I've Never Seen More Pocket Aces in My Life: WSOP Freezeout Madness
You can catch the full episode of this tournament day on my YouTube channel here, where I walk you through one of the wildest WSOP events I’ve played, featuring more pocket Aces at one table than I’ve seen in my entire poker career.
This was the $1,500 Freezeout at the World Series of Poker, and as always, I brought the camera along for the journey.
One Shot. One Opportunity.
The freezeout format means no re-entry, just one bullet and you’re done. That format levels the playing field, giving recreational players a better shot and keeping things intense from the very first hand.
Bobby and I started the day with a morning walk near our home in Summerlin, grabbed a good breakfast, and soaked in a few peaceful moments before diving into the chaos of WSOP action.
Once we got to Paris Las Vegas, the energy was electric. I ran into a bunch of friends, met some amazing fans (shout out to Quinton and Jordan), and got seated at a table that was about to deliver some wild action.
Making Goals You Can Control
One of the little mental games I like to play is setting a goal to have more chips at each break than I did at the last. It helps me stay focused without putting unrealistic pressure on myself. You don’t need to say “I’ll have 300K by Level 4”, instead, just aim to be growing steadily.
It’s a great mindset tool, and one of the many I teach in The Poker Accelerator course. If you like these tips, check out the course, especially if you’re looking for a roadmap through fundamentals like bankroll management, 3-betting, bluffing, and tournament mindset.
Big Hands, Big Swings
There were several memorable hands in this one, including a massive all-in with pocket Fives where I held in a multi-way pot after flopping a set. That pot gave me a huge boost and shifted the momentum of my day.
Then came the Aces. So. Many. Aces.
My table saw more pocket Aces in one day than I’ve ever seen, multiple players picked them up, sometimes in back-to-back hands. It was insane.
I also made a couple of big plays I want to talk about, including one hand where I bluffed off about a third of my stack, and another hand where I turned a low flush and wasn’t sure whether to go for thin value or pot control.
In both spots, I used past reads and my understanding of opponent tendencies to guide my decisions. It didn’t always work out, but that’s part of the process.
Bluff Breakdown
One key hand was with pocket Sevens from the big blind. A very good player opened on the button, the small blind called, and I decided to 3-bet to isolate. Looking back, I should have made the sizing bigger, or maybe flatted entirely.
We went to a flop of Ace-Ten-Ten. I c-bet. He called.
Turn came a heart, giving me a flush draw, and I checked. He checked back.
River completed my weak flush, and I chose to check instead of bluffing. He had Ace-Jack with a better flush, so I saved chips by avoiding a bet.
Reviewing this hand reminded me why I go over every tough spot after a tournament. That’s how you get better.
Tired but Focused
After a late run in the Gladiator event the night before, I was running on five hours of sleep. Even so, I stayed locked in and made some solid reads throughout the day.
Unfortunately, I busted just shy of the money in a flip. It was a bummer not to cash, but I’m still proud of how I played. Some days you hold, some days you don’t.
Want to Improve Your Tournament Game?
If you want to level up your tournament strategy, understand the nuances of spots like these, and develop the mindset of a winning player, I highly recommend checking out The Poker Accelerator course.
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!
Final Thoughts
This tournament had everything, big moments, mental tests, tons of laughs, and a ridiculous amount of pocket Aces. That’s poker.
If you want to see the full experience, watch the vlog here. And don’t forget to subscribe to the channel if you’re into real tournament breakdowns, mindset tips, and a behind-the-scenes look at life on the felt.
See you at the next one.
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