FeltIQ

## Local Player Turns 2023 Heartbreak Into 2026 Gold Ring Sometimes the best stories in tournament poker are written over multiple years — and Kyle Grupp's journey at the World Series of Poker Circuit (WSOPC) stop at Turning Stone Resort Casino is a textbook example. ### The Backstory Grupp had already made the Main Event final table at the Turning Stone WSOPC in 2023, only to leave without the title. That kind of near-miss can linger, but rather than walk away from the site of his disappointment, Grupp came back — and this time he finished the job. ### 2026 Victory At the 2026 edition of the same event, Grupp navigated back to the final table and converted, claiming the Main Event championship. For a player described as a *local product* — someone with deep roots in the region where the tournament is held — winning on familiar ground carries an extra layer of meaning. Home-court familiarity in poker doesn't guarantee anything at the felt, which makes the full-circle nature of this result all the more compelling. ### Why This Matters WSOPC Main Event titles carry significant weight on a player's résumé: - They award a **gold ring**, the Circuit equivalent of a WSOP bracelet. - Strong finishes contribute toward **Casino Champion** leaderboards and potential WSOP Main Event seats. - For regional players, a hometown win can be a career-defining moment that opens doors to larger buy-in events. Grupp's story is a reminder that persistence and willingness to revisit a difficult experience can be among the most valuable tools a tournament player develops over time. [Read on PokerOrg](https://poker.org/latest-news/local-product-gains-main-event-redemption-at-wsopc-turning-stone-aojze8u9RlrT)

## Two Live Tournament Series Converge on the Calendar The live tournament circuit is heating up with a pair of notable stops drawing attention from the competitive poker community. ### The Reserve's First-Ever WSOP Circuit Stop The Reserve is stepping into the spotlight for the **first time** as an official WSOP Circuit host venue — a milestone moment for both the property and players in the region looking for a fresh competitive destination. A circuit debut means new tables, new structures, and a new ring up for grabs, making it an intriguing option for players who enjoy exploring less-traveled stops on the national schedule. First-time Circuit venues often carry an energy that established stops can lack — fresh staff eager to impress, a crowd curious about the new format, and a field that hasn't yet sorted itself into predictable regulars. That combination can make for compelling tournament poker. ### Choctaw Durant Returns for a Third Time in 2026 Not to be overshadowed, **Choctaw Durant** is running its *third* series of 2026 — a remarkable pace that underscores just how much player demand exists for live tournament action in the Southern U.S. market. Dubbed the *Choctaw Classic*, this series has clearly become a reliable fixture on the calendar, rewarding the venue's consistent investment in high-quality event production. Running three series in a single calendar year signals strong turnout from prior events and a venue confident in its ability to attract and retain a loyal player base. ### Why It Matters - 📍 **Geographic diversity**: Two distinct venues giving players in different regions quality Circuit-level competition. - 🏆 **Ring opportunities**: Each stop adds fresh WSOP Circuit ring events, meaningful milestones for players chasing national leaderboard points. - 📅 **Busy mid-year slate**: The overlap in scheduling reflects just how packed the 2026 live poker calendar has become. For full event schedules, structures, and buy-in details, check the original coverage below. [Read on PokerOrg](https://poker.org/latest-news/wsop-circuit-debut-at-the-reserve-shares-spotlight-with-choctaw-classic-amjSL3K7GasN)

