May 1, 2026

What could be next for Stapes? 🍿

Answers on a postcard please. We have thoughts…

May 02

Paul Seaton brings an interesting Op-Ed on the way that tournament winnings are tracked on The Hendon Mob.

Right now, the go-to site for tracking poker players’ tournament results only shows each individual player’s cumulative winnings, not accounting for the money they spent on buy-ins along the way.

Is this the right way of doing things, or should buy-ins be deducted from the total? There are certainly arguments for both approaches, and it’s hard to say which one is better.

The HCL Million Dollar Game takes place on June 12.

Set inside the Horseshoe Casino, the upcoming edition of the Million Dollar Game will feature the likes of Alan Keating, Santosh, Texas Mike, and more.

Even though the game takes place in the middle of the World Series, it will likely steal the show for the duration. With that kind of lineup, the word fireworks immediately comes to mind!

The excitement is on for the 2026 WSOP Fantasy League!

David 'ODB’ Baker will be running the popular WSOP Fantasy League this year again. Apparently, the excitement is already building and Baker expects this to potentially be the biggest year yet in his 11 years running the competition.

PokerStars is experimenting with dynamic delays for its EPT Monte Carlo coverage.

The goal is to remove breaks during the coverage so that viewers are kept engaged for the entire duration. This means that streams might start with a bigger delay to kick things off, but, after that, the audience can enjoy uninterrupted coverage that removes tournament breaks.

The All In for One Drop High Roller attracts a solid crowd in Monte Carlo.

The European Poker Tour €100k High Roller in Monte Carlo attracted a total of 76 entries, raising over a quarter of million for the One Drop Foundation.

That’s a great charitable effort, but there is plenty of money up for grabs for the players, too, as the winner will take home just over €2 million!

Daniel Negreanu shares his thoughts on debts, scamming, and high stakes tournaments.

Referring to the recent dispute between Dylan Linde and David Peters, DNegs brings a deep dive into the world of high-stakes poker tournaments, talks about borrowing and lending money, and shares some unpopular opinions.

Kevmath officially confirms his 2026 WSOP role.

Not that anybody had any doubts, but it is now official: The legend that is Kevin Mathers, or 'Kevmath’ (whichever you prefer) will be working at this year’s World Series of Poker.

This will mark his 10th year of working with the Series, and he’ll once again be there to provide updates, answer player questions, and more. Expect to see his name appear a lot in the WSOP Live app!

May 01

Learning from the million-dollar club.

According to the latest Run it Once training video, Kevin Rabichow, the man himself has spent over a decade grinding the highest stakes and now wants to tell you how to do it too. The episode highlights his $7 million in tournament earnings and his transition from heads-up games to the tough world of MTTs.

Rabichow discusses his experience in the Heads Up World Championship and offers advice on learning poker for the future. The conversation aims to give viewers a taste of what it is like to face the best in the game. There is even a chance to 'step into Kevin’s shoes’ and see if you can keep up.

GGPoker’s latest UI update is drawing criticism from players.

So GGPoker recently pushed out a software update with some table UI changes, but early reactions haven’t exactly been great.

James Mackenzie, a former PokerStars ambassador, said he’s already feeling eye strain because of the smaller cards and fonts. Over on the 2+2 forums, players are bringing up similar issues; some say they can barely make out their hole cards after folding, especially if they want to keep track of how the hand plays out.

Another common complaint is that player tags are now really hard to see.

The old poker guard meets a fresh batch of rivals.

PokerNews reports the National Heads-Up Poker Championship is back, packing the PokerGO Studio with 64 players. Last year’s winner, Sam Soverel, returns to defend his title, facing off against Kasey Lynn Mills in what promises to be a tough first match.

Phil Hellmuth, Daniel Negreanu, and Tom Dwan are all back in the mix after missing last year’s event. The headline matchups include Hellmuth against Josh Arieh, Negreanu versus Dan Sepiol, and Dwan taking on Randy “3Coin” Sadler.

A full chartered jet of poker players is heading to WSOP this summer.

Ok, this might be one of the most intriguing and unique partnerships in the poker world.

So here’s the headline: a full Boeing 787-8 packed with over 250 players, all flying together to Las Vegas to play the WSOP. Yes, an entire chartered jet dedicated to poker players.

