2026 WSOP PoY: Foxen, Deeb, and Kihara Battle in $25,000 High Roller H.O.R.S.E.

With just 20 players remaining in Event #97 of 100 on the 2026 World Series of Poker schedule, the $25,000 High Roller H.O.R.S.E. could prove to be vital in the race for WSOP Player of the Year (PoY).

All three of the current top contenders remain in contention, with points leader Alex Foxen joined in the top 10 chip counts by Naoya Kihara and reigning Player of the Year Shaun Deeb.

With $872,052 awaiting the winner, a deep run from any of the trio could leave them in command of the standings before the Player of the Year race resumes at WSOP Paradise in the Bahamas later this year, where the title will ultimately be decided.

Alex Foxen Well Placed to Extend His Lead

At the time of writing, Foxen is well placed to strengthen his grip on the Player of the Year race, sitting second in chips in the final high roller event of the summer. Kihara is fifth in chips, while Deeb is also well-placed in ninth.

Deeb, who recently admitted his 15th-place finish in the WSOP Main Event was frustrating because it hurt his Player of the Year chances, has mounted a late charge up the standings. After his Main Event exit, the reigning champion immediately jumped into multiple bracelet events in a bid to close the gap, overtaking Kihara and cutting into Foxen’s lead.

The current Player of the Year standings are as follows:

Thanks to the handy calculator on the WSOP site, it’s easy to determine how many points are up for grabs in the $25,000 High Roller H.O.R.S.E., and as you can see, they could have a significant bearing on the PoY race:

If either Foxen or Deeb goes on to win the event, they would become the first player to surpass 4,000 points in this year’s race. Kihara, meanwhile, has the opportunity to overtake both of them with a deep run, provided Foxen and Deeb are eliminated early.

Race to Move On to Paradise

For the first time, the WSOP Player of the Year race will not be decided at the conclusion of the summer series. Instead, the battle will continue later this year at WSOP Paradise, where the 2026 champion will finally be crowned.

Whatever happens in the $25,000 High Roller H.O.R.S.E., Foxen, Deeb, and Kihara will all head to the Bahamas with a realistic chance of claiming the title. Deeb, meanwhile, is chasing history as he looks to defend his crown and become the first player to win WSOP Player of the Year in consecutive seasons, as well as the first to claim the honor three times.

Justin Liberto, Josh Arieh, Jesse Lonis, and Daniel Negreanu also remain within striking distance after impressive summers, although they still have significant ground to make up on the leading trio.

To follow the final major Player of the Year points race of the summer, keep up with PokerNews’ live coverage of the $25,000 High Roller H.O.R.S.E. as the field plays into the money late Tuesday night and through the early hours of Wednesday.

Eliot Thomas is an Editor at PokerNews, specializing in casino and poker coverage. He is currently on the ground in Las Vegas covering the 2026 World Series of Poker and has previously worked at the European Poker Tour and Triton Super High Roller Series.