## WSOPC Returns to the UK's Premier Card Room The World Series of Poker Circuit (WSOPC) is heading back across the Atlantic, with **Dusk Till Dawn** in Nottingham confirmed as the host venue for the **2026 WSOPC UK** festival. The series is set to feature **13 rings** on the line — a substantial schedule that cements Dusk Till Dawn's reputation as the flagship destination for high-profile tournament poker in the United Kingdom. ### What Makes This Stop Notable Dusk Till Dawn has long been considered the heartbeat of British tournament poker, and a 13-ring WSOPC series underlines just how seriously the venue — and WSOP's international arm — takes the UK market. For players outside the US, Circuit stops like this one represent a rare opportunity to earn a coveted WSOPC ring and a potential seat into the **Global Casino Championship** without the expense of a Las Vegas trip. ### Key Takeaways - **13 ring events** across the festival schedule - Hosted at **Dusk Till Dawn**, Nottingham — one of Europe's most respected poker rooms - Part of the broader WSOPC international tour for the 2025–2026 season - Each ring event winner earns **WSOPC points** toward the Global Casino Championship ### A Growing International Footprint The announcement signals continued momentum for WSOP's international circuit expansion. European players have increasingly embraced the Circuit format, and a full 13-event slate suggests organisers expect strong field sizes across multiple buy-in levels — making the series accessible to a wide range of competitors. Whether you're a seasoned Circuit grinder or eyeing your first ring event, this UK stop looks set to be one of the marquee live poker occasions of early 2026. [Read on PokerNews](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMipgFBVV95cUxNeEV3MUljNUpTUF96ZjhydnBzUm9wY3pEbXB1Zmtra05EX2h5S1B4NTZMYkx6ZVdPbDBWbzFZZlFBN0FuUHNyUFpmalVHNXBiTWt1SDcwNWFGei1SZ01wUUQ4N1BGekNJTkdCZzZmak9QNEY5QV8wak5FcHdDYnBWU194bXB3bjkyXzQ4WFVzakFXeklhaF9qZ0hfa3g5NmFXTldBQmVR?oc=5)

## From 7th Place to Champion — The Same Stage, A Different Result Sometimes the gap between a deep run and a title comes down to what happens *away* from the table. Manjunath Mulinti just made that case in convincing fashion at the **WSOP Circuit Thunder Valley** event in California. ### A Quick Turnaround With a Sharper Edge Mulinti had already navigated a deep run at this same venue earlier this year, finishing **7th place** in January's WSOPC Thunder Valley event. Rather than treating that result as a ceiling, he treated it as a starting point. Between that appearance and his return trip to the final table, Mulinti committed to a more structured approach to improvement — investing in dedicated study time and bringing on a **new coach** to sharpen his game. The work clearly translated at the felt. This time around, he didn't just reach the final table again. He **won it**. ### Why This Story Matters Mulinti's arc is a useful reminder of what separates a one-off deep run from consistent, repeatable performance at the top of a field. The circuit grind rewards players who treat every tournament — win or lose — as diagnostic data. A 7th-place exit in January became a blueprint for what needed fixing; a championship in the same series is the result of acting on that blueprint. It also highlights the growing role of **structured coaching** in the amateur-to-serious-player pipeline. What was once a resource reserved for high-stakes regulars is increasingly accessible to circuit-level players looking to level up. ### Key Takeaways - **Player:** Manjunath Mulinti - **Event:** WSOP Circuit Thunder Valley (2025) - **Previous result at same venue:** 7th place (January 2025) - **Latest result:** 🏆 Champion - **Edge cited:** Increased study and a new coach [Read on PokerOrg](https://poker.org/latest-news/studying-pays-off-in-encore-final-table-appearance-at-wsopc-thunder-valley-a0FYL0R1VFHo)

## Six Players Left — One Name Dominates the Count The PGT **Super High Roller Bowl PLO** has reached its final table, and Sean Rafael arrives there holding a commanding chip lead over the five remaining contenders. In a format as volatile as Pot-Limit Omaha — where four-card hands and massive pots can swing stacks in a single street — entering as the chip leader is about as strong a position as any player could hope for. ### Why This Matters in PLO PLO final tables play very differently from their No-Limit Hold'em counterparts. Equity runs closer between hands, which means big stacks can apply near-constant pressure without the same risk of a single cooler eliminating their advantage. For Rafael, translating a *monster chip lead* into a win will still require navigating a field that, at the $100,000 buy-in level, is stacked with elite talent comfortable in high-variance spots. ### The Field Still Standing With six players remaining, the final table represents some of the sharpest PLO minds on the high-roller circuit. Every seat at this stage is earned — the $100K price point alone filters the field to a small pool of proven tournament specialists and cash-game crossovers who thrive in big-bet formats. ### What to Watch - **Stack dynamics:** How quickly do short stacks feel pressure to take marginal spots? - **Rafael's table image:** A massive chip leader in PLO can leverage fold equity in ways that are less available to mid-stack players. - **Bust order:** Each elimination reshapes the dynamic significantly — PLO final tables rarely follow a linear path. The conclusion of this event is expected to deliver one of the high-stakes highlights of the PGT calendar. Keep an eye on the live updates for chip counts and hand histories as the final six battle it out. [Read on PokerOrg](https://poker.org/latest-news/sean-rafael-takes-massive-chip-lead-into-100k-shrb-plo-final-table-aUxu65T45w4e)

