April 22, 2026

From zero deposits to Main Event champ. We’ve shared this video before but we are sharing it again.

Joe McKeehen’s rise to poker stardom didn’t involve any grand plans or cinematic moments. As he tells it, he was just a regular kid from Philly who started staying in and clicking buttons on online poker sites. He never deposited a cent, instead grinding his way up through freerolls and getting staked by others.

He built his bankroll from scratch, even finding himself over six figures in makeup at one point. Things started to click when he scored a $175,000 win during his senior year of college, enough to pay off his loans and start believing in a poker career.

The 2015 WSOP Main Event was more of the same grind, at least until Day 3, when suddenly he had all the chips and 'everything just worked.’ The defining moment came against Daniel Negreanu, the crowd favorite. As Joe remembers, 'They got it in. It was a flip. And Joe won.’ After that, he ran over the final tables and the rest, as they say, is history.

Today

ARIA doubles down on summer poker variety.

BetMGM is bringing back its Poker Championship as a highlight of the ARIA Poker Classic Summer Series, with a $4 million guarantee for the main event.

The tournament, running July 1 to 4, has upped the prize pool by a cool million compared to last year.

PokerStars is set to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the Sunday Storm with a special $500,000 guaranteed edition.

It will be played in a PKO phased format.

The anniversary series features dozens of Phase 1 flights with Phase 2 scheduled for May 10.

GGPoker will be sending over a thousand players to the upcoming WSOP Main Event.

You could be one of them. To help, we’ve written a guide to the WSOP Express path, linked below.

Daniel Negreanu documents his run in both the $1K Mystery Bounty PLO and the $5K Main Event, giving viewers a behind-the-scenes look at life on the tournament grind.

Negreanu doesn’t shy away from the ups and downs, noting both the thrill of chasing mystery bounties and the sting of tough spots.

The video is a reminder that, even for the most seasoned pros, tournament poker is a mix of variance, patience, and a dash of showmanship.

If you’re interested in the realities of the circuit—both glamorous and not-so-much—Negreanu’s vlog keeps it real.

Love hurts, especially on the bubble.

The US Poker Open $25,000 Final Table isn’t just about the chips. Kristen Foxen, Cherish Andrews, and Ebony Kenney headline, but only Andrews can knock her significant other Brock Wilson from the top spot, after he managed to bubble out at the worst possible moment. Talk about relationship drama with high stakes.

EPT Monte Carlo schedule highlights have been released by PokerStars.

PokerStars Open Main Event: April 30-May 4 – €1,650 buy-in

PokerStars Open Cup: May 2-3 – €825 buy-in

PokerStars Open High Roller: May 4-5 – €2,700 buy-in

High Roller for One Drop: May 1-3 – €100,000 buy-in

EPT Super High Roller: May 3-5 – €250,000 buy-in

EPT Main Event: May 4-10 – €5,300 buy-in

EPT Mystery Bounty: May 6-8 – €3,250 buy-in

EPT High Roller: May 8-10 – €25,000 buy-in

Nightly Stars tournaments running every night on PokerStars on FanDuel this week.

The series is overlaying which means max value is to be had!

Bankroll management advice from Fedor Holz and David Baker.

There takes are slightly different but well worth a read.

Heard chef!

Wisdom as always from Sam Greenwood!

The latest vlog from Rampage has him sitting at a final table, holding aces, and pushing all-in.

If you thought high-stakes poker was all nerves and math, this episode suggests sometimes it is just about getting the right cards at the right time.

He is quick to plug his Club WPT Gold promo code and PokerCoaching free trial, but the real story is how he navigates the final table with the best hand in poker.

The Borgata Spring Poker Open is almost upon us!

PokerOrg will be coming at you with all the live tournament updates as the series progresses.

But if you want some reading material, we’ve put together the ultimate player guide for you.

Borgata Poker Open: The Ultimate Player Guide

Full guide to the Borgata Poker Open series, including dates, schedules, results, and online qualifiers for upcoming events.

Poker Org (@pokerorg)

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The bots have entered the chat. This is a super interesting story.

Who needs to actually play poker when an AI can do it for you? According to Nick on PRO, WPN’s new Skip-It MTTs let you pick from a lineup of 'racers'—AI bots that take on the grind so you can skip to the good part: maybe making some money.

Yesterday

David Peters addresses recent debt allegations.

The high-stakes tournament crusher David Peters has broken the silence and opened up on X about his debt situation with Dylan Linde. A couple of days earlier, Linde posted about Peters still owing him $23k for a piece of tournament action and how he regretted doing business with Peters.

In his latest post, David accepts the responsibility and apologizes for his “poor communication and missed deadlines.” However, he emphasizes that it’s always been his intention to pay Linde back in full, and he remains committed to that goal.

