**** TJ's 2026 WSOP Trip! ...And Continued Sundry Poker Adventures ****

I’ll be in Las Vegas for 19 days for this trip again, June 4 - 23. Lots of LVL regs will be in town around the same time, so I’m always down to grab a meal or a drink together! If we’re near the same place at the same time, post here or send me a pm.

I can play in great private cash games back home any time. I can play in good tournaments 4 times a year, when the WSOP Circuit comes to Cherokee (and coming soon, Danville this Fall!) But what I can ONLY get in Las Vegas, during the Series, is truly great, HUGE field tournaments, every single day.

That’s where I’m going to focus my time. I know there’s donks and land mines to dodge at every stage of these massive field lotteries. But that’s where I’ve had the biggest success, and that’s where I feel my edge is. And, obviously, that’s where the life-changing upside exists.

This is my tentative schedule. It will necessarily be very fluid, hopefully for multi-day runs, or multi-flight events.

Disclaimer, this schedule is assuming I wake up every day with vigor and courage, and want to play poker that day. In my mind, I’m building in for mental health and laundry days, as necessary. I remember feeling like I was pressing towards the end of my 19 days in Vegas last year.

6/4 Arrive, cash games at Venetian, check in
6/5 WSOP $1500 Monster Stack Day 1C
6/6 WSOP $1500 Monster Stack Day 2C, or 1D
6/7 WSOP $500 NLH Freezeout
6/8 WSOP $600 NLH/PLO mixed event
6/9 Orleans $300 Monster Stack
6/10 WSOP $500 Colossus
6/11 WSOP $500 Colossus
6/12 WSOP $500 Colossus
6/13 WSOP $500 Colossus
6/14 WSOP $800 Deepstack NLH
6/15 South Point $300 NLH
6/16 Aria $800 HORSE
6/17 South Point $300 NLH
6/18 Orleans $300 Monster Stack
6/19 Orleans $300 Monster Stack
6/20 Aria $800 NLH
6/21 WSOP $500 Salute to Warriors
6/22 Salute Day 2, or cash
6/23 Day 3, or cash, then depart

The most useful tool every year for planning your Las Vegas summer tournament schedule is this link here. Filter-able by date, game type, buy in, AND it’s mobile-friendly. I’ve dedicated a tab to it in my Safari since it launched… and I’ll be referring to it heavily, as the situation evolves.

When I was first making my schedule, and deciding which dates I wanted to ask for at work, I started with the WSOP Monster Stack, and the Colossus… and built out from there.

The WSOP Monster Stack is the best prep for the Main Event, at 15% of the price. There’s 4 Day 1 flights, and now the Day 2’s stay with the same player pool, then merge all flights into Day 3. I’m budgeting up to two $1500 bullets for this one. Last year, this event went over 9900 entries, with $1.2M for the winner. This year could be even bigger, with the changes to the multi-flight structure. With the opportunity provided by multiple re-entries and starting flights, Day 3+ is certain to be LOADED with killers.

Then, there’s the Colossus. To me, this is what the WSOP is all about. It should comfortably clear 20k entries, maybe 25k+. I’m dedicating that entire weekend to firing as many bullets as it takes, to set me up for as deep a run as I can make. Hopefully I can bag early, then take time off to reset, and do laundry.

After I got my work schedule approved, I realized I couldn’t play the $1500 Millionaire Maker. The final days of that event conflict with my travel schedule, so I’m sad I’ll have to sit that one out.

So it goes. The great thing about the WSOP in Las Vegas is there’s always other options.

Closing on a personal note, as my writing and story-telling has evolved, I find writing about my poker adventures to be very rewarding. From the incredibly supportive community here, to the people in my life I’ve sent these threads, to this being the most expedient way to update my mom with how it’s been going.

To everyone who reads this: you ALL motivate me. The accountability in these threads gives me the drive and momentum to go out there, play my best, and give it everything I’ve got. From the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU.

Positively cannot WAIT to see how the next chapter unfolds.

Let’s gooooooooo!