In the 986th episode of the PokerNews Podcast, which is sponsored by FanDuel Poker, Chad Holloway is joined by Mike Holtz and Ben Ludlow at Level 9 Studio by poker pro Jordan Westmorland to talk about the latest from the 2026 World Series of Poker (WSOP).

That includes the $10,000 Main Event being in full swing, albeit with slightly fewer players than in past years. Will the field crack 9,000 players? Also, how did Jordan, Mike, and Ben, who got to play at the feature table with Daniel Negreanu, do in poker's premier tournament? Along those lines, the WSOP is back on ESPN, or at least the app, and not everyone is happy about that.

In non-WSOP news, there was a big development in the Texas poker scene as Doug Polk unexpectedly announced that he would be stepping away from The Lodge's core business. What might this mean for Texas poker? The crew discusses.

In other news, Doron Ziony shared details on both the upcoming WSOP Circuit stop in Malta and the Battle of Malta, a look ahead to the Borgata Summer Poker Open, and River Rat merch!

A new PokerNews Podcast drops four times a week in July during the 2026 WSOP! You can expect a new episode every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday at 8a PT / 11a ET / 4p UK time. Remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you do not miss an episode!

Time Stamps *Time Topic* 00:00 | Welcome to the show 00:21 | Jordan Westmorland joins the show 01:12 | Doug Polk steps away from The Lodge 05:00 | WSOP Main Event update 10:49 | Ben vs. Negreanu 19:18 | WSOP on ESPN frustrations 25:00 | PokerNews MyPlayers feature 26:35 | Battle of Malta 28:30 | Think Jerky 30:11 | River Rat Merch 33:44 | Borgata Summer Poker Open

In the 985th episode of the PokerNews Podcast, which is sponsored by FanDuel Poker, Chad Holloway is joined by Mike Holtz and Ben Ludlow at the 2026 World Series of Poker (WSOP), where they welcome Texas Card House (TCH) CEO Ryan Crow to the show.

Crow sits down for an in-depth chat about the current state of Texas poker amid the recent raid at The Lodge and subsequent resolution. Where do things currently stand in the Lone Star State? Perhaps no one is better suited to answer that question than Crow, who also discusses the success of the first WSOP Circuit stop at TCH, as well as a look ahead to the next one.

Finally, Crow shares details on the upcoming docuseries, The Battle for Texas Poker, which poker fans are sure to love. You'll get to see a couple of clips from the documentary, which will no doubt get you excited for what's to come.

A new PokerNews Podcast drops four times a week in July during the 2026 WSOP! You can expect a new episode every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday at 8a PT / 11a ET / 4p UK time. Remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you do not miss an episode!

Time Stamps *Time Topic* 00:00 | Welcome to the show 00:40 | Looking back on The Lodge raid 06:00 | Winning in court 07:31 | TCH's first WSOP Circuit stop 10:42 | The Battle for Texas Poker documentary 16:30 | Sneak Peek – The Battle for Texas Poker 23:50 | Fighting the good fight

In the 984th episode of the PokerNews Podcast, which is sponsored by FanDuel Poker, Chad Holloway is joined by Kyna England, Esther "Etay" Taylor, and Caitlin Comeskey at Level 9 Studio in Las Vegas for a special women in poker episode!

They talk about Skye Chen defeating Aubrey Williams to win the record-breaking WSOP Ladies Event, open bracelet wins for Kristen Foxen and Michelle Chin, and other women's events from about town at Wynn, Venetian, and more. Plus, Etay becomes an ambassador for BetMGM Poker, and Phil Hellmuth is donating $25,000 to juice a prize pool at Champions Club's upcoming Queens & Cards event.

A new PokerNews Podcast drops four times a week during July and the 2026 WSOP! You can expect a new episode every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday at 8a PT / 11a ET / 4p UK time. Remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you do not miss an episode!