Check out new Doug Polk’s podcast with Dylan Weisman.

Doug Polk hops on a podcast to have a chat with Dylan Weisman, one of the best PLO players around, talking about the launch of his latest course, his professional journey, and Dylan’s secret to success in the Great Game.

Latest Mariano’s vlog is here, bringing some crazy action.

Mariano is back in action at Hustler Live, and there are no punches pulled this session.

The highlight of the night is the hand we shared here earlier, culminating in a $400k pot, so get your popcorns out, get comfortable, and enjoy it.

Join the Nightly Stars action tonight at FanDuel Poker.

There are two Nightly Stars events on the Ignite Series schedule over at PokerStars on FanDuel, bringing a combined guarantee of $75,000.

The $100 version of the event offers $50k, while Mini-Nightly Stars features $25k up for grabs at the buy-in of just $30. There is a lot of value up for grabs, so don’t miss out.

Alex Livingston’s course on mixed games is here.

It’s been long in the making, and it’s finally here! Alex Livingston’s course on mixed games is now available on PokerCoaching, and it is the most comprehensive learning path for all players interested in mixed games, whether they’re just starting or looking to increase their edge.

The 2026 U.S. Poker Open Event #9 features a stacked final table, with Aram Zobian holding a narrow lead over Brandon Wilson.

Chino Rheem is also in the mix, alongside Nick Seward, Marius Gierse, and Clemen Deng. According to PokerGO, Deng has the chance to overtake Brock Wilson for the overall series lead if he finishes strong.

As the table is set, $292,800 awaits the winner.

Joao Simao walked away with yet another PokerGO Tour win at the U.S. Poker Open Event #8, but he says it was not as easy as it looked.

On Day 1, he was perpetually short stacked, never holding more than three stacks. That all changed late in the tournament….

“Eventually the night came and I tried to win a lot of pots… preflop, postflop,”

Read about his run over on PokerNews.

📚Poker nostalgia in droves.

Chad Holloway is getting his poker magazines in order. But if you have any lying around the house (I don’t, as I am not a hoarder—nor is it 2001), he is up for taking them off your hands.

🇨🇦 PokerStars and FanDuel are taking their US partnership north, with Ontario set to receive the new PokerStars on FanDuel platform in early May.

The launch date hinted at is May 6. We’ve put together all we know about what is set to happen, below.

Poker Night in America seems to be on a mission: document every time someone’s soul is crushed by quads.

In this compilation, we get to watch Kelly Lucas (Minkin) take on Phil Hellmuth’s nut flush, Rampage Yau find quads in a five-way pot, and Shaun Deeb slow-roll Mike Matusow straight into a meltdown.

The video doesn’t just stick to the cash game chaos: Michael Tweedlie flops quads at a final table, Lexy Gavin gets quads on ladies night, and Maria Ho turns quads against Randy Lew. Not to be outdone, Chamath and DJ Washburn also make the list, just in case you thought it was safe to play a pocket pair.

The Aussie Millions starts today!

Watch this throwback of the series below. It’s a beaut.

Rep. Dina Titus is on a mission to clean up a tax mess that blindsided poker players last year.

When President Trump’s OBBA Act quietly limited gambling loss deductions, it left many pros wondering if the game was still worth it. Titus explained to PokerNews that the provision was “added in the Senate, kind of in the dark of night,” and not even Nevada’s own senator caught it in time.

“We were going through it and found that provision and said, we got to get this out of here.”

The FAIR BET Act aims to restore the 100 percent deduction for gambling losses, so that, as Titus puts it, “bettors aren’t taxed on money they haven’t won.” This isn’t just about the pros either. “It’s like the casual bettor,” she says, noting the bill has bipartisan support and backing from key House committees.

With Congress involved, it’s anyone’s guess how long it’ll take, but Titus seems “optimistic we’ll get it done.”

What do you guys think of ACR?

Chris Moneymaker puts his name to it, but honestly it’s a hard no from me.

Josh Arieh’s take on the David Peters debt.

Online speculation also includes the possibility that he has too much money tied up in crypto.

The poker community always delivers. 🍿

But this time is Chris Moneymaker’s comments that seem spot on.

The first big PokerStars series on FanDuel Poker has been a goldmine for players looking for extra value.

Across the opening weekend, overlays have been the theme. Out of 13 completed events, 11 missed their guarantees, creating more than $200,000 in added value.

More overlays are expected as the series continues.

Professional poker icon Erik Seidel has decided to scale back his tournament play, and it makes mainstream news.

According to CNBC, Seidel says the new tax law changes have made the professional circuit far less appealing. Starting in 2026, professional gamblers can only deduct up to 90 percent of their losses against winnings.

