemion, Mark Radoja, David Miscikowski, Andras Nemeth, Tom Talboom, and David Mzareulov (11th place). Brazilian players continue to deliver impressive results: after 15 completed tournaments, they have three wins, three runner-up finishes, and four third places. This highlights the high level of competition and preparation among players from this region. In the upcoming tournaments, attention is focused on Joao Hayashi, who could secure a double victory, as well as Joris Ruijs, Fabian Schmidt, Brunno Botteon, Martin Finger, Boris Angelov, and Andrey Pateychuk—all still in the hunt for major prizes and bracelets. What This Means for PPPoker Club Players For PPPoker club members, this news can serve as great motivation: even in the largest online series, players from different countries and regions can achieve success if they approach the game with proper preparation. The Battle of the Continents format shows that geographic diversity and unique tournament structures can give a chance to shine not only to stars but also to ambitious regulars from anywhere in the world. Pay attention to modern formats with multiple starting days and stack merging—they are increasingly common both on major platforms and in PPPoker club leagues. The ability to plan your participation wisely, make optimal use of re-entries, and build your stack is a crucial skill for successful play in today’s environment. Moreover, the results of Brazilian players at WSOP Online highlight that regular practice, participation in club tournaments, and team support help achieve high results at the international level. Use these strategies in your PPPoker clubs to raise your own game and maybe one day repeat Joao Hayashi’s success!