The 2026 World Series of Poker (WSOP) kicked off back on May 26, and now it is in the home stretch as June has come to an end and the $10,000 Main Event is set to get underway. More than 70 tournaments have awarded bracelets thus far, and the PokerNews Live Reporting Team has been on-site all summer long, capturing the action.
During that time, they’ve reported on some entertaining hands, bad beats, and more, which we’re happy to featured in the latest edition of “Hands of the Week” presented by GTOWizard.
Negreanu Doubles With a Straight Flush
On Day 3 of Event #64: $25,000 High Roller PLO/NLH Mixed, it was Level 24 (50,000/100,000/100,000) in a round of PLO when reporter Liam Gannon witnessed Eelis Parssinen raise to 230,000 on the button and Daniel Negreanu call in the small blind.
The flop rolled out J♠J♣9♣ and action checked to the turn Q♣ where Negreanu bet 225,000 and Parssinen called.
Negreanu bet 300,000 on the 7♥ river to see Parssinen move all in for 1,025,000 effective and Negreanu snap-called to put himself at risk.
Daniel Negreanu: K♣J♦10♣4♦
Eelis Parssinen: Q♥Q♦10♥5♦
Parssinen had turned queens full of jacks, but Negreanu had turned him dead to make a king-high straight flush. The seven-time WSOP bracelet winner climbed up the chip counts while Parssinen dipped below six million.
Brutal Runout For Birnbaum
On Day 4 of Event #61: $1,000 Super Seniors, it was Level 37 (400,000/800,000/800,000) with five players remaining when reporter Tim Baker caught a brutal hand.
It began when Lionel Barracano jammed for 8,000,000 from the cutoff and Nancy Birnbaum made the call from the small blind with only a few chips more.
Lionel Barracano: K♦J♠
Nancy Birnbaum: A♥K♠
Birnbaum had battled back from the brink, and if her big slick held, she would move into one of the top spots with just four players remaining.
Birnbaum stayed ahead with ace-high through the 4♥9♠10♣ flop and 7♣ turn, although Barracano picked up extra outs an open-ended straight draw.
The 8♠ rolled off on the river to give Barracano a jack-high straight, leaving Birnbaum with just crumbs. She went bust a short time later in fifth place for $100,488.
Kim Rivers Eriquezzo and Rubin
On Day 4 of Event #50: $1,500 Millionaire Maker, it was Level 39 (600,000/1,200,000/1,200,000) with 13 players remaining when reporter Laura Fryer saw Alex Kim open to 8,800,000 from early position and Antony Rubin three-bet to 11,500,000 on the button. Ryan Eriquezzo then moved all in for 11,500,000 from the big blind. Kim called for his 400,000 change, and there were two players at risk of elimination.
Alex Kim:K♠J♣
Ryan Eriquezzo:K♦K♣
Antony Rubin:A♥K♥
Eriquezzo had the best of it pre-flop, and the 5♠Q♣8♠ didn’t change much.
A 9♠ turn saw Kim pick up a spade flush draw, and Rubin was looking for only aces to take the pot.
The J♠ river gave Kim the pot and Eriquezzo’s kings were cracked by the backdoor flush, sending him home, and Rubin was left on fumes. Eriquezzo finished in 13th place for $94,000, while Rubin soon followed him out the door in 12th place for the same amount.
“You Screwed Yourself and Myself” as Yoon Scoops Yockey and Kabrhel Folds Half
On Day 2 of Event #75: $1,000 Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo 8 or Better Championship, it was Level 12 when reporter Brett Slezak picked up action on fifth street with around 50,000 in the middle already in a three-way pot between Brian Yoon, Bryce Yockey, and Martin Kabrhel.
Brian Yoon: XxXx / 2♥5♣7♦6♣ / Xx
Bryce Yockey: XxXx / A♣A♠10♣A♥ / Xx
Martin Kabrhel: XxXx / 10♦8♥7♣9♣ – folded on sixth street
Yockey checked with open aces to Kabrhel, who bet on fifth, getting calls from Yoon and Yockey.
On sixth, Yockey made open trip aces but checked, Kabrhel bet again, Yoon raised, and Yockey made it three bets.
“So I can call twenty more or raise another ten?” Kabrhel inquired of the dealer, “And if I call then he [Yoon] can reraise, and he [Yockey] can reraise again?”
Kabrhel then took out his phone, scrolled on the WSOP LIVE app for a moment, then took a picture of his hole cards, before eventually folding, afraid of Yockey having a full house.
Yoon made it four bets on sixth, and Yockey called. Yockey quickly check-called on seventh.
Yockey revealed Q♠4♠2♣ in the hole for just trip aces with no full house, while Yoon tabled 4♥3♦2♠ in the hole for a straight to the seven and six-low, scooping Yockey on seventh, as a visibly frustrated Kabrhel rose from his seat.
“So you screw me, yeah!” Kabrhel reprimanded Yockey.
“Well, I screwed myself,” Yockey replied, “Because I wanted you to fold a straight.”
“Well played,” Kabrhel said loudly, “You screw yourself and myself, was it fun?”
The post-mortem complaints from Kabrhel would continue for several minutes after the hand.
Spencer Calls Tan’s Bluff and Takes the Lead
On Day 3 of Event #68: $1,000 Ladies NLH Championship, it was Level 28 (50,000/100,000/100,000) with just eight players remaining when reporter Laura Fryer captured a remarkable hand.
It began when Lisa Tan opened to 200,000 from under the gun and Emily Spencer defended 10♥10♣ from the small blind. Caitlin Comeskey called K♦8♦ in the big blind and the players went three-ways to the flop.
The 4♣5♠4♠ saw action check to Tan who bet 150,000. Only spencer called to see the 4♦ turn and checked to Tan. Tan bet 1,000,000 and Spencer called the bet to see the 5♥ river.
Spencer made a final check, and Tan bet 3,035,000 to put Spencer all in. Spencer took some time to consider her action but eventually made the call with her boat.
Tan turned over her A♣8♠ bluff and passed a huge portion of her stack across the table. Spencer stood from the table and let out a sigh of relief, having just secured a huge double up through Tan.
Click here to see who won the 2026 WSOP Ladies Championship!
Chad Holloway
PR & Media Manager