Seidel told CNBC this is enough to make him cut down to just a quarter of the tournaments he used to play. He is not alone, either. Russ Fox, a tax expert who works with gamblers, says the margins are so thin now that several pros are walking away.

“For most professionals, the 90 percent loss limitation is going to have a major impact.”

April 21

The Main Event’s latest video covers the final table of the RakeLESS Mystery Bounty Main Event.

Don’t forget 888 have rolled out their new Run It Twice feature across all cash tables. You can read all about it here.

Just your average, everyday Garrett Adelstein $200K flex.

Because nothing says “humble brag” like a six-figure story sandwiched between a memoir preorder link and a YouTube Short.

Winamax’s long-standing partnership with the World Series of Poker (WSOP) is hitting a new milestone.

For years, the French operator has worked hand-in-hand with WSOP, running online satellites, producing the “In the Mind of a Pro” series, and even hosting online WSOP events that mirror the live festival. Now, that collaboration is entering a whole new era.

For the very first time, French-speaking fans will be able to watch a free, near-live broadcast of the entire WSOP festival, streamed directly on Winamax’s YouTube channel in the local language.

📅 From May 29 to July 15 (and slightly beyond), viewers can tune in every evening for around 10 hours of coverage, featuring the biggest moments and the most exciting final tables of the summer. The action will be brought to life by a team of expert commentators and special guest appearances in the French language.

After a short break, coverage resumes from August 3 to August 5 for the Main Event finale, once again available for free on Winamax’s YouTube channel.

While US audiences will catch the Main Event final table on ESPN, French fans now have their own front-row seat to the action, completely free.

GGPoker’s Daniel Negreanu streams his heads-up hustle.

The WSOP Online $10K Heads-up Championship brings Daniel Negreanu to the virtual felt, where he streams his journey for poker fans.

Jared Bleznick, a familiar face at the highest-stakes poker tables and the founder of Blez Sports, just cashed in on a different kind of gamble.

According to PokerNews, Bleznick purchased a one-of-one Victor Wembanyama Topps Chrome Superfractor rookie autograph for $1 million and flipped it for $1.5 million.

BetMGM is bringing its Poker Championship back to the ARIA in Las Vegas, and this year there’s a $4 million guarantee on the line.

That is a million more than last year’s event, as BetMGM tries to up the stakes for its summer centerpiece.

The main event runs from June 29 through July 4.

Online qualifiers over on BetMGM Poker in Michigan, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey can win their way in for as little as $10. The final qualifiers run the weekend before the live event, for those who like to cut it close.

Remember the Ignite Series over on PokerStars on FanDuel runs until May 4.

PokerStars Ambassador Jen Shahade is playing the Nightly Stars tournament (which runs every weeknight this week) and rates it!

GGPoker is shaking things up for the 2026 WSOP Main Event qualification process.

This year, the WSOP Express is the go-to path, with over 1,000 Main Event seats set to be distributed through a new four-step satellite system.

The four steps range from a $0.50 All-in or Fold game to a $150 multi-table tournament, giving players the option to grind their way up or buy in directly at any stage.

Love this from Phil Ivey and ClubWT Gold.

Some quick-fire questions to Ivey on who he thinks is the best poker player to have ever lived, the hardest hands to play, and what he thinks is the best city in the world for poker.

FanDuel Poker has finally gone live in the US, thanks to a new partnership with PokerStars, and the early schedule is already drawing attention.

Ivan takes a close look at their tournament lineup, noting there’s a mix of daily and weekly tournaments in the $5 to $50 buy-in range, with guarantees starting at $3,000 and going up to $20,000.

For example, the $5 Daily Duel offers $3,000 GTD, and the $50 Mini Thrill on Thursdays puts up $20,000 GTD.

As Ivan points out that these guarantees are among the best for low buy-in events in the US market, putting FanDuel ahead of WSOP Online when it comes to cheap tournaments with solid promos. The schedule is still new and likely to evolve, but already it’s “one of the best options” for value-minded players.

Overlays light up the Ignite Series by PokerStars on FanDuel.

According to Anuj most events are missing their guarantees, with players cashing in on over $200,000 in extra value in just two days.

It turns out, the only thing hotter than the series name is the amount of free money up for grabs.

Dylan Linde not made whole by David Peters.

In this multi-tweet post, Linde gets into the nitty-gritty of what went down between him and Peters. 🍿

April 20

PokerStars unveils Mystery Bounty Series with $3M guaranteed prize pool.

Red Spade giant, PokerStars, has announced the third installment of its Mystery Bounty Series, bringing back the action-packed format players love.

Running from April 26 to May 4, the series boasts $3 million in guaranteed prize pools, promising plenty of high-stakes excitement and big bounty surprises along the way.