## The Game Has Evolved — Even at the Bottom of the Stakes Ladder Poker coach and player **Aaron Barone** is making a striking point about the modern game: the average low-stakes online grinder of today is a dramatically more skilled player than most of the field was during the poker boom era two decades ago. ### The Core Argument Barone's claim is straightforward — players who routinely compete in small buy-in online tournaments now bring a level of theoretical understanding, range awareness, and solver-informed thinking that simply didn't exist at the entry level in 2003. The implication is that the *floor* of competence has risen sharply across the field, even at the lowest rungs of the online ecosystem. This isn't a novel observation in poker circles, but it carries extra weight coming from someone with fresh, in-the-field evidence: Barone recently turned **$2,500 into more than $10,000** across just six days of play — a run he uses as a practical backdrop for his broader take on the current competitive landscape. ### Why It Still Matters for the Field Crucially, Barone pairs his respect for today's small-stakes players with an equally important counterpoint: *they're still beatable.* Knowing more theory than players of a previous generation does not automatically translate into profit. Execution gaps, mental-game leaks, and spot-selection errors remain exploitable at every level. This tension — a smarter pool that is nonetheless imperfect — is one of the more nuanced realities of modern poker, and it's worth sitting with. The game being harder doesn't mean it's unsolvable; it means the *edge* has shifted toward consistency, discipline, and continued study rather than simple hand-reading superiority. ### FeltIQ Takeaway For anyone tracking how the skill curve has shifted in poker's online ecosystem, Barone's perspective offers a useful calibration point. The benchmark for *good* keeps moving — and understanding where you sit relative to that benchmark matters more than ever. [Read on PokerOrg](https://poker.org/latest-news/todays-11-grinders-could-have-been-top-5-players-in-2003-aaron-barone-aC5R30b4WvYv)

## Why *Fearless* Poker Might Be the Wrong Goal For years, the conventional wisdom at high-stakes tables has been simple: eliminate fear, play with ice in your veins, and let nothing rattle you. Mindset coach **Jason Su** is pushing back on that idea — and his argument is worth considering for players at every level. ### The Myth of Emotional Elimination The prevailing idea that top players should *eradicate* fear from their game is, according to Su, precisely what holds many of them back. The pursuit of a perfectly emotionless state can become its own distraction — a second battle running alongside the actual poker. What Su proposes instead is a shift in relationship with those emotions. Rather than treating fear or anxiety as opponents to be defeated before you can play well, the argument is that **accepting those feelings** — acknowledging them without letting them dictate decisions — may be the more effective path to peak performance. ### Why This Matters at the Table This framing has practical implications: - **Suppression takes cognitive energy.** Mental resources spent fighting nerves are resources not spent reading opponents or working through decision trees. - **Acceptance doesn't mean surrender.** Recognising that you feel pressure in a big spot is different from folding *because* of that pressure. - **Consistency over bravado.** A player who understands their emotional landscape is better positioned to remain process-focused than one who is blindsided by feelings they thought they'd eliminated. ### A Different Kind of Mental Game This approach echoes frameworks from sports psychology and performance coaching that have gained traction well beyond poker. The idea that elite performance comes from *working with* the mind — not against it — is increasingly mainstream in competitive fields. Whether you're grinding tournaments or cash games, the takeaway here isn't about the size of the stakes. It's a reminder that the mental game is a skill, and like any skill, the fundamentals might be more nuanced than the myths suggest. [Read on PokerOrg](https://poker.org/poker-strategy/the-biggest-myth-about-playing-fearless-poker-ajarR5j3dIwV)

