Category: Cards

Hall of Famer Richard Seymour eliminated two WSOP Main Event 2023 players in 1 huge hand

The Hall of Fame defensive end is doing so well at the 2023 World Series of Poker Main Event.

Richard Seymour — the former Patriot and Raider defensive end who was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2022 — is (as of publishing this) still alive at the 2023 World Series of Poker Main Event.

He’s been at the Main Event before, using his Super Bowl ring to stack on his chips and playing pretty well in years past.

And he’s doing REALLY well in 2023, knocking out not one but TWO players as the money bubble approaches. Those two other players went all in and Seymour called with King-Queen. A Queen came out on the turn, but it was his King of Hearts that appeared to get him a flush.

There was also this televised hand in which he went back and forth with Stephen Chidwick before the flop. Seymour went all in with his Kings and Chidwick’s Queens were taken down:

As of publishing this, Seymour has 650,000 chips and sits in 325th place with 441 players remaining out of the 10,043 who entered. GOOD LUCK!

The 2022 World Series of Poker bracelet is absolutely stunning (and comes with its own solid-gold chip)

And don’t forget about the $10 million cash prize, too

Nothing feels better in a competitive environment than coming out as the best once the dust settles. Usually, those standing last are rewarded. Think — Olympic medals, championship belts in boxing and now even the NBA Summer League championship rings.

And if you think those are nice, wait until you get a glimpse of what Norway’s Espen Jorstad received for his recent World Series of Poker victory in Las Vegas.

No, I’m not just referring to the $10 million in prize money he took home for winning the tournament (although, SHEESH).

I’m talking jewelry, bling, ice — a 55.48-carat gold bracelet with nearly 2,000 diamonds.

A removable gold poker chip that can be used as a card protector? I thought I had seen it all. This is some creative stuff.

My question is this: Is this bracelet something y’all would wear around? Or is it too valuable?

These prizes keep getting better and better.

[mm-video type=video id=01g8bt3q0d9esjjvmz1z playlist_id=none player_id=none image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01g8bt3q0d9esjjvmz1z/01g8bt3q0d9esjjvmz1z-40faae20ebce314028181e9ed3217c64.jpg]

[listicle id=1937732]

See the intense final 2022 World Series of Poker Main Event hand that gave Espen Jorstad the title

What a hand for the WSOP Main Event title!

We have a 2022 World Series of Poker Main Event champion.

It’s Espen Jorstad, who went head to head against Adrian Attenborough and ended up with the champion’s bracelet … and $10 million.

And the hand that ended it all was pretty intense.

Let’s break it down: Jorstad started by calling with Queen-2 and Attenborough simply checked the big blind with Jack-4.

The flop couldn’t have been worse for Attenborough: 2-4-2 giving Jorstad three of a kind and two pair for his opponent. Jorstad simply bet four million, Attenborough raised to 14 million, Jorstad re-raised to 32 million and Attenborough called.

An 8 on the turn led to a check from Attenborough and Jorstad bet 62 million. Attenborough called.

The river? A QUEEN. Oh boy. That’s a full house for Jorstad. Attenborough is done for but doesn’t know it. He checks. Jorstad thinks about it and goes ALL IN. Attenborough calls, the cards get turned over … and Attenborough curses, knowing it’s all over.

Check it out (and WARNING: NSFW language in there!):

WOW.

[listicle id=1929280]

A World Series of Poker Main Event player made the smartest but toughest fold of a full house

What. A. Fold.

Sometimes, the best move in a poker tournament — especially the World Series of Poker Main Event, which is taking place as we speak — is to lay the cards down.

You don’t know it at the time, perhaps, but maybe when you look back at the televised hand, you realize it was the right call even if it was a rough one to go through.

That’s what happened with David Diaz.

The footage below picks up with Diaz holding Ace-Queen against Jeffrey Farnes, who has Kings in his hand. The board is King-2-Queen, and another Queen has been revealed on the turn. There are 11.6 million chips in the pot, and Diaz has 27.8 million to Farnes’ 28.15 million.

This could be a serious disaster. Diaz has three queens, but Farnes has a full house. Diaz bets four million chips and Farnes simply calls.

