Event #34: $500 COLOSSUS is set to conclude today, with the remaining players having fought through literally thousands of competitors for a shot at the coveted gold bracelet.

This year's COLOSSUS registered an astounding 16,269 entries, and with such massive participation, the total prizepool has climbed to an impressive $6,751,635. A life-changing reward of $550,000 awaits the winner.

Nine players remain in contention for the title, and for many, like Yuefan Wang, Karabet Keshishyan, and Justin Smith, the current guaranteed prize marks the pinnacle of their poker careers.

However, they face seasoned veterans on their journey to this dream wealth. The biggest threat is undoubtedly Eric Baldwin, a holder of two WSOP bracelets with nearly $10 million in tournament earnings. Also in the mix is Jose Orozco Gomez, who knows the feel of a COLOSSUS final, having finished 6th in this event back in 2023.

Final Table Lineup – Event #34: $500 COLOSSUS

Final Table Payouts:

Sources: WSOP Live, YouTube

The grand finale of this year's most expensive WSOP tournament delivered a spectacle every poker enthusiast dreams of. With over $4 million for the winner and a final table filled with world-class names, check out the best poker moments brought to you by Adrian Mateos, Bryn Kenney, Sean Winter, Jason Koon, and Phil Ivey! 

Martin's run in the $100k High Roller didn't last long, but after being knocked out, he wasted no time and jumped straight into the biggest cash game of the summer – the Million Dollar Cash Game. Massive pots, relentless action, and a substantial loss cost Martin millions more. Will he regain his momentum in the $250k High Roller?

Day 20 for Daniel Negreanu is anything but a relaxing vlog. With a $250,000 buy-in at stake and a field packed with elite players, Alex Foxen is seemingly everywhere, pushing Daniel to play fearlessly in an environment where a single spot can define his entire WSOP year.

The episode opens with a calm and personal touch. Daniel is at home, playing with his dogs, sipping water, sitting on the couch, and candidly expressing how much he's missed being home. Although the tournament kicks off at noon, he doesn’t plan to be on time. He briefly reflects on the previous day in the $10K Limit Hold'em, mentioning that he, Josh Arieh, and Dong Chen went deep, with Daniel finishing thirteenth and Josh eighth. His fantasy team needs support, and all eyes are on Dong Chen, who still has a shot at a big score.

Before heading out, there's a highly relatable moment. Amanda has another exam, and Daniel writes her a motivational quote on a whiteboard: “Believe you can and you are halfway there.” — Theodore Roosevelt. Then comes a bit of golf, with Amanda joining in, even hitting one shot right into the guest. This scene captures the kind of domestic chaos that makes Negreanu’s vlogs more than just a series of poker hands.

Jumping into the Summer's Priciest Event

On the way to the casino, Daniel clearly explains his mindset. He’s entering a $250,000 buy-in no-limit hold'em with a small and strong field full of players ready to exploit any weakness. However, registration in this event is different from many others. You can join on Day 2 with roughly 30 big blinds, so it's not just about push-fold scenarios typical of late registration. Daniel enters at level three with about 188 big blinds, more than enough for normal play.

Upon arriving at the casino, Daniel immediately encounters Alex Foxen, joking that he can't seem to escape him. Whether it's a $600 event or a $250K, Foxen is always there. Daniel suggests new events where he might avoid Foxen, like a 36+ tournament or one for players under 200 pounds. Foxen quips back that he plays whatever Daniel plays.

Daniel respects him as an extremely strong and aggressive player who defends a lot and battles for pots without fear of pushing range boundaries. Thus, Daniel prepares an unconventional strategy against him, knowing that playing predictably will get him dismantled by high roller wizards. He's ready to incorporate limping, larger sizing, mixed lines, and a willingness to put opponents in spots outside default solver branches.

Selection of Interesting Hands

The first analyzed spot against Foxen comes with pocket fives. Alex opens to 22,000, Daniel defends the big blind, and the flop is A-7-2 with two spades. Daniel holds a spade in his fives, check-calls a small c-bet, and the turn brings another ace. Foxen bets significantly larger at 90,000. Daniel explains he can't automatically fold everything that's not an ace against a player like Foxen. Alex knows the second ace benefits his range and might push a second or third barrel with bluffs.

Daniel calls, and the river delivers a five, giving him a full house. But the situation is not automatic. He considers what he’d do if Foxen bet big, small, or went all-in. A large overbet would force a polarized decision, while a small bet might require a check-raise. The toughest part is imagining checking-raise for value but being prepared to fold to a re-raise. That’s high roller poker that Daniel effectively explains in the vlog: the most interesting aspect isn't always what happened, but what could have happened if the opponent chose a different branch.

The biggest strategic segment of the day comes with pocket eights against Foxen. Daniel decides to limp the cut-off for 12,000, Stephen Chidwick calls the small blind, and Foxen raises the big blind to about 72,000. Daniel opts for a limp-3bet to 205,000. For stream commentators, this moment is instantly engaging: classic playbook poker doesn't suffice against high rollers; Daniel deliberately opens a new line to disrupt expectations.

The flop is Q-4-2 rainbow. Daniel bets 150,000, and Foxen check-raises to 400,000. Ordinarily, eights might seem like an easy fold, but Daniel explains that Alex has a high frequency of check-raise bluffs on such a board. Valuable combinations aren’t endless, whereas bluffs like king-jack suited, ace-jack suited, ace-wheel, ten-jack suited, and other hands around the queen high board make sense. So Daniel continues. The turn is a ten of spades, and Foxen checks. Daniel chooses a small bet of 225,000, one he'd use also with aces, kings, or sets. However, the river brings a king of spades, altering the story entirely. Daniel knows that if he'd gotten a check, he might have needed to bluff a queen. Yet Foxen ultimately wins the hand, and Daniel admits that whatever his opponent had, the spot was extremely complex.

Foxen Falls and Dong Chen Keeps Fantasy Hopes Alive

During a break, Daniel checks in on the $10K Limit Hold'em, where Dong Chen is still playing. Learning that Dong is the chip leader, he immediately vibes with team energy. Fantasy scoring remains a constant presence behind the entire episode. Meanwhile, in the $250K, another significant hand plays out against Foxen, whom Daniel eventually eliminates from the game.

The tournament action capstones with a hand against Sam Müller. Daniel holds king-ten of spades and 3-bets in position. On a 9-8-7 board, he decides to check back the open-ender, triggering action on the turn as Müller bets and Daniel calls. The river pairs the board, with Müller making a very small bet of 65,000 into a big pot. Daniel engages in some speech play, asserting that Müller doesn't have a six, and ultimately raises to 315,000.

But Müller calls with ace-three, and Daniel reveals only king high. It's one of those spots where Daniel tries to dismantle the opponent's logic with words, sizing, and represented range. Yet Müller remains steadfast. Commentators label it a “brain breaker” because Daniel poured everything into the spot—line, speech, and pressure—but his opponent pieced the story together correctly. After the day, Daniel remarks that he won't bluff him again.

At day's end, Daniel bags 2.97 million in chips, feeling satisfied, especially since the day turned around after a tough start and the wild hand with the eights. He notes that he’ll need to be cautious with bluffing Müller, as raising as a bluff demands having value hands like overpairs or maybe ace-nine. Although Müller called correctly, the tournament continues. No breaking of the selfie stick, no tilt, just a nod: good call, on to the next.