This is happening through a collaboration between Japanese airline ZIPAIR, popular YouTuber Masato Yokosawa, and the WSOP, as part of a Las Vegas Grand Tour package.

It’s not just the travel either; the whole experience is built around it. Players can apply to join, and the package includes a direct charter flight from Narita to Las Vegas on June 22, a five-night stay at Horseshoe Las Vegas, airport transfers, a welcome party, and merch.

And as a very cool bonus, they’ll even be playing poker on board during the flight.

Seats are already close to selling out, which tells you how much interest this has generated.

A full plane of poker players heading to the WSOP… that’s something you don’t see every day.

GGPoker’s $300M GG World Festival kicks off this Sunday.

Ok guys, buckle up for something unprecedented.

So GGPoker has been known for running massive online series, and somehow every time they manage to outdo themselves.

This time, the GG World Festival is coming in with a mammoth $300 million guaranteed. Not too long ago, even hitting $100 million for a series felt like a huge stretch for the industry. Fast forward a few years, multiple operators have crossed that mark, but GGPoker just keeps pushing the ceiling higher.

They’ve already gone through $150M, $200M, $250M series… and now this.

At this point, it honestly feels like the sky isn’t the limit for them. By the time this wraps up, it could end up being bigger than a lot of live WSOP editions (basically, most of them pre-2021).

The series runs from May 3 to June 9.

WSOP 2026 offers a wide range of payment options for players.

So here’s something useful for anyone planning to play the WSOP 2026.

Kevin Mathers just shared the full list of payment methods, and there are nearly a dozen different options available this year. Plenty of flexibility depending on what works best for you.

Definitely worth checking out the list from the WSOP guru himself before you head to register.

Prop bets and $5 million dollar pot live streams, this week on the PokerNews pod.

Sorel Mizzi’s body transformation was the headliner this week, along with the team dishing the dirt on Jungleman getting booted from a live stream and a $5 million pot that probably left more than a few jaws on the felt.

Legendary story!

Is this just poker lore, or did it actually happen? We need to know!

GGPoker’s flagship GG World Festival is back, and this year the numbers are bigger than ever.

The series kicks off May 3 and guarantees $300 million across hundreds of tournaments.

Players of all bankrolls can get involved. The buy-ins start at just $3 and go up to $10,000. There are four main tiers, with each offering comparable formats and structures. The festival also runs a $3 million leaderboard promotion, so there are prizes even for consistency, not just big scores.

Brad Owen puts it all on the line at the WPT Gardens Poker Championship, and just when you think you’ve seen every possible heartbreak, an ace shows up to keep things interesting.

With $2,086,000 in the prize pool and only four players left, the swings are as big as the payouts.

Phil Galfond elaborates on what he coins 'the broken compass effect’.

It’s one of Phil’s mega posts, so if you want his PLO advice, this one is for you. Otherwise, I would skip it.

The World Series of Poker is back for its 57th annual run in Las Vegas later this month, and it is not holding back on the extras.

According to WSOP, the 2026 edition features 100 bracelet events, the return of the $10K Main Event, and even a new dealer rating system, which seems a bit odd, but there you go.

There’s lots to dig into over on the WSOP site.

Changes to WSOP 2026 rules on time banks. 🕰️

David Lappin isn’t a fan. What do you think?

Norman Chad returns for his 24th year covering the WSOP Main Event, and this time ESPN is back in the game.

Chad told PokerOrg that the return to ESPN is a big deal for poker, especially after years of coverage that, in his words, “have almost taken the mainstream audience out of the game.”

But don’t expect to find the Main Event live on your TV this year. According to Chad, “The Main Event will be livestreamed, but it’s not on ESPN or ESPN2. It’ll be on the ESPN app.”

Final table coverage will make it to ESPN2, and highlight shows will pop up on both ESPN and ESPN2. If you want the action as it happens, you’ll need to join the millions of ESPN app subscribers.

GGPoker doubles down with two festivals at once.

GGPoker is kicking off May with a double feature; with the GG Cash Game Festival and the GG World Festival are both launching next week. The cash game event runs from May 4 to June 7, handing out $1.25 million in leaderboard prizes to players at all stakes.