APPT Korea returns with exciting dates and a massive prize pool announced.

The dates for the Asia Pacific Poker Tour Korea have officially been announced! Sponsored by PokerStars, the series will run from September 3–14 at Paradise City in Incheon.

Players can look forward to a massive ₩2,000,000+ GTD (approx. $1.4M USD) prize pool. Even more exciting—APPT makes its long-awaited return to Korea after six years!

APT turns 20, PokerOrg gets the invite.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Asian Poker Tour, and PokerOrg are jumping on board as their official media partner.

Their coverage starts in Taipei and will track the APT’s travels through Korea and back to Taipei for the big finale in November.

The highlight is the return of last year’s record-setting $5M GTD Main Event, which PokerOrg calls a clear signal that the APT wants to compete globally. Erik Seidel even went as far as dubbing it 'Asia’s Main Event.’

Hans Niemann continues to be insufferable.

This time on poker bankroll management. The comments speak for themselves.

More poker wisdom from Jeremy Ausmus.

Wise words indeed.

Aussie Millions returns this week.

And we suspect it is going to be huge!

Former poker pro and author Sunny Mehta has been named the new General Manager of the New Jersey Devils.

Mehta, who previously authored industry standards like Professional No Limit Hold’em, is no stranger to hockey analytics, having worked for both the Devils and the Florida Panthers in recent years.

PokerStars calls in FanDuel for Ontario remix.

PokerStars Ontario is shaking things up, with the site is about to debut a new platform in partnership with FanDuel.

Our review highlights the brand’s world-class software, a wide range of tournaments and cash games, plus the safety and integrity that have made PokerStars a staple for years.

We dig into formats, tournament schedules, deposit methods, and more. Whether you’re a poker pro or just bluffing your way through, PokerStars Ontario seems ready to deal you in.

Grosvenor Poker is bringing back its Goliath festival for 2026, with the Main Event offering an estimated £2 million prize pool.

The buy-in remains at £200, making it about as accessible as these things get.

Last year’s field hit nearly 13,000 entries, and organizers are expecting similar numbers this time around.

“The event has a remarkable record of growing each year since its inception in 2011 (with the exception of 2020 & 2021 COVID years), and entry remains affordable once again.”

Victoria Coren Mitchell made European Poker Tour history in San Remo, becoming the first player to win two Main Event titles after ten seasons of near-misses.

PokerOrg recalls the tense final hand, immortalized by commentator James Hartigan’s voice cracking as he pleaded for any card but the ones Fundara needed.

“It’s a brick! It’s a brick! Vicky Coren has done it! She’s the first player in ten seasons of the European Poker Tour to win two Main Event titles.”

Coren Mitchell started out when poker was overwhelmingly male-dominated. Her first big win came at The Vic in London, netting her £500,000 in 2006.

In her memoir, she wrote about the surreal feeling of winning, handing out money to friends and waitresses at the club. PokerOrg calls her a trailblazer for women in the game, and her double EPT triumph cements her place in poker history.

Planning to play on the FanDuel Poker Ignite Series?

We’ve got you covered with our guide which tells you everything you need to know about the series, along with the full schedule.

Daniel Negreanu takes viewers on a tour through his run in the WSOP Online Main Event, hunting bounties and making a deep run.

The video is a mix of hand breakdowns, table banter, and Negreanu’s trademark dry humor. If you’ve ever wondered how a pro thinks through hands in real time, this offers a rare window into that process.

Apparently yesterday was National Poker Day.

Who even knew?

888poker’s Aaron Barone brings back the prop bet grind—one MTT at a time.

Aaron Barone, one of online poker’s true grinders, felt nostalgic for the old days when players would make wild volume bets just for fun.

So, as PokerStrategy reports, he set himself a challenge: play 150 multi-table tournaments in a day, and finish with a profit.

He ended up playing 156 MTTs, spent over $9,000 on buy-ins, and after 17 hours, walked away with $690 in profit. He even streamed the entire session, for anyone who wants to watch a man stare at a screen for nearly a full day.

“It took 17 hrs, 15 minutes but we did it. MTTs: 156 Buy-ins: $9,085 Cashes: $9,775 Profit/Loss: +$690”

Barry Carter at PokerStrategy notes that Barone has always been one of the most consistent winners at low and mid stakes.

Should service animals be allowed at the poker tables?

It’s a polarizing topic, that’s for sure.

Matt Savage is going to raise it at the poker tournament directors summit this summer.

Hellmuth’s Home Game by BetRivers has officially closed the books on its first season.

According to the show’s summary, fans can expect more episodes soon, though no timeline was given.

The first season of popular Hellmuth’s Home Game has wrapped up, but more is coming soon.

The poker world seems to have an endless appetite for Hellmuth’s antics and home game drama.

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