## A Game Transformed Online poker has traveled a long road since the early 2000s boom, when televised hands and a wave of new players turned the internet felt into the most exciting card room on the planet. Wladimir Taschner, author of *The History of Online Poker*, revisits that journey — charting what the game picked up along the way and what quietly slipped through its fingers. ### The Boom Years: Energy, Access, and a Cast of Characters The pre-Black Friday era had a distinct personality. Household names like Phil Ivey and Tom Dwan built mythologies at the virtual tables, and a pseudonymous player known only as *isildur1* became a genuine internet legend overnight. The ecosystem rewarded creativity and raw aggression; the player pool was vast and the edges, for those paying attention, were enormous. ### The Solver Era: Precision at a Price Fast-forward to today and the landscape looks strikingly different. Solver software has pushed strategic understanding to levels unimaginable two decades ago — mixed strategies, equilibrium-aware lines, and balanced ranges are now dinner-table vocabulary for serious players. The game is, objectively, played *better*. But Taschner's lens invites a more nuanced question: has the pursuit of optimisation come at a cultural cost? The colourful, chaotic atmosphere that drew millions to their screens has given way to something more clinical. ### Why This Tension Matters The tug-of-war between accessibility and sophistication is arguably the defining challenge facing online poker right now. New players can learn faster than ever — yet the skill gap at most stakes has never been wider. Platforms, regulators, and the player community are all wrestling with how to keep the game welcoming without blunting the competitive edge that makes it meaningful. Taschner's historical perspective is a useful reminder that the game has reinvented itself before — and that each reinvention left something behind worth remembering. [Read on PokerOrg](https://poker.org/latest-news/what-online-poker-gained-and-lost-from-the-boom-years-to-the-solver-era-ajhox2X8cyQs)

## Harrah's Pompano Beach Set to Host High-Stakes WSOP Circuit Stop South Florida is gearing up for a major poker moment as **Harrah's Pompano Beach** prepares to host a World Series of Poker Circuit series headlined by a **$1,000,000 guaranteed Main Event**. ### What We Know So Far The upcoming stop features an **18-event schedule**, with the seven-figure Main Event guarantee serving as the clear centerpiece. For a WSOP Circuit stop, a $1M guarantee is a significant milestone — it signals the continued growth of the Circuit brand as a proving ground for both rising talent and seasoned tournament regulars alike. WSOP Circuit events award **gold rings** to winners and carry **Casino Champion** points, making them meaningful not just for the prize money but for players chasing WSOP Player of the Year standing and National Championship seats. ### Why This Stop Matters Pompano Beach's WSOP Circuit appearances have historically drawn strong turnouts from the dense poker-playing population across **South Florida and the broader Southeast**. The region's proximity to Miami and Fort Lauderdale means a large local player pool, and the $1M guarantee adds an extra incentive for out-of-town grinders willing to make the trip. For context, Circuit Main Events traditionally carry buy-ins in the **$1,500–$1,700 range**, meaning a seven-figure prize pool typically requires healthy field sizes — a number worth watching when registration numbers emerge. ### FeltIQ Angle An 18-event schedule gives players at multiple skill levels and bankroll depths plenty of variety beyond the flagship event. Whether it's the Main Event or one of the supporting ring events, this stop looks like a well-rounded series for Florida's competitive tournament scene. Full schedule details and event buy-ins are expected on the WSOP and Harrah's Pompano Beach official pages closer to the series dates. [Read on PokerOrg](https://poker.org/latest-news/pompano-beach-brings-the-heat-with-1m-wsop-circuit-main-event-aQ7Lv3o3MzBY)

## Fans Asking: Where's the Thunder Valley Circuit Coverage? A question bubbling up in the poker community right now is a simple but telling one — where is the coverage of the **Thunder Valley Casino Resort's** WSOP Circuit stop? It is not unusual for regional circuit events to fly under the radar compared to the glitzy marquee stops like the WSOP Main Event or major EPT festivals. But Thunder Valley, located in Lincoln, California, is a well-regarded stop on the circuit calendar, and players who have made the trip out there are understandably eager to follow along online. ### Why Does Coverage Lag on Circuit Stops? A few factors tend to create coverage gaps at the circuit level: - **Staffing and resources** — Live reporting crews are finite, and larger events naturally absorb priority attention. - **Venue logistics** — Not every casino floor offers the same infrastructure for real-time digital reporting. - **Field sizes** — Smaller regional fields sometimes mean less editorial investment, even when the poker itself is fiercely competitive. ### Why It Still Matters Regional circuit stops are, in many ways, the *heartbeat* of competitive poker. They are where grinders accumulate WSOP Circuit rings, chase Casino Champion titles, and punch tickets to the Global Casino Championship. Gaps in coverage can make it harder for players, fans, and rail supporters to stay connected to results that genuinely matter to the people involved. If you are looking for Thunder Valley circuit updates, checking the official **WSOP app**, the **WSOP.com results page**, and local poker community Facebook groups or Discord servers is often the fastest route while dedicated editorial coverage catches up. [Read on PokerOrg](https://poker.org/ask-the-org/where-is-the-coverage-of-the-thunder-valley-circuit-please-agrrE0T3DPuq)