BetRivers Poker is hosting its Summer Warm-Up Series from May 3 to May 17, spreading over 68 tournaments and $500,000 in guarantees.

Players in Pennsylvania, Michigan, West Virginia, and Delaware can join the fun, with buy-ins starting as low as $10 and satellites already underway.

The highlights are the Sunday events, featuring bigger guarantees and giving the largest player pool a shot at the biggest prizes. According to Zvonimir, the crown jewel is the $200 Main Event on May 17, boasting a $40,000 guarantee. There’s also a $500 Super High Roller and a $20 Mini Main.

April 30

Two more fun events running at FanDuel Poker tonight.

Ignite Series on FanDuel Poker brings more action tonight. Two events stand out, one designed to cater to players of all bankrolls, the other targeting high rollers!

GGPoker is now sponsoring Grosvenor Poker!

It is a UK centric brand you may not have heard of them, but this is definitely breaking new ground for GG — as Grosvenor has (or had) longstanding ties to 888poker.

PokerNews reports that PartyPoker is giving players a new reason to stick around at the tables: Party Cases.

The idea is simple. As you play, your rake earns you points, moving you up through four tiers of Party Cases, from Basic to Gold. Each case guarantees a prize, with the top end offering up to $1,000 in cash. There are no blanks, so you always win something.

WSOP 2026 landing page goes live and it looks quite pretty!

Oh wow, with WSOP 2026 set to begin in less than a month, the newly launched landing page is already revealing some big updates for the series.

Every bracelet event will be streamed live on the WSOP YouTube channel, bringing full coverage to viewers around the world, while players will also get a new layer of interaction this year with the ability to rate dealers directly through the WSOP Live app.

Just another day in the office for Kid Poker.

GGPoker ambassador Daniel Negreanu tries his hand at the WSOP Online $5K PLO High Roller and ends up with a stack that could double as a small mountain.

If you ever wondered what it looks like when a poker legend has a very good day online, this is your chance.

GGPoker is launching its GG Cash Game Festival next week, running May 4 through June 7.

There is $1.25 million in leaderboard prizes up for grabs, split across low, medium, and high stakes. All cash game formats are eligible, from Texas Hold’em to Short Deck.

Meanwhile, the GG World Festival kicks off at the same time, promising $300 million in guaranteed tournament prizes. GGPoker is giving cash game players a reason to log some extra hands this spring, with every real money hand counting towards the leaderboard.

No more million-dollar shenanigans—probably.

PokerListings is asking whether the age of prop bets and sponsorships at the WSOP is ending, and after reading about the 2026 rules, it’s hard to argue.

The 2025 Millionaire Maker incident, where two players coordinated to snag a ClubWPT bonus, has the organizers on edge. The new rules aim to prevent that kind of collusion and add a few more restrictions.

Moonpay is now an official way to pay for your online seat, which is good news if your bank still thinks poker is a dirty word. Early registration is getting overhauled too—seating will be randomized, and if you register early, your chips are in play whether you show up or not. But don’t count on a refund unless you’ve got a really good excuse.

Another change: only two players from the same sponsor can start at the feature table, down from three. Even the stalling rules got a little tightening. So, as PokerListings sums it up, the WSOP might be inching away from the circus atmosphere of past years, in favor of something a little more buttoned-up.

PLO solvers coming to GTO Wizard.

If you’re into PLO you may want to check this out!

'Lucky Chewy’ and alien encounters.

The latest episode of Thinking Poker has got you covered. 👽

Who do you think is the best tournament player right now?

PokerGO thinks it might be the 🐐Alex Foxen, but Will Jaffe isn’t so sure.

April 29

Players are banking big bucks in FanDuel Poker’s Ignite Series.

Last night, PokerStars on FanDuel saw two players picking up some serious cash after taking down two marquee events.

Ignite Series continues for the rest of the week, with more big guarantees to come, so don’t miss your opportunity to get in the mix.

The next Mixed Game Festival by Cardplayer Lifestyle has been officially announced.

All fans of fixed games have an extra reason to look forward to this summer, as the Cardplayer Lifestyle Mixed Game Festival is coming back to Las Vegas!