Time Stamps *Time Topic* 00:00 | Welcome to the show 00:20 | Kyna, Etay & Caitlin join the show 01:00 | Caitlin is having a good summer 04:15 | WSOP Ladies Event 14:25 | Looking back at Kristen Foxen's 6th bracelet 17:05 | Michelle Chin wins open mixed event 20:40 | Amanda Baker victorious at Wynn 23:27 | Women winners at Venetian 24:25 | JJ Liu in Venetian Poker Live 26:11 | Shoutout Nancy Birnbaum 28:00 | Etay becomes BetMGM Ambassador 30:10 | PokerNews returning to Borgata 30:45 | WPT & Sherry Pluskota 31:42 | Queens and Cards w/ Phil Hellmuth

In the 983rd episode of the PokerNews Podcast, which is sponsored by FanDuel Poker, Chad Holloway and Mike Holtz are at Level 9 Studio in Las Vegas to discuss one of the wilder days in World Series of Poker (WSOP) history!

Not only did the 2026 WSOP $10,000 Main Event officially kick off, complete with Phil Hellmuth's patented circus-like entrance, but both Daniel Negreanu and Martin Kabrhel snagged gold bracelets. That allowed the former to crack the top ten in the 2026 WSOP Player of the Year race, while the latter drew the ire of some fans when he refused to shake the hand of his opponent.

Chad and Mike get into it all, while also thanking sponsor Think Jerky, which you can order here, and shouting out Overlord Caps, of which they're both big fans.

A new PokerNews Podcast drops three times a week during the 2026 WSOP! You can expect a new episode every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday at 8a PT / 11a ET / 4p UK time. Remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you do not miss an episode!

Time Stamps *Time Topic* 00:00 | Welcome to the show 00:45 | Daniel Negreanu wins bracelet No. 8 04:40 | Daniel Negreanu winner interview 09:50 | Martin Kabrhel captures 6th bracelet 12:03 | Martin refuses to shake hands 16:08 | Phil Hellmuth's Main Event entrance 20:36 | Remembering the Day 1A fallen 24:01 | Overlord Caps

In the 982nd episode of the PokerNews Podcast, which is sponsored by FanDuel Poker, Chad Holloway, Mike Holtz, and Ben Ludlow are joined by Matt Savage at Level 9 Studio in Las Vegas.

There, they talk about Shaun Deeb's recent bracelet win and whether or not that will be enough to put him over the edge for the Poker Hall of Fame. It certainly was enough to put him back on top of the 2026 WSOP Player of the Year standings. Speaking of the Poker Hall of Fame, Savage shares whether he feels snubbed for not making the list of nominees and who he thinks has the best shot of getting in.

From there, the crew turns its attention to the Tournament Directors Association (TDA) Summit XII, which recently wrapped up at PokerGO Studio. Savage shares a little history about the TDA, his big takeaways, and then Chad shares a highlight video catching up with some of the bigger tournament directors in the game to get their thoughts on this year's summit.

Finally, the crew thanks sponsor Think Jerky, which you can order here.

A new PokerNews Podcast drops three times a week during the 2026 WSOP! You can expect a new episode every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday at 8a PT / 11a ET / 4p UK time. Remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you do not miss an episode!

Time Stamps *Time Topic* 00:00 | Welcome to the show 00:22 | Matt Savage joins the show 01:00 | Shaun Deeb bracelet win 02:15 | Deeb's winner interview 03:57 | WSOP POY update 05:05 | Poker Hall of Fame 06:27 | Savage has come close before 11:57 | Who do you like for Poker Hall of Fame? 14:30 | TDA Summit XII 21:07 | Highlights from the TDA Summit 24:00 | One topic to consider in the future

In the 981st episode of the PokerNews Podcast, which is sponsored by FanDuel Poker, Chad Holloway, Mike Holtz, and Ben Ludlow are joined by Jamie Gold at Level 9 Studio in Las Vegas.

Gold reflects on the 20th anniversary of his game-changing win in the 2006 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event, which includes some never-before-shared stories, remembering his father's battle with ALS, and his secret weapon, blueberries! Gold also talks about the immediate aftermath of winning $12 million, including high-profile media appearances, being sued for part of the winnings, and his career as a Hollywood agent.