## Felipe Boianovsky Completes a Historic Online Poker Double Brazil's **Felipe Boianovsky** has carved out a unique place in online poker history, becoming the first player ever to win both the **SCOOP** and **WCOOP $10K Main Events** on PokerStars — two of the most prestigious titles in the online tournament calendar. ### What Makes This So Significant? The Spring Championship of Online Poker (SCOOP) and the World Championship of Online Poker (WCOOP) are widely regarded as the flagship online series for high-stakes tournament players. The $10K Main Event in each series attracts some of the strongest fields in the online game, drawing elite regulars and live-tournament crossovers alike. Claiming *one* of these titles is a career-defining achievement — claiming *both* is something no one had managed before Boianovsky. ### A New Benchmark for Online MTT Excellence What separates this achievement is not just the prize money involved, but the consistency and mental stamina it takes to navigate two separate deep runs across different series and different seasons. The two victories together mark Boianovsky as arguably the most accomplished player in the history of these specific events. For the broader online poker community, this sets a compelling new benchmark: a player from South America — a region with a rapidly growing and highly competitive poker scene — now holds the most coveted double in online MTT history. ### Looking Ahead It will be fascinating to watch whether Boianovsky can extend his dominance to other major series, or whether another player will eventually match this particular double. For now, Brazilian poker fans have plenty to celebrate. [Read on PokerOrg](https://poker.org/latest-news/brazilian-makes-history-as-first-to-win-scoop-and-wcoop-10k-main-events-aoVdL9M2uqWd)

## From the Final Table to the Solver WSOP Main Event finalist **Han Feng** sat down with poker media personality **Joey Ingram** to revisit some of the most pivotal hands from his deep run at this year's Main Event — this time armed with **GTO Wizard** to stress-test the decisions made under the brightest lights in poker. ### Theory Meets Reality What makes this kind of post-tournament review compelling is the gap it often reveals between *in-the-moment intuition* and *solver-approved strategy*. Final table spots are notoriously high-pressure environments where even experienced players deviate from theoretical baselines — sometimes for good reason, sometimes not. By feeding specific hand histories into GTO Wizard, Feng and Ingram were able to examine: - **Bet sizing choices** and whether they aligned with mixed or pure solver strategies - **Range construction** at key decision points - How **stack depth and ICM pressure** at a Main Event final table can — or perhaps should — shift play away from pure GTO outputs ### Why This Format Works The solver-review-with-a-coach format has become one of the more educational corners of poker content. It strips away the narrative drama of the broadcast and gets into the *why* behind each action. For students of the game, watching a player of Feng's calibre openly interrogate his own decisions is a rare and valuable window into high-level thinking. Ingram, known for his long-form interview style, provides a useful counterpoint — asking the questions that viewers and students are likely thinking throughout. ### The Takeaway Whether Feng's plays hold up under solver scrutiny or reveal spots he'd approach differently in hindsight, the exercise underscores a broader truth in modern poker: **the learning never really stops**, even after a deep Main Event run. [Read on PokerOrg](https://poker.org/latest-news/revisiting-the-trauma-wsop-main-event-finalist-reviews-key-hands-on-gto-wizard-afWt27f6oBFR)