Running May 31 – June 11, the Festival takes place at the Bellagio, offering around-the-clock small stakes cash game action and plenty of added value, including seats fpr the $3,500 BetMGM Poker Championship.

Check out the full statement from the Lodge Card Club in light of recent developments.

The Lodge Card Club came out with an official statement on their X channel, confirming that the Grand Jury declined to indict, confirming that the raid and the investigation did not support charges of criminal conduct.

The club expresses its gratitude to everyone in the poker community who extended their support during tumultuous times, confirming that the reopening date will be announced in the near future, alongside the details about pending payouts and updated procedures.

Matt Marinelli, who goes by ILuvAvrilLavigne91 online, is not buying the whole “poker is dead” narrative.

In a recent live Q&A on Making $10 Million in Poker, Marinelli discussed his ongoing quest to reach an eye-watering $10 million in poker winnings. He’s already banked over $3 million online, which means he is either very skilled or just incredibly committed to the grind.

He fielded questions from viewers about his journey, reflected on the current state of poker, and promoted his ongoing journal on Run It Once. According to Marinelli, “There is still plenty of money to be made if you are willing to study and adapt.”

“Poker is not dead. It’s just evolved.”

For those interested in his approach or looking for a little motivation, the video also offers a discount code for training at Run It Once. Poker might have changed, but for Marinelli, the game is far from over.

Brad Owen is back with some high stakes action from the Bellagio.

Check out a new vlog from Brad Owen and enjoy some high stakes action, big pots, and Brad’s hand-by-hand commentary as he takes us through every significant moment of the session.

PokerStars is closing out 2026 in style as EPT Prague confirmed to return.

EPT Prague is officially back, running December 2–13 at the Hilton Prague. After last year’s Main Event pulled in 1,200+ entries and a €5.9M prize pool, expectations are sky high for another massive turnout.

Also on the schedule: the debut of PokerStars Open Aix-en-Provence, set for November 2–8 at Pasino Grand Partouche.

Both stops will contribute to the 2026 PokerStars Live League, where players can rack up points for a shot at thousands in LIVE buy-ins.

Watch the latest episode of The Lock-In 🔒 with Felix Schneiders.

In this episode, hosts David Lappin and Dara O’Kearney cover ALOT. It’s well worth your time!

Greg Shahade’s Jeopardy debut was more than just a win, it was total domination.

Greg’s sister, poker pro and PokerStars ambassador Jen Shahade, points out how Greg managed to snag two daily doubles in quick succession, jumping his score from $7,600 to $22,200 and putting the game out of Ding’s reach.

There is a lesson in all this. The difference between knowing something and being able to retrieve it under pressure is real, and it is what separates a Jeopardy winner from the rest. Greg’s slow recall had some viewers confused, but as the piece says, “you may 'know’ the right opening move, but be slow to retrieve it under time pressure.”

Dynasty Builder from PokerStars on FanDuel. All you need to know. ⬇️

PokerStars joining forces with FanDuel has brought a new rewards scheme called Dynasty Builder.

The program splits players into two camps: the casuals get 'Thrill Missions’ for easy rewards like tickets and avatars, while the regulars can grind through tougher missions for more value.

The idea is to keep the old PokerStars crowd satisfied while luring in FanDuel’s sports and casino players.

Garrett Adelstein on the response to his memoir (so far).

I think he might have a best-seller on his hands!

Maurice Hawkins on the PokerNews podcast. UNCUT.

Haven’t watched the whole thing yet, but expect 🍿+ 🔥.

Josh Arieh on his unpopular Maurice Hawkins take.

Sentiments are divided in the comments!

Amazing result for the Lodge card club.

Wow! According to Doug Polk, all charges against the Lodge have been dropped. What an absolute U-turn. Hope they can rebuild and reopen!

April 28

Brad Owen confirms Lodge will be reopening soon.

Following on Doug Polk’s announcement, Brad Owen chimed in with a short post on X, sharing his excitement and confirming that Texas’ largest poker club will be reopening soon.

More big guarantees are on the menu tonight in FanDuel Poker’s Ignite Series.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with firing up an online tournament session on a Tuesday evening, whether you’re serious about poker or just looking to unwind.

