button in SafariBrutal Bad Beat Sends Todd Brunson Home After Tripling Up in WSOP Main Event
Todd Brunson entered Day 8 of the 2026 WSOP Main Event with under 15 big blinds. He needed to get something going quickly, and that's exactly what happened. But then one bad beat sent him packing.
The Poker Hall of Famer was attempting to win the Main Event 50 years after his dad, Doyle Brunson, won it in 1976. Doyle, a 10-time bracelet winner and the ultimate poker legend, won it again in 1977. Todd, owner of the Roma Deli in Las Vegas, started off Monday's session with a bang when he ran into the dream scenario.
Brunson Makes an Early Move
Brunson entered play with 7,800,000 chips at the 600,000-big blind level with 21 remaining players. Malcolm Trayner had the chip lead with over 60,000,000 chips. There were some early fireworks, with Lauri Saaskilahti doubling his 25-big blind stack a few hands into play with ace-king. Moments later, Brunson ran into a bit of a cooler that ended up going his way.
Brock Wilson, a high-stakes grinder, started the preflop action by min-raising with K♥K♣. Brunson, who picked up A♦K♦, then moved all in for 7,800,000. Trayner, the chip leader, woke up with Q♥Q♣ and put Wilson all in for 15,400,000. A call was made and the three players went to a flop of 8♦2♥2♠, much to the delight of Wilson, who just needed to dodge a queen or ace on the turn and river to nearly triple up into a big stack.
But the turn was the 9♦, which gave Brunson some hope with a flush draw and one over card. He'd then spike the A♠ on the river for a full triple-up. Wilson essentially broke even in the hand, while Trayner lost about a quarter of his stack.
Brunson quickly became a factor deep in the WSOP Main Event, as he attempted to win his first bracelet since 2005. If he would have done so, Doyle and Todd would have become the first father-son duo to win the Main Event. If you're noticing the past tense here, it's for a reason, and that reason is the following hand.
About 30 minutes later, Brunson found himself in position to move close to the chip lead. Brunson raised preflop from the button with A♦A♥ and received a call from Trayner, who was in the big blind with A♣J♣. The flop came out 8♦3♣2♣, giving Trayner a flush draw. He would check-call a continuation bet before improving his hand with the J♠ on the turn.
Brunson bet 2,300,000 this time, about one-third the size of the pot. Trayner, who had top pair and the nut flush draw, check-raised to 5,500,000. Brunson then moved all in for 17,100,000 and received a quick call.
The biggest pot of the tournament would come down to either pocket aces holding up or losing to a bad beat, and the latter happened as the 4♣ appeared on the river to complete the flush. Trayner extended his chip lead, while Brunson was eliminated in 20th place for $325,000.
The WSOP Main Event will play down to a final table of nine before Day 8 wraps. Those who bag chips will take a few weeks off and return to Paris Las Vegas for the final table on Aug. 3-5.