## APT Jeju Hits a Historic High The Asian Poker Tour's High Roller event in Jeju, South Korea has made history — becoming the **richest High Roller the tour has ever held on Korean soil**. With the series entering its final stretch, the milestone adds a memorable capstone to what has been a landmark stop on the APT calendar. ### Why It Matters Jeju has quietly grown into one of Asia's most significant poker destinations, and a record-setting High Roller field underscores how far the regional tournament scene has come. High Roller events serve as a useful barometer for the health of a tour: deep fields at the top end of the buy-in range typically signal broad participation and strong confidence in the overall series. For the APT specifically, setting a Korea record represents more than a single result — it reflects sustained momentum in a market that has seen steady growth in live tournament infrastructure over the past several years. ### What to Watch - **Series closing events**: With the APT Jeju series winding down, attention now turns to final-day schedules and any remaining side events still to be decided. - **Leaderboard implications**: Deep runs in a record High Roller carry significant weight for APT Player of the Year standings, making the remaining action worth following closely. - **Regional context**: Results from Jeju frequently shape which players emerge as household names on the broader Asian circuit heading into the back half of the year. Whether you follow the APT closely or are just tuning in, a record-setting High Roller is the kind of benchmark moment that tends to raise the profile of a series — and of Korean poker more broadly. [Read on PokerOrg](https://poker.org/latest-news/apt-high-roller-sets-new-record-in-jeju-as-series-enters-home-stretch-ax2vG1r2bm36)

## Fast-Fold Format Arrives on PokerStars on FanDuel PokerStars on FanDuel has launched **Zoom tables** — the fast-fold cash game format that has been a staple of the PokerStars ecosystem globally — for players in its available US markets. ### What Is Zoom? Zoom is a *pool-based* cash game format where players are immediately whisked to a new table and dealt a fresh hand the moment they fold. Instead of waiting out the rest of a hand at a single table, you cycle through opponents rapidly, which means: - **More hands per hour** compared to a standard cash game table - **Less downtime** between decisions - **A larger, rotating player pool** rather than a fixed seat lineup For players who focus heavily on studying hand ranges and volume, the format can be a useful environment to log more repetitions in a given session — though, as with any poker format, results depend on skill, discipline, and variance. ### Why It Matters for the US Market PokerStars' US presence via FanDuel has been gradually building out its feature set to match the experience long available on the global client. Adding Zoom is a meaningful step toward feature parity — and signals that the operator is investing in the competitiveness of its US product. Fast-fold formats have historically helped operators retain recreational players who prefer a snappier experience over the slower rhythm of traditional ring games. ### A Format Worth Understanding Whether you're already familiar with Zoom from international play or encountering it for the first time, it's worth taking a session or two to understand how the *anonymous, rotating pool dynamic* changes table reads and exploitative adjustments. Standard live-read and history-based reads are far less applicable here, shifting the emphasis toward *range-based fundamentals*. [Read on PokerOrg](https://poker.org/latest-news/fold-fast-play-more-zoom-tables-are-live-at-pokerstars-on-fanduel-a9QwT8D5vbdv)

## Palma Breaks Through at the Poker Masters Nick Palma has claimed his first **Poker GrandTour (PGT)** title after defeating Adrian Mateos heads-up in Event #2: $10K No-Limit Hold'em at the Poker Masters. ### The Result Palma walked away with **$235,200** and a long-awaited breakthrough on one of poker's most competitive high-roller circuits. His opponent, Adrian Mateos, is no stranger to deep runs at elite events — the Spanish pro has accumulated numerous major titles throughout his career — making Palma's victory all the more notable. ### Why It Matters The PGT Poker Masters consistently draws some of the sharpest high-roller talent in the world, so breaking through for a first title here is a meaningful benchmark rather than a soft resume addition. For Palma, this win signals a step up from *contender* to *title-holder* in a field where finishing near the top is itself considered a strong result. It's also a reminder that the high-roller circuit continues to surface emerging names capable of standing toe-to-toe with established players like Mateos. Palma will likely see his PGT leaderboard standing jump significantly following this performance. ### What's Next With the Poker Masters featuring multiple events, the overall **Purple Jacket** leaderboard competition remains very much alive. Players who accumulate points across events can make a case for the series' most coveted prize, so Palma's timing — scoring a win early in the series — could prove strategically important as the event calendar continues. Keep an eye on how Mateos responds in subsequent events; runner-up finishes from high-caliber players like him often precede a title run of their own. [Read on PokerOrg](https://poker.org/latest-news/nick-palma-beats-adrian-mateos-to-win-first-pgt-title-at-poker-masters-aVUGt4L0ajXr)