And, if you’re playing from New Jersey, Michigan, or Pennsylvania, FanDuel Poker is the place to be as Ignite Series continues tonight, with a few more valuable events, including the $35 Super Tuesday with $35,000 guaranteed.

All charges against the Lodge have been dropped!

There is a huge development in the Lodge case. Doug Polk has just announced that all charges against him, his partners, and the club have been dropped.

This means that the seized equipment and funds will be returned in the near future, and the Lodge should be reopening in the next few weeks.

This is great news for everyone involved as well as the future of poker in Texas!

PokerStars turns 25! Well that makes us feel old.

To celebrate they are laying on thee big bucks with a massive Anniversary Series, kicking off on May 10.

Story time with Lance Bradley ☕️.

And we are into it!

Alberta is set to open its doors to online gambling operators on July 13, but the fate of online poker is still up in the air.

More than 30 operators might be interested, but many are focused on online casino games, not poker.

One key scenario: Alberta could launch with a ring-fenced model, limiting online poker to just players within the province. This would be a blow to players used to larger, international pools, with smaller prizes and less action.

How Gman went from a millionaire to losing it all when he was in his early 20s.

I know he’s promoting his upcoming book, but these clips are great. And honestly, I want to read that memoir when it comes out.

IFKYK. Looking at you ClubWPT Gold.

No extra prizes to be paid out from third parties, at this year’s WSOP.

Jeopardy isn’t really a thing from where I am from.

But I believe this is a BIG deal.

😱Amazing if true!

Poker legend and RHOBH Jen Tilly might be headed to The White Lotus Season 4! 😱

Set the reminders.

Maurice Hawkins to appear on the PokerNews pod, 8am PST. 🍿

Phil Hellmuth puts his name to Octopi Poker.

What with the BetRivers Poker sponsorship deal and his Under Armour merch, how will there be space for him to rep another brand?

PokerStars on FanDuel are rolling out their new joint venture in the US. The rewards program is designed for everyone from diehard grinders to casual dabblers.

The Dynasty Builder features two types of missions: Thrill Missions for casuals and Grind Missions for the more dedicated.

Thrill Missions are recurring and easy, offering tournament tickets and cosmetic perks, while Grind Missions cater to the more serious players.

Everything you need to know in our article.

Viktor Blom remains an unstoppable force.

According to PokerOrg, Blom ran up a 5 figure deposit into $1.7 million in winnings. Holy f-ing s balls!

Kevmath does the WSOP rules and regs heavy lifting, so we don’t have to.

He outlines 3 notable changes for the upcoming WSOP 2026. Give them a read if you plan to be in Vegas this year.

April 27

Michael Mizrachi and Joe Hachem are the headlines on Day 2 of the Aussie Millions Opening Event.

Mizrachi has bagged a healthy 730,000 chips, which puts him eighth in the standings. Hachem is still in but will need to get creative with his 146,000 stack.

The prize pool is now an impressive A$2,787,200, and plenty of big names are still in contention as play resumes. According to PokerNews, the bubble is expected to burst early, so expect drama.

Rampage opens up about his negative experiences in private high-stakes games.

Private games are great in many ways, as they are usually way softer than any game you’ll find in a public casino and the overall atmosphere is more relaxed. However, for all of their positive aspects, they also come with certain (serious) downsides.

Perhaps the biggest risk is that winners don’t get paid in full (or at all), which is something Rampage experienced first-hand. He stayed silent for a long time, hoping that his debtors would come through, but he’s now decided to break the silence and reveal their names (and amounts owed) to the world.

Another great value tournament is on tonight at FanDuel Poker.

The weekend may be over, but Ignite Series continues on {PokerStars on FanDuel). Today’s top pick is $100 Nightly Stars, offering a big guarantee of $50,000.

DNegs is back with another online session.

Check out Daniel Negreanu’s latest video, featuring his run in some high-stakes tournaments on GGPoker, his trademark colorful commentary, and emotions that come through.

Negreanu was never the one to hide his feelings when playing poker, especially when doing it online, where his opponents can’t see his reactions, which adds an extra layer of entertainment to his streams and videos.

PokerOrg dives into the idea that 'resilience’ is the secret sauce for long-term poker survival.

According to the article, resilience is not some innate gift, but a skill that you build up over thousands of hands, like calluses after a long grind. When tilt hits, the best pros rely on emotional regulation, not wishful thinking.