Even the most die-hard Jamie Gold fans are sure to learn something new in this episode!

Finally, the crew thanks sponsor Think Jerky, which you can order here.

A new PokerNews Podcast drops three times a week during the 2026 WSOP! You can expect a new episode every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday at 8a PT / 11a ET / 4p UK time. Remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you do not miss an episode!

Time Stamps *Time Topic* 00:00 Welcome to the show 00:20 Jamie Gold joins the show 00:57 Where were you in 2006? 03:55 Martin Kabrhel & Will Kassouf 11:00 WSOP back on ESPN 12:04 Shout to WSOP 18:00 Jamie's father battled ALS 22:04 Compared to other athletes 24:00 Crypto & the WSOP 24:56 The power of blueberries 26:47 Think Jerky 27:25 Being a Hollywood agent 31:55 Being an ambassador for the game 35:09 Making a run in Salute to Warriors

In the 980th episode of the PokerNews Podcast, which is sponsored by FanDuel Poker, Chad Holloway, Mike Holtz, and Ben Ludlow are joined by Hayden "Big Red" Hetland at Level 9 Studio in Las Vegas.

The quartet discusses the latest stories from the 2026 World Series of Poker (WSOP), starting with the controversial "dead hand" ruling made against Patrick "Pads" Leonard. Not only will you see videos of what happened, but Chad also caught up with Pads for an exclusive interview to discuss the aftermath.

From there, it's a discussion about an X-rated card protector, the eight Poker Hall of Fame nominees, and big bracelet wins by Josh Reichard and Eelis Parssinen. Speaking of big wins, Benny Glaser got the job done in the $50,000 Poker Players Championship (PPC), giving him his ninth bracelet in 11 years! It also came just a year after he shipped an incredible three bracelets. See PokerNews' winner interview with Glaser, who was clearly emotional after the victory.

Finally, the crew thanks sponsor Think Jerky, which you can order here.

A new PokerNews Podcast drops three times a week during the 2026 WSOP! You can expect a new episode every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday at 8a PT / 11a ET / 4p UK time. Remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you do not miss an episode!

Time Stamps *Time Topic* 00:00 | Welcome to the show 00:55 | Big Red joins the show 02:00 | Dead hand ruling at 2026 WSOP 02:24 | Videos of hand 06:35 | Interview w/ Patrick Leonard 12:40 | X-rated card protector 16:17 | Benny Glaser wins $50K PPC 20:34 | Winner interview w/ Benny Glaser 25:25 | Poker Hall of Fame nominees 32:16 | Josh Reichard claims first bracelet 35:35 | Eelis Parssinen wins second bracelet of summer 37:17 | Think Jerky

In the 979th episode of the PokerNews Podcast, which is sponsored by FanDuel Poker, Chad Holloway, Mike Holtz, and Ben Ludlow come to you from inside the Wynn Las Vegas Poker Room for a special episode devoted to all things 2026 Wynn Summer Classic.

That includes a look at some big winners and accomplishments through the first 45 events of the summer-long series, two big hands captured in the $3,500 Championship, the rise of Mystery Bounties at the Wynn, and Justin "Lappy Poker" Lapka's big summer.

Chad also sat down with Wynn's Director of Poker Operations, Andy Ormsby, who talked about highlights from the summer and also shared some big news regarding the WPT World Championship at the end of the year.

Finally, the crew thanks sponsor Think Jerky, which you can order here.

A new PokerNews Podcast drops three times a week during the 2026 WSOP! You can expect a new episode every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday at 8a PT / 11a ET / 4p UK time. Remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you do not miss an episode!

