There are 95 bracelet events — the most in history — on the 2023 World Series of Poker (WSOP) schedule, all of which are important and worth your attention as a fan of the game.
But if you can't catch them all on PokerGO or follow along with all the live reporting updates, there are five tournaments you absolutely cannot miss.
A player in late position raised and got a call from Matthew Dames in the big blind. The two players saw a flop of 5♠K♣5♥ before checking through to the turn of 3♣.
Dames check-called a bet from his opponent before watching the dealer burn and turn the 10♥. Action checked through on the river and Dames turned up the 6♠6♦ which was good enough to take the pot.
Ahmed Mohamed was among three players to tangle with WSOP bracelet winner Yueqi Zhu, who raised under the gun before the flop.
The aggressive play didn’t deter calls from a player in middle position, Mohamed, who was in the small blind, and Paul Dockal, who sat in the big blind.
The flop produced 6♦K♦7♦, prompting Mohamed and Dockal to check. Zhu continued with a bet, and the player in middle position immediately folded.
Mohamed, though, put in a check-raise, which caused Dockal to fold. Zhu briefly looked down at the board before making the call to the turn. With the 3♥ on the board, both players checked, and the river brought A♣, which Mohamed immediately bet and Zhu called.
Mohamed tabled A♦K♥ for top two pair, while Zhu flashed an Ace in his hand as he mucked his hand.
“I know,” Mohamed told his opponent. “You’re no dummy, Mr. Zhu. I thought you had ace-queen or ace-jack. I promise I won’t check-raise next time. I’m sorry, Mr. Zhu.”
Mohamed’s remarks brought chuckles from the table.
Chairud Vangchailued raised from middle position and the player in the big blind raised again, putting the remainder of his chips in the pot. Vangchailued called the extra bet before both players turned their cards up.
Big Blind: 5♠5♥
Chairud Vangchailued: A♠6♠
The board ran out Q♥6♦2♣10♦Q♦ giving Vangchailued a pair of sixes to send the big blind player and his fives out the door.
This summer, hundreds of thousands of players will pass through the doors of the newly-renovated Horseshoe Las Vegas, formerly known as Bally’s. For the second year in a row, the venue will play host to the annual World Series of Poker (WSOP).
As players pack the casino for the 54th annual WSOP, many of them will saunter by a lavish steakhouse. For some, it’ll be just another restaurant, maybe one they’ll attend to celebrate a bracelet win, but for others, they’ll recognize the name on the sign, the man responsible for poker’s premier event – Jack Binion.
Now 86 years old, Binion is a titan of the gaming industry and the son of casino magnate Benny Binion. Together, they launched the WSOP back in 1970 at Binion’s Horseshoe in downtown Las Vegas. Over the next four decades, Jack Binion would go on to change not only the poker landscape but also the casino industry throughout the United States. Along the way, he was inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame and became an icon of the game.
Binion doesn’t relish the spotlight, so interviews with the born-and-raised Texan are few and far between. However, late last year he sat down with PokerNews for an intimate and in-depth conversation about his life in poker.
Two-time WSOP bracelet winner David Baker caught lightning in a bottle on the river as Level 22 came near an end.
Baker raised in late position, and Lonnie Price called in the big blind after action folded to him.
The flop produced A♦3♠6♥, which prompted Price to bet into Baker, who immediately called. The dealer placed 2♥ on the turn, and Price once again bet and received a call from Baker.
The river saw 4x hit on the board. Price led out with a bet, but then was immediately raised by Baker. The action returned to Price, who called.
Baker tabled 4♣4♥, while Price folded A♥K♠ face up as the dealer pushed the large pot to Baker.
A player in the cutoff raised only to see Ahmed Mohamed toss out a three-bet. The big blind called as did the cutoff before the dealer spread a flop of 3♦2♥7♦.
The big blind and the cutoff checked to Mohamed who tossed out a bet that prompted a call only from the big blind before the dealer laid the 2♦ out on the turn.
The big blind checked-raised when Mohamed continued, receiving just a call before both players watched the K♣ fall on the river.
The big blind bet and was quickly called by Mohamed who tabled the K♦Q♦ to best the 8♦9♦ of his opponent, taking the pot and leaving his opponent on fumes.