## The APT Championship Is Almost Here The **Asian Poker Tour (APT) Championship** is just weeks out, and the field is shaping up to be a compelling one. PokerOrg has spotlighted **13 players** worth keeping an eye on as the tournament approaches its $5,000,000 guaranteed Main Event. ### Why This Tournament Matters The APT Championship consistently draws some of Asia-Pacific's sharpest tournament competitors, alongside high-profile international names who make the trip specifically for its flagship event. A $5M GTD Main Event is a meaningful benchmark for any regional series, signaling both strong organizational confidence and a field deep enough to sustain it. ### What to Look For With a field of this caliber, a few storylines tend to emerge: - **Regional vs. international dynamics** — Asia-based grinders who know the local tournament landscape can hold a structural edge over players jetting in cold. - **Recent form** — Players carrying momentum from other major stops on the circuit are always worth tracking as the field narrows. - **Experience under pressure** — Deep Main Event runs at events of this size test mental endurance as much as technical skill, so pedigree matters late. ### FeltIQ Take Contender lists like this are useful as a starting point, but the APT Championship — like any large-field MTT — has a way of elevating names that weren't on anyone's radar before Day 1. The 13 players flagged by PokerOrg represent a strong cross-section of the current Asia-Pacific circuit landscape, but the eventual champion will likely be someone who survives as much through adaptability as raw talent. Whether you're following the action for the player drama or the strategic narratives, the APT Championship is shaping up to be one of the region's marquee stops of the year. [Read on PokerOrg](https://poker.org/latest-news/the-contenders-13-players-to-watch-at-the-apt-championship-aNyG10o2Qyu3)

## A Bold Departure From Convention Most major tournament series treat no-limit hold'em as the undisputed centerpiece — the marquee event that draws the biggest field and the largest prize pool. The upcoming **Phenom Series of Poker** is flipping that script entirely, forgoing a traditional NLHE main event in favor of a schedule built around **mixed poker games**. ### Why It Matters The move is more than a scheduling quirk. It signals a deliberate effort to serve a segment of the poker community that often feels sidelined by the endless parade of hold'em events. Mixed-game specialists — players who have honed their skills across formats like Stud, Razz, Omaha Hi-Lo, and HORSE — rarely get a flagship event to call their own at the series level. Phenom is positioning itself as the answer to that gap. ### What to Watch For - **Format variety**: Centering the series on mixed games raises the skill ceiling and rewards players with the broadest poker toolkit. - **Field composition**: Without a traditional NLHE main event as the gravitational pull, the series may attract a more niche but deeply experienced player pool. - **Industry signal**: If the series gains traction, it could encourage other organizers to experiment with alternative structures rather than defaulting to the NLHE formula. ### The Bigger Picture Hold'em's dominance in the tournament landscape has been near-total for decades. Challengers have occasionally carved out mixed-game showcases — most notably the WSOP's own HORSE events — but few have gone so far as to make mixed games the *defining* identity of an entire series. Whether this bold positioning translates into strong turnout remains to be seen, but it's a genuinely interesting experiment for the competitive poker calendar. [Read on PokerOrg](https://poker.org/latest-news/unthinkable-phenom-pokers-upcoming-series-ditches-traditional-holdem-main-event-aRrhv7X78sIX)

## Margereson Dominates from Start to Finish in Jeju British pro **Scott Margereson** has added a major international title to his résumé, winning the **APT Jeju High Roller** in dominant fashion and taking home the coveted *Mega Lion* trophy. ### A Final Table Performance for the Highlight Reel What set this victory apart wasn't just the win — it was *how* Margereson got there. Out of eight opponents he faced at the final table, he personally eliminated **seven** of them. That kind of table control is rarely seen at this level of competition, where the field typically features seasoned tournament regulars capable of applying pressure from any seat. ### Why This Performance Stands Out Margereson has been a consistent presence on the European circuit for years, but a dominant high-roller final table on the Asia Pacific Tour signals that his game is translating powerfully to international stages. High-roller events tend to compress skill edges — short fields, deep stacks, and aggressive play mean that running hot and playing well must coincide. Eliminating seven of eight opponents at a final table suggests Margereson was doing both at once. ### APT Jeju: A Premier Stop on the Asian Circuit The **Asia Poker Tour's** Jeju festival, held in South Korea, is one of the region's flagship series, drawing top talent from across Asia, Europe, and beyond. A high-roller title here carries real prestige on the global poker calendar. Keep an eye on Margereson's upcoming schedule — players who peak this sharply often carry momentum into their next few events. [Read on PokerOrg](https://poker.org/latest-news/scott-margereson-steamrolls-final-table-to-win-apt-jeju-high-roller-acfMp8D6Kc2m)