The article points out that “the more time you spend in the 'trench reality’ of the game, the better your brain becomes at 'navigating tilt’.” Experience matters, and the highs and lows eventually teach your brain to handle the stress. They warn that if your resilience is low, you will start to see 'performance blocks’ like the 'illusion of control'—where you blame your skill for your losses, conveniently forgetting about variance.

Want to understand the “strategic nuances” of WSOP Express?

Barry Carter and Dara O’Kearney have got you covered! These guys know what they are talking about. Go give them your email and get their great advice. They are satellite experts.

Maurice Hawkins is filing for bankruptcy to get rid of his debts.

The latest PokerNews Podcast focuses on Maurice Hawkins, the man who’s known at the record holder for the number of WSOP Circuit rings won, but who isn’t exactly looked upon favorably by the poker world.

Despite having won large amounts, especially over the last couple of years, Hawkins owes money, and his biggest outstanding debt (that we know about for certain) is to Randy Garcia. Garcia is owed over $100k and he’s partnered up with a poker-playing lawyer to reclaim his money.

However, the plot thickens, as Maurice Hawkins has filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, which would get him out of most of his personal debts.

The PokerNews Podcast team does a great job breaking things down and chatting with Rogen K. Chhabra, the lawyer helping Garcia get his money back.

Lex Veldhuis, according to his latest session, really believes in the power of game theory and strategic adjustments.

He spends this video dissecting his Day 2 tournament run, focusing on the math, the risk management, and trying to make all the right moves.

But as the video shows, sometimes all that analysis is just background noise for a simple truth in poker: things can go off the rails, fast. Veldhuis puts it plainly:

'No matter how much you prepare, sometimes the cards just have other plans.’

He invites viewers to think about the bigger lessons, like adapting on the fly and not letting variance tilt your whole session. Still, the main message seems to be that even the professionals are just along for the ride sometimes.

PokerStars is celebrating 25 years with a huge online series this May.

PokerStars is marking its 25th anniversary with a special online anniversary series in May, offering a massive $50 million in prize money. The series runs from May 10 to June 3, 2026, replacing the original SCOOP time slot, and features 461 tournaments in total, with buy-ins ranging from $5.50 to $15,000.

When it comes to celebrating milestones, PokerStars certainly knows how to do it in style.

If you won’t be at EPT Monte Carlo but want to follow along with the action, PokerStars has you covered.

The PokerStars YouTube channel will have live stream coverage of the Main Event, the One Drop, and Super High Roller events.

WPT Wynn Poker trophy theft.

Apparently, poker trophies are now collectibles for those who didn’t win them. PokerNews covers the saga of Esther Taylor’s WPT Wynn trophy, which managed to get listed on eBay without her knowledge.

Some Triton high roller action featuring Alex Foxen and Mike Watson.

Give it a watch. That ending 😱

The Ignite Series on PokerStars FanDuel is making headlines for its ambitious $5 million guaranteed prize pool.

As Anuj reports for pokerfuse, the series has awarded close to $1.8 million and drawn over 19,000 entries, but overlays have exceeded $400,000 so far—meaning nearly a quarter of the prize money has been paid by the operator.

Ivan dives into the latest debt drama between David Peters, who has nearly $50 million in live tournament cashes, and Dylan Linde, who went public about a $23,000 debt Peters owed him.

The amount originated from Peters not paying in full for a tournament stake he bought. Peters admitted to the debt and apologized, blaming poor communication and promising to pay it off.

PokerStars on FanDuel is now the clear leader in US online poker.

The big change? PokerStars shifted all their players to FanDuel’s platform, connecting Michigan, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania player pools for the first time. That has pushed their average cash game traffic to almost 300, outpacing WSOP Online and BetMGM Poker.

The KO Series is underway over on PartyPoker.

Jaime Staples has all the details on the online series that is now running.

If you love a good degen story this one is for you.

Jake Cody puts all his tournament winnings on one spin of the roulette wheel. Madness.

WSOP 2026 tournament rules released.

Per Kevmath, there is additional ways to pay this year. MoonPay has entered the chat.

Credit card fees are outlined, but are expected to be waived. Here’s hoping.

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