When Part 1 of PokerOrg's trip down Main Event memory lane hit the wires earlier this week, we were 14 days away from the start of the World Series of Poker.
And now we're only 11 days away – it's coming, folks, buckle up. With this in mind, it seems only fitting to deliver you a second dose of the greatest hands in Main Event history.
Lock in, scroll down, and enjoy.
Hellmuth vs. Levy (2008)
It's only fitting to include a Phil Hellmuth rant in any list that showcases the greatness of the WSOP Main Event. While there's no shortage of options to choose from, this particular blowup from the 2008 Main Event stands out amongst the crowd.
It was a cooler of a turn card that provided the 17-time WSOP bracelet winner with a set while improving his opponent – Adam Levy – to the nut straight. On a river brick, Hellmuth led out with his no-good set and then called the ensuing raise from Levy.
"He called a raise with queen-ten, honey!" Hellmuth said to his wife, an onlooker from the rail. "I had a set, he's supposed to bust me anyway." And it didn't end there, Hellmuth stormed away from the table, expletives flying, before returning to see the next hand.
After leveling some of his frustration and anger towards an innocent dealer, Hellmuth delivered the coup de grace.
"Idiot players call raises with queen-ten, they don't even know how to spell poker," he said.
Rigby vs. Jensen (2021)
It was late on Day 6 of the 2021 Main Event when Nicholas Rigby picked up the hand he so famously coined "The Dirty Diaper".
In a blind versus blind clash with Ron Jensen, Rigby opted to three-bet in position with his 
in the face of a raise from his opponent. Jensen wasn't going anywhere just yet with his 
and fired out a four-bet. Rigby made the call, clearly with devious intentions, and the 
flop provided him with the perfect opportunity to blow Jensen off his hand – the rest, as they say, is history.
Moon vs. Ivey (2009)
After coming agonizingly close to the final table in 2003, Phil Ivey reached poker's pinnacle six years later. With only eight other players separating Ivey from the Main Event title, the buzz at the final table was electric.
When Ivey got all of his chips in the middle with 
against Darvin Moon's 
, the crowd went wild.
And then disaster struck – check it out at the 4:00 minute mark below.
Ungar vs. Strzemp (1997)
In 1997, Stu Ungar registered for the Main Event at the last minute – thanks to a stake from longtime friend Billy Baxter.
After a tough Day 1, Ungar returned to the tables on Day 2 and put on a masterclass. By the time he reached the final table, he had more than a third of the total chips in play.
In the Las Vegas desert air – the final table of the 1997 Main Event was held outdoors on Fremont Street for the first (and only) time – Ungar battled to the heads-up portion of play against John Strzemp. When the deciding hand arrived, Ungar got the chips in behind, but the river card bailed him out to deliver him a third Main Event title.
In a winner's interview with Gabe Kaplan, Ungar dedicated the win to his fourteen-year-old daughter Stephanie. Tragically, it would be his last tournament cash as a little over a year later he passed away.
Foxen vs. Serock (2024)
The 2024 Main Event saw Kristen Foxen make a deep run – and she had the entire poker community supporting her along the way. Unfortunately, her Main Event dreams came to a crashing halt in 13th.
In a hand against Joe Serock, Foxen took an aggressive line by moving all-in on the turn with second pair and a blocker to the nut straight. Serock had top two pair – a hand he could never fold – and on Day 8 of the Main Event, Foxen found herself drawing to just four outs (one of which was already in the muck). The river card offered no saving grace and Foxen took her leave, walking away to a round of applause from the crowd.
In the aftermath of the play, many in the community were quick to deride Foxen's turn shove – but she didn't let that affect her.
PokerOrg will be reporting live from the 2026 WSOP from the first event on May 26, right through to the end of the Main Event. Join us for an unforgettable summer of poker in Las Vegas!
Video clips courtesy of PokerGO.
