2026 World Series of Poker May 26th - July 15th
This repeated take of "anti-rec" has got to stop lol. You think Tommy from Toledo is taking a week(s) off work, flying to Vegas, Hotels etc. to fire 1 bullet and then oh well, cya later if 1 bullet busts lol?! It's the recs that also want to fire multi-bullets if need be!
I literally did this for the Monster in 2024. Flew for a week from Europe, played one bullet, busted, and went and sat by the pool for the rest of the time or played 1/3 cash.
Most recs aren't firing multiple 4 figure bullets in a comp.
What? They removed the 3k 6max LHE? Unless they have a typo on their schedule for event 56 (close to last years event 60), they are down to just the $1500 and $10k. Last year that event got 343 entrants.
Yup. I don't get it, either. 100 events and only 2 are limit holdem, which is still one of the more popular games in live cardrooms?
Removal of the $1500 NLHE shootout was also bizarre, as this tends to draw a good number of people AND is over quickly each day -- a perfect event for the operator!
They also made a supreme mess out of the popular $1k Mystery Millions event.
It now has SIX starting flights over 5 days, June 23-27, instead of being at the beginning of the series.
This gives it 17 possible rebuys (18 buyins total). Ugh.
It also places Day 2 five days after Day 1A, which is going to be a huge turnoff to a lot of people. It was great the way it was, so why muck it up?
Even more bizarre is the fact that the first event of the series is a "Mini" version of the Mystery Millions for $550.
Do they really need a $550 "mini" when the regular is $1k? How many are really sitting out of a $1k event but playing $550?
They should have just left the whole thing alone.
They also made a supreme mess out of the popular $1k Mystery Millions event.It now has SIX starting flights over 5 days, June 23-27, instead of being at the beginning of the series.This gives it 17 possible rebuys (18 buyins total). Ugh.It also places Day 2 five days after Day 1A, which is going to be a huge turnoff to a lot of people. It was great the way it was, so why muck
They always kick off the series with a low buy-in. The Mini will be HUGE not just because it is low buy-in and the opening event, but because $1k is a psychological barrier/threshold for a lot of people.
Tons of people have/had the desire to play the regular $1k but now knowing they can get that same experience of drawing an envelope that could have a million on it but for half the price, this event is going to go bonkers.
20, 000+ entrants easily
It appears they have significantly shortened the structures of at least many of the $1500 limit event. Last year, level 15 (the last level of Day 1) was 3k/6k, and now it is 5k/10k.
Last year, they removed the 100 chips after level 12 and the 500 chips after level 17. This year, they remove the 100 chips after level 9 and the 500 chips after level 12 (though some of this in enabled by just rounding up the SB in a few levels).
Seems like they got rid of the original first 200/400 level (which is fine imo), but also getting rid of two of the three double-levels in the middle of Day 1.
It appears they have significantly shortened the structures of at least many of the $1500 limit event. Last year, level 15 (the last level of Day 1) was 3k/6k, and now it is 5k/10k.Last year, they removed the 100 chips after level 12 and the 500 chips after level 17. This year, they remove the 100 chips after level 9 and the 500 chips after level 12 (though some of this in en
Which event(s) are you referring to?
I played the 1500 O/8 and Horse last year, just compared the structure sheet from last year and this year, color up and EOD level is the same.
Actually the horse event seems better this year, last year, you played level 1 (300/600) twice and then level 6 (1k/2k) twice.
This year, in the horse, you play level 6 twice (1k/2k) and level 9 (1.5/3k) twice. Playing level 9 twice is way more valuable than playing level 1 twice.
My only gripe from last year was actually that they did not hit the money on day 1. ~130 spots paid in the HORSE and we came back on day 2 with ~150 left, hit the money within the first hour, I min cashed in the low 100's, but if you were 1 of those 20 guys who didn't, you missed the early tournament starts that day and had nothing to show for it. I would prefer they play another hour or whatever on day 1 so they hit the money. I can't say when the money broke on other 1500 limit events but I would imagine it was the same.
Which event(s) are you referring to?I played the 1500 O/8 and Horse last year, just compared the structure sheet from last year and this year, color up and EOD level is the same.Actually the horse event seems better this year, last year, you played level 1 (300/600) twice and then level 6 (1k/2k) twice.This year, in the horse, you play level 6 twice (1k/2k) and level 9 (1.5/3k
I was looking at the 1500 O8 and the 1500 LHE. I also played the HORSE last year, but I didn't check that one.
Compare Event 4 LO8 of 2026 (page 5 of the pdf posted in this thread) to Event 4 LO8 of 2025 (page 6 on this link), and the 2026 look significantly faster.