The river? Another 2. A full house with Queens for Diaz, but the Kings full from Farnes would beat his hand. Diaz thinks it over and bets seven million … and Farnes raises to 18.8 million. Alarm bells go off in Diaz’s head, it seems.

And then he folds.

WOW.

Diaz ended up in 13th place ultimately, and Farnes is still left at the final table!

[listicle id=1929280]

A wild World Series of Poker Main Event hand for 5.8 million chips has shocking ending

What a World Series of Poker Main Event hand to win!

The 2022 World Series of Poker Main Event is getting down to the finalists, with — as of publishing this — just 35 players left after 8,663 entries. The winner will get $10,000,000!

But we’re not there yet. First, you have to see this wild hand.

With the big blind at 100,000 it starts with Haim Or Krief raising to 220,000 with a pair of Queens. The bad news for him: Gilbert Cruz has Aces. He raises to 540,000.

The worst news for Stanley Lee: He has Jacks. And when you have Jacks, sometimes, you can’t lay them down. And in Lee’s case? He raises all in for 1.84 million chips.

Or Krief and Cruz call, and the cards get turned over. Oh boy.

Here’s the thing: The flop is 5-8 of hearts-7 of hearts. And Or Krief has the Queen of hearts.

The turn? The 10 of hearts. WHOA. Suddenly, Or Krief has that flush draw … and the river is Ace of hearts.

Or Krief would eventually finished 60th, thanks in part to this moment.

[listicle id=1929280]

Here’s how much the winners of the World Series of Poker Main Event make

Eight players will earn at least $1 million.

The 2022 World Series of Poker Main Event — the $10,000 No Limit Hold’em World Championship — will come to an exciting conclusion on Saturday with one person left holding the bag, literally.

The grand prize from a field that started last Sunday with 8,663 people is a whopping $10 million. The monetary earnings for first place also come with the newly designed World Series of Poker Main Event bracelet, which Master of Ceremonies Vince Vaugn debuted in style last week.

The total prize pool for the second-largest field of all-time is more than $80 million, with 1,300 players getting a share. Each of the top eight finishers will earn at least $1 million.

As of Monday morning, the field is already down to 380 players, and it’ll reach a final table by Friday. Each of the top 80 finishers receive at least $100,000. The smallest payout from the event is $15,000 for everyone who placed between 1,082 and 1,300.

The World Series of Poker website has a full breakdown on payouts from the main event.

[listicle id=1931786]

[mm-video type=video id=01g7evy7hndjmk0xdnk4 playlist_id=none player_id=none image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01g7evy7hndjmk0xdnk4/01g7evy7hndjmk0xdnk4-449cd6869fab4bc8e14057992782f33a.jpg]

World Series of Poker Main Event player muscles out opponent with same exact hand

This was a wild ending to this hand.

The 2022 World Series of Poker Main Event is in progress, and we’re up to the point where the remaining players — 8,663 people paid $10,000 to enter — are in the money.

This hand is a pretty interesting one. It stars Aaron Zhang and Dan Smith, and the video picks up on the turn. Both Smith and Zhang have King-Jack offsuit, and the board is Jack-6-9-King, giving them a tie should the hand play completely out.

Zhang checks, Smith bets 215,000 chips (he has a 2.4 million to Zhang’s 1.9M), Zhang raises to 675K. Smith calls.

The river? A 10. So that means both players have to look out for a straight if one of them has a Queen. I didn’t see the betting patterns before, but Zhang comes out firing with 780,000. Smith has to think about it, especially with 2,490,000 in the pot.

But he folds! And the conversation that follows is great. Smith asks if Zhang was bluffing, eventually revealing he had King-Jack.

Zhang: “Bad lay down.” OUCH.

Watch the whole thing:

[listicle id=1929280]

Phil Hellmuth dressed as Darth Vader for his grand entrance into the World Series of Poker Main Event

He couldn’t have found a better Darth Vader costume?

It’s that time of the year again when poker legend Phil Hellmuth digs deep into his bag to come up with a unique entrance for the World Series of Poker Main Event.