Time Stamps *Time Topic* 00:00 | Welcome to the show 01:15 | Wynn Summer Classic winners 02:15 | Kathy Liebert claims Seniors title 05:00 | Best place in town to play 08:55 | Justin "Lappy Poker" Lapka's big summer 11:00 | Sebastian Toro Henao big winner 14:46 | Interview w/ Andrew Ormsby 19:30 | WPT World Championship will return 21:50 | Amanda Baker wins Ladies Event 25:44 | Poker Hall of Fame upcoming

In the 978th episode of the PokerNews Podcast, which is sponsored by FanDuel Poker, Chad Holloway, Mike Holtz, and Ben Ludlow are at Level 9 Studio in Las Vegas to talk about the Brazilian poker player kicked out of a 2026 World Series of Poker (WSOP) event for smoking and putting tournament chips in his jacket pocket.

They also examine the largest pot in High Stakes Poker history, discuss Ethan "Rampage" Yau's cash game heater, and offer updated thoughts on Martin Kabrhel. From there, it's a look at recent gold bracelet winners, including Calvin Anderson, Joey Couden, Zachary Gruneberg, Marco Johnson, and Joao Simao. Plus, lots of talk about Santhosh Suvarna and Shaun Deeb.

Finally, the crew thanks sponsors Think Jerky, which you can order here, and FanDuel Poker, which is sponsoring this year's Maryland State Poker Championship. Oh, and don't forget to enter our latest giveaway for autographed books!

A new PokerNews Podcast drops three times a week during the 2026 WSOP! You can expect a new episode every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday at 8a PT / 11a ET / 4p UK time. Remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you do not miss an episode!

Time Stamps *Time Topic* 00:00 | Welcome to the show 01:52 | Smoking player kicked out 06:03 | Largest Pot in HSP History 12:08 | Rampage on a Rampage 20:00 | Thoughts on Martin Kabrhel 23:00 | Calvin Anderson wins 2 bracelets 25:20 | Joey Couden beats Shaun Deeb 28:24 | Marco Johnson claims bracelet 29:30 | Chino Rheem doesn't have a bracelet 31:24 | Zachary Gruneberg wins third bracelet 32:30 | Joao Simao wins $50K PLO High Roller 33:07 | Think Jerky 34:10 | Maryland State Poker Championship 35:30 | Book giveaway

In the 977th episode of the PokerNews Podcast, which is sponsored by FanDuel Poker, Chad Holloway and Mike Holtz are joined at Level 9 Studio in Las Vegas by a pair from the UK in Grosvenor Poker's Katie Swift and Philip "The Tower" Heald.

The quartet discusses the recent high-profile bet between Phil Hellmuth and Shaun Deeb, one involving the former's son, Phillip "P3" Hellmuth III, and the 2026 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event. Deeb stands to win $14,000 max, while Hellmuth could potentially win $10,000,000! It's an extremely long shot, but what do you think?

From there, the crew looks at a pair of game-changing hands. In the first, Dario Sammartino shared on social media that an automatic shuffler had apparently sorted the cards, which resulted in two very similar hands, and in the other, a dealer error resulted in the final two players in the COLOSSUS being dealt the wrong cards in the first hand of heads-up play. No one noticed in real time, and the tournament ended as a result.

Other topics include changes to the Poker Hall of Fame, The Tower advocating for Barny Boatman and John Duthie to be inducted, and a look ahead to Grosvenor Poker's famed GOLIATH, which will run July 23-August 2. Finally, don't forget to order your Think Jerky here!

A new PokerNews Podcast drops three times a week during the 2026 WSOP! You can expect a new episode every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday at 8a PT / 11a ET / 4p UK time. Remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you do not miss an episode!

Time Stamps *Time Topic* 00:00 Welcome to the show 00:25 Katie Swift & the Tower join The Show 01:40 Hellmuth Mark-Up Police 08:36 Hellmuth responds 11:00 Two Identical Hands 13:39 COLOSSUS Heads-Up Mistake 22:36 Poker Hall of Fame Changes 25:50 English players for the Poker Hall of Fame 29:50 A Look at the GOLIATH 34:40 Book Giveaway Winners 35:30 Think Jerky 37:15 Ladies Event at GOLIATH