I can't every remember hitting the money on Day 1 of any of the limit events I've played at the WSOP over the last 10-15 years. In the LO8 event, you usually hit the money about 3 hours into Day 2. The new structures might get close, but I don't think that's a good thing.
Usually I just post during the annual Scotch Week but this is a special day with the announcement of the schedule. Have to mostly concur with my buddy TheFly.At a minimum we need to tone down the notion that it is severely anti-rec. I play very few tournaments but I did play the 1K PLO Mystery Bounty and the amount of rebuying was crazy. These were not pros and everyone was mak
Hey Scotch, good to see you here prior to “Scotch Week” lol.
You made a great point I was trying to make. At least in my experience, and again I don’t really play the Daily’s or ~$300 gimmicks, the “recs” I’ve encountered are way more financially flexible than the self-proclaimed “pros” who continually need a backer to scrap up a buyin lol.
But, maybe I’m just remembering all the “recs” I played with who just bought themselves in directly to the $10K Main Event without hesitation or problem. Those “recs” are generally well off to begin with, at least my experience.
They also made a supreme mess out of the popular $1k Mystery Millions event.It now has SIX starting flights over 5 days, June 23-27, instead of being at the beginning of the series.This gives it 17 possible rebuys (18 buyins total). Ugh.
Last year (2025) Day 1A was on Tuesday and Day 2 was on Sunday, that is exactly the same this year. All they have changed is there are now 2 re-entries per flight, up from 1, and they added a "turbo" flight F on Saturday night. Everything else is unchanged from 2025.
I was looking at the 1500 O8 and the 1500 LHE. I also played the HORSE last year, but I didn't check that one.Compare Event 4 LO8 of 2026 (page 5 of the pdf posted in this thread) to Event 4 LO8 of 2025 (page 6 on this link), and the 2026 look significantly faster.I can't every remember hitting the money on Day 1 of any of the limit events I've played at the WSOP over the last
Ahh yes, I see it now. And yeah, few years ago when I cashed the O8, it was later in day 2 as you noted. HORSE last year may have been an anomaly hitting earlier.
Right. It's actually hard to find concrete info about largest WSOP event field sizes without sifting through many Hendon pages, but excluding online events this link shows:
https://w50p.com/po/WSOP%20Biggest%20Fie...
1. 2019 $500 Big 50 (28,731)
2. 2023 $300 Gladiators (28,088)
3. 2015 $565 Colossus (22,374)
The 2025 Gladiators had 24,629 entries to move into 2nd place over the 2023 version, which actually had 23,088 (my typo).
[Haven't updated my site for 2025 yet (still waiting for the WSOP for a bunch of results, primarily from GGPoker, but at least I'm in contact with them about it).]
Very efficient, but what do they do when the bubble would burst early on Day 2A but players are still registering for Day 1B (so they still don't know how many places to pay)?
I mean, LHE is almost certainly more commonly spread than any game after NLHE and PLO. So, compared to stud and draw variants, and even mixed games, LHE is more popular.
That said, LHE, Stud, Razz, and 2-7 TD each have a $1.5k and a $10k, and I don't really see LHE as being popular enough to deserve 50% more events, especially given that it is exceedingly unpopular among even mix players. Like, a bunch of mix players would voluntarily play deuce, but many of them wouldn't reg the $1,500 LHE.
As a rare someone who goes to WSOP exclusively to play LHE, I'm pretty happy with the change to 7-handed, and I'm fine with jettisoning the $3k price point. The only downside to 7-max, if there is one, is that some of the terrible Vegas/CA misregs who are constantly complaining about one or two empty seats may choose not to play because they don't like to play "short."
I'm also just fine with the faster structure, it'll be slightly less grueling. Although I think it cuts down on the chip-ev benefit of starting on time, which kind of sucks for those who do so.
I mean, LHE is almost certainly more commonly spread than any game after NLHE and PLO. So, compared to stud and draw variants, and even mixed games, LHE is more popular. That said, LHE, Stud, Razz, and 2-7 TD each have a $1.5k and a $10k, and I don't really see LHE as being popular enough to deserve 50% more events, especially given that it is exceedingly unpopular among even m
$1,500 & $10,000 Entries (2024/2025)
LHE: 443/491 & 104/118
Stud: 406/377 & 107/127
Razz: 547/472 & 118/134
2-7 TD: 574/635 & 149/141
Attendance figures support hardinthepaint. LHE is in the middle for $1,500 and bottom for $10,000.
$1,500 & $10,000 Entries (2024/2025)
LHE: 443/491 & 104/118
Stud: 406/377 & 107/127
Razz: 547/472 & 118/134
2-7 TD: 574/635 & 149/141
Attendance figures support hardinthepaint. LHE is in the middle for $1,500 and bottom for $10,000.
