For Tolkien fans, a timely passage for No Kings Eve, from WH Auden’s review of Lord of the Rings.

#NoKings organizers would prefer you left it at home; from the front page of nokings.org:

“…Weapons of any kind, including those legally permitted, should not be brought to events.”

Out! All-in pre-flop from the button with 88. We joke about how the caller could get rivered again as he’s lost a couple rivers in a row. They show QQ. Flop is a blank for both of us, turn is Q, and we remark that now he can’t rivered again, which is good for him as I do hit my set 8s on the river.

Lost a huge pot with KJ hearts to an all-in on a QTxx board with two hearts. Villain had AA, neither a heart, 2 of my 15 outs (9 hearts + 3 non-heart Aces + 3 non-heart 9s). Under 20K.

Start level 8, blinds now 600/1200

Had about 100K when they broke my table, lost a nice pot A8<55 in the big blind in the first hand at my new table. ~80K.

Start level 7, blinds now 500/1000.

Finished the last hand of round 6 donating 5K to a big pot but I think I’m still the #2 stack at my table and almost twice the average stack. Will know for sure after the break and count the chips.

Finally a baby boat that goes my way. Called a small pre-flop raise with 33 in early position from a mid stack. 3-way flop AQ3 rainbow. Call a small bet from the original raiser. Turn another K, I raise 11K, folds around. I have 119K.

First hand of level 6 I have AK diamonds. A raise to 1800 ahead of me was called, I make it 6K and get no callers. I have 105K, avg stack size is 62K.

Just put a short stack out. They raised to 1K pre-flop, I re-raise to 3K with KK, they go all-in, I call, we’re heads up, they show AKo. Flop the case K, turn an A for no help, river is a blank.

Took a ~9K haircut with KK<AQ, got some of it back the next hand with a pre-flop re-raise w/AA. 80K.

Start level 6, blinds are now 300/600.

Called pre-flop raise in late position with J9h. Flop comes 8T6 rainbow. Checks around, turn the 7. Checks to me, I bet 1/2 the pot, called by short stack to go heads up. River pairs the 8, I check rather than raise on the paired board. Short stack show 9x for the lower straight. I have ~90K

Start level 4, blinds now 300/500.

End level 3, on a break. Average stack is 54K, I have ~73K.

Won a big pot KK>QQ, almost a double up!

Begin level 3, blinds are now 200/400. I have 50K.

Start level 2, 54K.

Ks2s as BB. Limps around to me with the SB + 2 callers. I forget completely that I have a 2 when the flop comes A22. I let it check down to the river because there are no spades or kings and start to show my hand wondering if the K high is good only to draw gasps from the table when I show the trips

Shuffle up and deal for my last WSOP tournament of 2025! Level 1 starts with 50K chips and 100/200 blinds.

And I’m out. All-in preflop with 66 for 14BB, heads up with SB w/AK. 3 diamonds on the flop a diamond on the river give the villain a flush.

The WSOP doesn’t let you record video except you’re own all-in:

15 minutes to go in this round. 1100 entrants have busted out at this point in the tournament, roughly a third of the field

Survived all-in from the button with KdJd, one caller. Hit two pair to crack his pocket pair of 5s. 20K.

Stole blinds with KJo, so at least I can afford to wait for a hand for another orbit...

Starting level 7, 500/1K

End level 6, on break. When we come back, I'll only have 9BB.

Had to fold a sizeable pot to an all-in bet when the board paired with 4 to the nut flush draw. Down to 13.5K

Midway through level 6, so halfway through today's play.

Back up to 25K after a couple of small pots.

Over 500 players have been eliminated already.