Phil Hellmuth’s bid for a first World Series of Poker Main Event cash in a decade ended on Day 3 when the 1989 champion moved all-in with A♠K♦ and was called by Michael Zulker’s pocket queens. A lone Q♥ on the river completed a one-outer set, sending the 17-time bracelet holder to the rail well short of the payout line and extending his Main Event drought to ten years. Hellmuth’s exit highlighted a volatile session in the $10,000 No-Limit Hold’em championship, where the field tightened to within roughly 500 players of the money as competitors broke for dinner in Las Vegas. Defending title-holder Jonathan Tamayo had already been eliminated, while only two former champions—2020 winner Damian Salas and 2012 victor Greg Merson—were confirmed still in contention. Chip counts remain fluid, but four-time bracelet winner Michael Mizrachi pushed toward the one-million-chip mark, joining early pace-setter Riva Arthur near the top of the leaderboard. Jason Mercier was last reported on 725,000 as the tournament prepared to resume play through the bubble and toward Day 4.