You can watch the full rollercoaster ride of my $300 Gladiator experience—from smoothies and railbirds to bluff shoves and Ace-cracking heartbreak—in the vlog right here. This is one of the best value tournaments at the WSOP: a $300 buy-in, $3 million guarantee, 30,000 starting stack, and 30-minute levels.
It’s a turbo-style structure with massive fields. Yesterday drew nearly 5,000 runners. Today? Over 4,300 and climbing. It’s chaotic, fast-paced, and full of opportunity. Let’s dive in.
Smoothie Delivery and Strategy Talk
The day started with Bobby playing at Horseshoe and me at Paris, so we were in “first-class & economy” mode. I dropped off his Chipotle and smoothie—although I may or may not have helped herself to a sip—and headed to register.
If you’re playing the WSOP and still registering at the main desk instead of the kiosks, you’re doing it wrong. Pro tip: kiosks are a game-changer.
Early Action and A Brutal Coolers
I started off aggressive and feeling great. Right away, I shoved and got it through. But in the very next hand, I ran K♥Q♠ into K♣K♦ after a raise, a 3-bet, and my shove. I thought I might be live… until the Kings flipped over. That ended Bullet One.
Cue Bullet Two.
Bluff Breakdown: Q♣T♣ River Shove
In my second entry, I played one of my favorite hands of the day. Blinds were 500/1,000/1,000. I opened Q♣T♣ under the gun to 2,100 with about 30K behind. The hijack and big blind both called.
Flop: 9♦6♣4♣ – I flopped a flush draw with two overs. I c-bet 3,500, the hijack called, BB folded.
Turn: 2♠ – I checked, he bet 5,200, and I called.
River: A♦ – I shoved all-in. Why? Because I can represent A♣x♣, busted straight draws missed, and his 9x or 6x combos are under immense pressure.
He tanked… and folded.
Queen-high bluff success. Let me know in the comments if you would’ve played it the same way.
Table Talk, Fans, and Energy Shifts
The energy at the tables was amazing. A fan came up and shared how much my vlogs helped his daughter gain confidence as a new dealer. That made my day.
Meanwhile, Bobby was bouncing between bust-outs and re-entries like a champ. Classic #MoreBob. He even ran A♠K♦ into A♣A♥ and somehow didn’t cry—publicly, at least.
Ace-Cracking Comebacks and Close Calls
I managed to double up in a few clutch spots. In one hand, I called off with A♥Q♦ against a shove from A♣J♠ and held. Later, Bobby lost with K♠Q♠ vs 8♠8♦, and I said what we’re all thinking: “We’re due to win a flip.”
But Poker doesn’t always listen.
The Final Blow: A♠A♦ vs A♣4♠
Late in the day, with blinds climbing and stack depths getting shallow, I got it in with A♠A♦ and watched my opponent spike a straight with A♣4♠.
I played great, built stacks, made sharp reads—but in the end, variance doesn’t care. That’s the game. All you can do is come back stronger tomorrow.
Want to Learn These Moves?
If you’re enjoying the breakdowns, the strategy, and the mental game content I share, you’ll love my course, The Poker Accelerator. I built it to help players go from uncertain to unstoppable—with modules on preflop aggression, bet sizing, bluffing, ICM, and more.
Not sure if The Poker Accelerator is for you? Check out the FREE Preview to get a glimpse of what the course has to offer!
Watch the Full Vlog
Want to see the bluff shove, Aces cracked, Bobby’s gelato-fueled rants, and all the behind-the-scenes action? Watch the full video here on YouTube and hit subscribe to follow the rest of the WSOP grind. Thanks for sweating it with me.
