What is a stone bubble?

The exact point in a tournament where the next player to bust finishes one place out of the money and everyone left is guaranteed a cash.

Should you fold your big blind on the bubble with two big blinds?

It depends on the payout and the other short stacks. Lexy folded king-ten suited in the big blind because several other players had one to three big blinds, which gave her a real chance to cash without risking her stack.

How do you play a big river bet when four cards to a flush are on the board?

A fast, large bet can look like a bluff, because strong flushes often bet smaller to get called. Lexy called with a pair and lost to a straight that was value betting.

The Most Insane Money Bubble of the Summer: Cracking Aces with Less Than a Small Blind at the 2026 WSOP

Three players from the money in the 2026 WSOP $300 Gladiator, I had two big blinds and less than a full small blind after the big blind. I folded king-ten suited to wait, then got it in with ace-nine suited against pocket aces, made trips, and cashed. The next day I bagged 126,500 chips on one bullet in Day 1 of the $3,000 Midstakes Championship.

Two big blinds, three from the money

The night before the $3,000 Midstakes Championship, I played the $300 Gladiator. We were three players from the money, 278 left with 275 paid, and the big blind was going to 10,000. I had 24,000 chips.

One orbit cost 25,000. With just 2,000 more, I would have been guaranteed another orbit and a cash. Instead, I was going to be forced all in within four hands.

Why a $300 cash mattered

This would be my sixth cash of the series, and I wanted seven. In past years, the WSOP has offered a parlay: seven summer cashes plus a cash in the $25,000 WSOP Paradise Super Main Event in the Bahamas earns a $25,000 bonus. Last December I cashed the Paradise Main for $70,000, made Day 3, and with seven summer cashes I got the extra $25,000, for $95,000 in total. As part of the WSOP Vlogger Program, my buy-in was covered.

The longest bubble of my life

There were plenty of one, two and three big blind stacks, which gave me a chance. We played three hands with three all-ins, and somehow nobody busted. Then a player went out, and we were two away.

In the big blind, I folded king-ten suited to keep waiting. That left me with less than a small blind, and on the next hand I got it in with ace-nine suited. My opponent had pocket aces.

I made trips. The whole table erupted. I have never had a more supportive table, and I have never felt so rich with two big blinds. Seven all-ins later, we were in the money. A few hands later I lost with pocket sevens and one big blind, but the cash was mine.

Day 1 of the $3,000 Midstakes Championship

The Midstakes Championship has a great structure: 40,000 starting chips and hour-long levels. My table had Tony Miles, runner-up in the WSOP Main Event, and Damian Salas, who has more than $7.3 million in earnings.

Hand breakdown: calling a fast river bet

At 300-500 with a 500 ante, Damian limped under the gun and two players called. I raised to isolate with king-nine of diamonds, and the hijack called. On a king of spades, six of spades, four of hearts flop, I bet 4,000 and he called. The nine of spades turned and we checked. The two of spades made four to a flush on the river, and he quickly bet 11,000.

I did not have a spade. A strong spade usually bets smaller to get called by worse, so a fast, big bet felt bluffy. I called, and he showed five-three of hearts for a straight. Good for him.

Bagging on one bullet

Things turned after that, including a four-way pot against Tony that we still joke about. I bagged 126,500 chips on one bullet, about 50 big blinds for Day 2, with more than $4 million already in the prize pool and another starting flight to go.

Questions viewers asked

What is a stone bubble?: The exact point in a tournament where the next player to bust finishes one place out of the money and everyone left is guaranteed a cash.
What is the WSOP Paradise parlay?: In past years, players with seven cashes at the summer WSOP who also cashed the $25,000 WSOP Paradise Super Main Event in the Bahamas received a $25,000 bonus. Lexy earned it in 2025 on top of her $70,000 Paradise cash.
Should you fold your big blind on the bubble with two big blinds?: It depends on the payout and the other short stacks. Lexy folded king-ten suited in the big blind because several other players had one to three big blinds, which gave her a real chance to cash without risking her stack.
How do you play a big river bet when four cards to a flush are on the board?: A fast, large bet can look like a bluff, because strong flushes often bet smaller to get called. Lexy called with a pair and lost to a straight that was value betting.

Get the next stop in your inbox

Lexy's Poker Digest goes out weekly with where we’re playing next.

Free, weekly, and easy to unsubscribe.