2026 World Series of Poker

Day: 1b
1a1b1c
Event Info
2026 World Series of Poker
Event Info
Buy-in
$10,000
Prize Pool
$16,833,000
Total Entries
1,810
Players Left
1,303
Average Chip Stack
83,346
Total Chips
108,600,000
Players Info - Day 1b
Entries
1,038
Players Left
760
Players Left 1,303 / 1,810

Matusow on the Wrong End of a Cooler

Level 3 : Blinds 200/400, 400 ante
Mike Matusow
Mike Matusow

Mike Matusow opened from early position before Damien Gayer three-bet to 2,700 from middle position. When the action got back to Matusow, he four-bet to 12,000, only to be met by a five-bet shove for 23,700 from Gayer. Matusow immediately shook his head in disgust as his spidey senses appeared to kick in. Nevertheless, he reluctantly made the call for around a third of his stack.

Damien Gayer: AA All in
Mike Matusow: KK

Matusow's instincts had been right, as he found himself on the wrong end of poker's classic preflop cooler.

The flop came 72A, giving Gayer top set and leaving Matusow virtually drawing dead.

The 37 completed the runout, improving Gayer to an unnecessary full house as he scored the double-up.

Tags: Damien GayerMike Matusow