PokerNews live coverage of this event will begin on Day 2 (July 13). Until then, we will keep readers informed with updates on chip counts and core event statistics, including entries and the prize pool. Scroll down to see more.
In the 989th episode of the PokerNews Podcast, which is sponsored by FanDuel Poker, Chad Holloway honors the 20th anniversary of the 2006 World Series of Poker (WSOP) by chatting with a trio of players who made a name for themselves that year.
That includes Paul Wasicka, who finished runner-up to Jamie Gold in the 2006 WSOP Main Event and, a year later, went on to win the NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship. What has the former young gun, who doesn't play much serious poker anymore, been up to over the past two decades? Find out here.
Likewise, Sabyl Cohen-Landrum finished 56th in the 2006 WSOP Main Event, making her the last woman standing by outlasting Annie Duke. ESPN captured it and vaulted her to temporary "Poker Boom" fame, but what is life like for her now?
Finally, Chad caught up with Jon Friedberg, who topped a then-record 2,891-player field to win a $1,000 No-Limit Hold'em event for $526K and a gold bracelet. Friedberg has gone on to become a major player on the poker operator side of things, and part of that success stems from his big bracelet win. Learn more about his story 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.
As per the WSOP LIVE app.
Earlier this week, the Tournament Directors Association (TDA) held its biennial summit, which debuted back in 2001. The TDA Summit XII was held at the PokerGO Studio and drew more than 200 industry professionals from around the world.
“The goal of the TDA remains that we want a standard set of rules that players, tournament directors, and card room managers can reference,” said TDA board member Matt Savage, who recently appeared on the PokerNews Podcast to talk about the summit.
“It was an eventful meeting again. No major rule changes this time around, but some good tweaks to existing ones,” said famed tournament director and PokerStars Ambassador Kenny Hallaert. “It’s always good for the game of poker to share our experiences from PokerStars events with the rest of the industry and pick up new ideas from other operators.”
Likewise, PokerStars EPT Tournament Director Toby Stone told PokerNews: “The beauty of the TDA Summit is the mutual exchange of knowledge. Our core focus is always on making tournaments safer, fairer, and more enjoyable for the players. While the EPT is proud to already implement a lot of the cutting-edge rules and security measures being discussed, the summit is about lifting the global standard together. A huge congratulations to Matt Savage on 25 years of the TDA. What he started back then has transformed the live poker landscape, and his ongoing work continues to protect and grow the game we all love.”
As per the WSOP LIVE app.
This year's nominees for the Poker Hall of Fame have been announced, with the eight individuals now heading to the living members of the Hall for voting.
Each member can vote for up to four nominees, and anyone receiving votes from 22 or more members earns an automatic induction. This change, from a previous "winner-takes-all" format allowing for only one induction per year, was announced earlier this month.
Five of the eight nominees are first-time nominees, having met the minimum age requirement of 40. Eight-time WSOP bracelet winner Shaun Deeb headlines these players; he is joined by Jason Koon, Isaac Haxton, Chris Moorman, and Justin Bonomo.
According to the WSOP LIVE app.
The most exciting time in live poker is upon us, with the 2026 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event No-Limit Hold'em World Championship now underway.
The WSOP Main Event is considered the most prestigious live poker tournament, drawing thousands of entrants from far and wide, each hoping to become poker's world champion.
The field sizes of the Main Event are massive, despite the five-figure buy-in. With so many of poker's top players in action at the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas, you're spoiled for choice regarding who to add to your MyPlayers Feed.
Before Michael Rocco won his first World Series of Poker bracelet two years ago, he'd already decided he was leaving poker behind.
When PokerNews caught up with the high-stakes player during the 2024 WSOP, the conversation wasn't about solvers, Player of the Year races, or the growing list of near-misses that had come to define his career. Instead, Rocco revealed he was preparing to step away from the game to pursue regenerative farming.
And then a few hours later, he finally won the bracelet he'd spent years chasing.
For most players, finally reaching the top would have been the beginning of another chapter. For Rocco, it simply meant he got to leave exactly how he'd hoped.
PokerNews caught up with the now 36-year-old to see how life is on the farm, and whether the poker grind is something that he yearns to go back to.
Event #96: $3,000 6-Handed Pot-Limit Omaha returns once again to the 2026 World Series of Poker (WSOP) at the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas. This three-day event kicks off at 2:00 p.m. local time in Las Vegas on July 12.
With the $3,000 buy-in, expect some of the world’s best PLO players to enter the mix as they chase one of the few remaining bracelets available.
If the 2025 edition of this event is anything to go by, the winner could also bag a prize of around $500,000.
Day 1 begins at 2:00 p.m. local time, with players starting with a stack of 40,000 chips. Blinds start at 40 minutes until the end of Level 6, before increasing to 60 minutes for the remainder of the tournament.
Play on the first day will run until Level 12 is completed, but latecomers have until the end of Level 10 to register. Each player can re-enter twice while registration is still open.
Those who bag will return at 1:00 p.m. for Day 2 on July 13, with the final day kicking off at the same time on July 14. Last year’s event, however, did need an unscheduled fourth day to complete the tournament.
Daniel Zack was victorious in last year’s event. The American had eight previous cashes at the 2025 WSOP, before he took down this event to secure the fourth bracelet of his career.
"No, definitely not," was Zack’s response when he was asked if PLO was his strongest game. "I think I get made fun of in the mixed cash games I play for my PLO play by far the most. So, if anything, I would say everyone back home would say it was my worst game."
Stay closer than ever to the action with MyPlayers. This brand new, free feature on PokerNews puts your favorite poker players front and center. Whether you're keeping tabs on legends like Daniel Negreanu or following a friend grinding their way through a Day 2, MyPlayers delivers real-time updates tailored just for you. No subscriptions, no paywalls — just the hands, chip counts, and bustouts that matter most.
It’s simple: log in, search for any player in our live coverage, hit the star, and they’ll be added to your personalized MyPlayers list. You’ll see their progress across all live-reported events, with chip counts and updates pinned right where you need them at the top.
From railbirds to backers, MyPlayers is the smarter way to stay connected to the game.
Event #96: $3,000 6-Handed Pot-Limit Omaha
Day 1 Started
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