## HCL Puts Britney Jing on the Sidelines Hustler Casino Live (HCL) has suspended player Britney Jing from its games as a cluster of serious allegations continues to gain momentum in the poker community. The situation involves multiple overlapping concerns: **staking arrangements**, **missing chips**, and the possibility of **collusion** at the table. ### What We Know So Far The allegations first surfaced in discussions across poker forums and social media, drawing significant attention to Jing's involvement in HCL's high-stakes cash game streams. The issues appear to be interconnected rather than isolated incidents, which has made the situation more difficult to quickly resolve: - **Staking concerns** — Questions have been raised about the nature and transparency of Jing's financial backing arrangements. - **Missing chips** — Reports of chips unaccounted for have added a layer of potential irregularity beyond gameplay conduct. - **Collusion allegations** — Perhaps the most serious charge, the possibility of coordinated play between players is being examined. ### Why This Matters HCL has built its brand on *accountability and transparency* — hallmarks the stream has pointed to since the high-profile Robbi Jade Lew controversy in 2022. Taking swift action to bench a player mid-investigation signals that the production is prioritizing the integrity of its games over continuity, which is a notable precedent for streamed poker. For the broader poker community, this case is a reminder of how complex *staking ecosystems* can become, particularly in high-visibility, high-stakes environments where multiple financial relationships and loyalties may overlap. Independent investigations — whether internal to HCL or crowd-sourced through community hand-history analysis — will likely shape how this story develops. As of now, no formal findings have been published, and Jing's benching should be understood as a precautionary measure rather than a determination of guilt. *FeltIQ will continue to follow this story as more details emerge.* [Read on PokerOrg](https://poker.org/latest-news/britney-benched-by-hustler-casino-live-as-collusion-allegations-escalate-aVJk06Z4mzwU)

## GGPoker Draws a Hard Line on Third-Party Tools In the wake of a high-profile superuser scandal, **GGPoker** has announced sweeping new security measures — most notably, a blanket ban on all heads-up displays (HUDs) and third-party tracking software on its platform. ### What's Changing HUDs like PokerTracker and Hand2Note have long been a fixture of the online grind, giving players real-time access to opponent statistics overlaid directly on the table. GGPoker's new policy eliminates that entirely. The platform is now enforcing a **zero-tolerance approach** to external tools, regardless of whether they were previously considered within the rules. ### The Context: A Scandal That Forced Action The move comes in direct response to a superuser incident — a serious integrity breach in which a bad actor reportedly gained unauthorized access to hole-card information. While banning HUDs does not directly address superuser exploits, GGPoker appears to be using the moment to reset expectations around *all* forms of external assistance, signalling that software-based edges — legitimate or not — will no longer be tolerated on the platform. ### The Catch for Honest Players Here's where it gets complicated: **many of the players most affected by this ban are entirely honest ones**. Recreational players rarely use HUDs; it's the dedicated regulars and study-focused grinders who rely on these tools to review sessions, spot leaks, and improve their game away from the tables. Stripping that infrastructure away has a real cost for a significant portion of GGPoker's player base. ### A Broader Trend? GGPoker is one of the world's largest online poker networks, and its decisions tend to carry industry weight. Whether other major platforms follow suit — or whether this becomes a competitive differentiator — remains to be seen. The poker community is already debating whether the cure is worse than the disease. --- *This is a developing story. For the full breakdown of GGPoker's new security policies and community reaction, check the source below.* [Read on PokerOrg](https://poker.org/latest-news/ggpoker-drops-the-hammer-on-all-huds-after-superuser-scandal-aiaxn4s3wF4n)