Shaun Duncan raised on the button and John Burch moved all in for 20,000 in the small blind to see Duncan call.
John Burch: A♠Q♦3♣3♥ 
Shaun Duncan: A♥J♠9♦3♦
The board ran out Q♥J♥8♦5♥2♦ and Burch's pair of queens was good for high while they split the low.
In the 967th episode of the PokerNews Podcast, which is sponsored by FanDuel Poker, Chad Holloway, Mike Holtz, and Ben Ludlow are at Level 9 Studio in Las Vegas for the first official episode of the 2026 World Series of Poker (WSOP), which officially got underway with a rather strange hand in which an instruction card found its way onto the flop.
It was a funny start to the summer, which also kicked off with some smaller numbers across town, where the Wynn had an overlay. Is it a sign of things to come in Las Vegas, which has become increasingly more expensive? Speaking of the WSOP getting underway, Michael "The Grinder" Mizrachi gave the ceremonial "Shuffle up and deal," while Martin Kabrhel is already up to his old antics.
The crew then made a bet on their favorite 25K Fantasy teams. The Lodge reopened in Texas, and Craig Welko claimed RGPS Player of the Year honors. Finally, Ray Kondler of Kondler & Associates came into the studio to share the latest on the current poker tax situation, while Robbie Strazynski dropped by to talk about his upcoming Mixed Game Festival XIV at Bellagio.
Find out all about those stories and more in this week's episode of the PokerNews Podcast! Oh, and be sure to check out the audio version of the PokerNews Podcast that is available on all major podcasting platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and SoundCloud.
Benjamin Gold raised on the button and Jun Weng called for 11,000 in the big blind.
"I have no high potential, no low potential," Gold said pessimistically as they waited to turn their cards over.
Jun Weng: Q♦Q♥7♦4♦
Benjamin Gold: J♦10♣9♦3♦
Gold made a pair on the 10♠6♠6♥ flop, but he improved no further on the 2♠ turn or 8♦ river as Weng remained in the lead with his queens to earn the double up on the bubble.
Nam Le raised in the cutoff and was called by Glenn Engelbert on the button.
The flop rolled out K♥K♣8♦ and Engelbert called a bet from Le.
On the turn 3♣, Le moved all in for 4,000 and Engelbert called.
Nam Le: A♠K♠6♥2♣
Glenn Engelbert: A♥6♠3♦2♥
Le was guaranteed to survive, and the river K♦ further improved him to quad kings to double up.
William House raised in the cutoff and Javier Francort called in the big blind.
House bet on every street as the board ran out 8♦10♥5♦4♠10♣. Francort called him down and turned over A♣9♦2♣2♦, while House showed A♠Q♦5♣2♠.
"Ay, ay, ay," Francort lamented as he took back a quarter of the pot with an identical low, while House took three quarters.
With 126 players remaining, action is going hand-for-hand until there is one more elimination.
Volodymyr Kondratenko raised all in for 13,000 from early position to see both James Holesko in the small blind and Andrew Voor in the big blind call.
The flop rolled out 8♥7♥3♥ and Holesko check-called a bet from Voor.
Holesko checked the run A♠ over to Voor who bet a second time and Holesko called.
On the river 10♥, Holesko checked over to Voor who bet and Holesko folded.
Volodymyr Kondratenko: A♦A♣K♦2♣
Andrew Voor: 9♦7♠4♣3♣
Kondratenko's set of aces and live two was good to scoop the pot while Voor took the side pot down.
Amnon Filippi raised in middle position before Mark Gregorich reraised in the cutoff. Filippi then four-bet, and Gregorich called all in.
Mark Gregorich: A♥K♣3♦2♣
Amnon Filippi: A♣A♦7♦7♠
The Q♥10♠10♣ flop gave Gregorich a straight draw, but he couldn't improve against Filippi's aces on the 10♦ turn or 9♦ river and was sent to the rail.
Joshua Damm raised in middle position and Rex Lloren called for his last 10,000 on the button. Justin Liberto also called in the big blind.
Liberto led out with a bet on the 9♣K♠6♥ flop and Damm called. The turn was the 10♦ and Liberto bet again. Damm folded this time.
Lloren showed A♣A♥K♣8♠, but Liberto had 9♥9♠8♥6♠ for a flopped set. The 10♣ river improved Liberto to a full house, and Lloren was sent to the rail.
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