Hellmuth has entered as Thor, Gandalf and even a boxer in years past. He decided to enter the 2022 event dressed as a character from Star Wars.

That character is Darth Vader.

Scare tactic? Trying to loosen the vibes? Jedi mind-tricking his competition? Whatever the case, Hellmuth, the holder of 16 WSOP Gold Bracelets knows how to get himself ready for the Las Vegas event.

Will he leave with bracelet No. 17?

[mm-video type=video id=01g7d7esg6z9d031p539 playlist_id=none player_id=none image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01g7d7esg6z9d031p539/01g7d7esg6z9d031p539-eebb54d85ce4d98366f3c0db81aad077.jpg]

[listicle id=1929320]

Vince Vaughn being carried by a Roman Royal Court to the WSOP Main Event was an incredible scene

Vaughn made a royal entrance.

Vince Vaughn is this year’s World Series of Poker Celebrity Master of Ceremonies. As such, the actor received royal treatment in his arrival Wednesday at the Bally’s Events Center in Las Vegas for the 53rd annual WSOP Main Event.

Dressed for the theme, the Wedding Crashers star was carried out to the final table by a full Roman Royal Court as he debuted the newly designed Main Event bracelet along the way. It made for quite the scene.

Wednesday’s event was the last of four $10,000 No-Limit Hold’em flights. Vaughn kicked off the event with a few words, including the “shuffle up and deal” announcement.

Denise Truscello/Getty Images for Caesars Entertainment
Denise Truscello/Getty Images for Caesars Entertainment

According to a Caesars press release, the bracelet Vaughn unveiled is custom created from 500 grams of 10 karat white and yellow gold and features 2,767 various stones, including rubies, and black and white diamonds.

“As Master of Ceremonies for the World Series of Poker, I couldn’t be more excited to play a role on the Las Vegas Strip by kicking off the biggest and most prestigious poker tournament in the world,” Vaughn said. “This is the Main Event and a World Champion needs an incredible trophy, not just some lousy ring.”

[listicle id=1928253]

[mm-video type=video id=01g77gd01j7dy6csz92h playlist_id=none player_id=none image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01g77gd01j7dy6csz92h/01g77gd01j7dy6csz92h-e256ef07e35b7f227a0edd94d19f21bd.jpg]

An epic all-in poker hand ends with a stunning royal flush taking down a full house

The odds of drawing a royal flush are 1 in 30,940 hands

The World Series of Poker may still be the ultimate level of competition among the sport’s top player, but don’t sleep on the upstart BetMGM Poker Championship Main Event. Not after the way Joey Weissman cleaned up the final table to win the tournament over the weekend.

And especially not after the absolute bonkers way Weissman knocked Michael Wang out of the tournament.

The two former WSOP winners went all-in head-to-head before even seeing the flop after Weissman was dealt an ace and jack of diamonds to Wang’s pocket queens. Wang had the better odds shortly after the flop, and that would’ve held if not for the river card giving Weissman a royal flush to beat Wang’s full house in stunning fashion.

Just look at the shock on the faces of both players as hand comes to a close.

That just doesn’t happen. The chances of picking up a royal flush are 1 in 30,940 hands or 0.0032%. The odds of a royal flush defeating a full house are too small to even consider measuring. It’s laughable, really.

And now Weissman is laughing all the way to the bank. After defeating Wang, he went on to clear out the rest of the table, earning $224,236 and a first place finish.

Wang finished fourth and took home $65,856.

“This is the stuff we wake up for,” Weissman told PokerNews’ Connor Richards. “Every day we wake up, most of the time we lose. As my good buddy [Patrick Leonard] says, ‘you wake up, you suffer, you go to sleep, you wake up, you suffer, you do it again.’ This is the day you wake up for, though. Some days you win.”

Some days you do, indeed, win.

[mm-video type=video id=01g6jpvh5rmf601xczav playlist_id=none player_id=none image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01g6jpvh5rmf601xczav/01g6jpvh5rmf601xczav-56fdb20a10ba1f4eb6c817477d4b1d69.jpg]

[listicle id=1315190]