Thats because everyone can convince themselves they play 2-7 good enough compared to the field but know they can't play LHE at an expert level.
$1,500 & $10,000 Entries (2024/2025)
LHE: 443/491 & 104/118
Stud: 406/377 & 107/127
Razz: 547/472 & 118/134
2-7 TD: 574/635 & 149/141
Attendance figures support hardinthepaint. LHE is in the middle for $1,500 and bottom for $10,000.
L08? that tournament regularly gets 900+ runners at the 1500, far ahead of all the others, and the 10k gets ~200.
Stud/E? it gets 600+ in the 1500 and is right behind the L08 10k with almost 200.
I think people like the split pot games for a variety of reasons. Including these 2 bumps LHE down further, at least in tournament popularity.
Many venues, are adding in TORSE or replacing HORSE with TORSE due to player request/popularity. WSOP added it last year and it is back again this year, not sure why they have it as a 3k though. O/E they always have that at the 2.5k buyin, not sure what the logic is for not making those 1500s.
The 1500 HORSE always gets a good turnout as well, almost 900 last year. L08 is very much the most popular at least at the WSOP and usually at other series at least in tournament poker.
I think HORSE does well at WSOP for schedule and pricing reasons, many people can't be there for a month and/or afford 7500 to play all the individual versions, so they play HORSE since they get to play all the games for 1 1500 buyin.
I mean, LHE is almost certainly more commonly spread than any game after NLHE and PLO. So, compared to stud and draw variants, and even mixed games, LHE is more popular. That said, LHE, Stud, Razz, and 2-7 TD each have a $1.5k and a $10k, and I don't really see LHE as being popular enough to deserve 50% more events, especially given that it is exceedingly unpopular among even m
Really curious to see how much impact the structure and 7 handed change has on the LHE and L08 structure speed wise. It could really speed the tournament up, some levels were removed but also going to 7 handed handed increases blind frequency too which has a big impact on length.
It's not obvious to me that increasing the blind frequency inherently speeds up a tournament. Everyone has to post the blinds equally often, regardless of how many players are at the table. But in practice, it might speed the tournament up a little because the bad nits who play super tight outside of the blinds are forced to actually play more hands and will therefore lose faster. And just generally, the more hands someone plays in a -ev way, the faster they will lose, and presumably people will play more hands (either by virtue of believing they should player looser in shorter games or by just being in later positions more often).
I've played the WSOP the last couple of years after being a very serious "rec" and even professional earlier in my 20s. I just had life troubles that got in the way and multi day tournaments always seemed like such an investment of time I stuck to cash live and tournaments online. Point is, I save up about 5k to bring this summer. Ill play the monster stack, and try and hit a c
20-30bb is toast? How many bbs y’all got on avg when you’re playing tournaments?
I mean, LHE is almost certainly more commonly spread than any game after NLHE and PLO. So, compared to stud and draw variants, and even mixed games, LHE is more popular. That said, LHE, Stud, Razz, and 2-7 TD each have a $1.5k and a $10k, and I don't really see LHE as being popular enough to deserve 50% more events, especially given that it is exceedingly unpopular among even m
I think there's more O8, DBBP, and mixed games spread than LHE
On a typical day in Vegas there might only be one table of LHE going on above 4/8. But there might be a 10/20, 20/40, 80/160, 300/600, and 3K/6K mixed games going
I was looking at the 1500 O8 and the 1500 LHE. I also played the HORSE last year, but I didn't check that one.Compare Event 4 LO8 of 2026 (page 5 of the pdf posted in this thread) to Event 4 LO8 of 2025 (page 6 on this link), and the 2026 look significantly faster.I can't every remember hitting the money on Day 1 of any of the limit events I've played at the WSOP over the last
This link had an old o8 structure for 2025. That was a structure for like 2023. Despite it saying 2025, they updated many structures later with the website revamp and wsop+ app
This was the 2025 structure which had end of day at 10k. Same as 2026 (but double levels moved).
https://wsop.gg-global-cdn.com/wsop/7964...
(Gg link as opposed to pokernews link)
It has definitely sped up but incrementally.
Can just look at day 2 start blind levels now
2023: 8k BB
2024: 10k BB
2025: 12k BB
2026: 12k BB
I think there's more O8, DBBP, and mixed games spread than LHE
On a typical day in Vegas there might only be one table of LHE going on above 4/8. But there might be a 10/20, 20/40, 80/160, 300/600, and 3K/6K mixed games going
I mean nationwide. Vegas has a lot more variety than most poker markets. There's a ton of poker rooms that basically have like 1/3 NLHE and like 3/6 limit, and maybe these days a PLO game.
