With the conclusion of the 2026 World Series of Poker Main Event inching ever closer, we're taking a look back on some of the key hands that dictated the runs of the nine players who reached the final table.
Is there any better feeling than picking up pocket aces in a poker tournament? What about picking up pocket aces on Day 8 of the World Series of Poker Main Event?
Surprisingly, the answer to both questions is yes. Greg 'FBT' Mueller knows what we're talking about.
With 17 players remaining on Day 8 of the 2026 WSOP Main Event and a seven-figure payout well in sight, Mueller played a pot against France's Romain Lewis that most players can only dream of.
It was the ultimate cooler: pocket aces versus pocket kings.
Mueller found himself on the right side of the equation this time – and it came at a critical time in the biggest tournament of the year.
While the timing was nothing short of perfect, he still had to win the 80/20. If you roll the tape below, you can sweat the runout like Mueller did.
Ultimate cooler
With the blinds at 400K/800K (800K) and a little more than ten big blinds in front of him, Lewis kicked off the action by raising to 1.6M from middle position with two black cowboys – 
.
Mueller peeled 
in the cutoff and fired out a three-bet to 6M.
When the action folded back around to him, Lewis sent his 10.6M into the middle only to see a snap-call from his opponent – never a good sign when you're down to the final two tables in the WSOP Main Event.
Mueller wasn't the player at risk, but with more than 23M chips in the middle – keep in mind, a starting stack in the event is 60K – it was a serious sweat.
The 
runout kept things clean for the former hockey player from Canada and helped propel him to the final table.
When play resumes on August 3, Mueller will start the battle squarely in the middle of the chip counts – thanks, in no small part, to a well-timed cooler in his favor.
