The countdown to the 2026 WSOP starts here. 100 bracelets. The world's best players. And PokerOrg will be on the floor from start to finish.
Chris Moneymaker ignited the original poker boom when he won the 2003 WSOP Main Event after qualifying through an online satellite. In recent years, he has continued to make deep runs, including victory in a $25K Triton High Roller in 2025. Moneymaker is also an ambassador for ACR Poker.
What's your plan for this year's WSOP?
I'm only coming for the Main Event, but I'll try to get good sleep and prep ahead. About a week before, I start going to bed later to adjust to Vegas time – that's the hardest change for me.
Why aren't you playing more live events?
Mostly because I don’t really want to travel much these days, especially with the new tax law. That’s why I’ve decided to mainly play online at ACR this year.
I've been having some pretty good results and am happy with how things are going.
Since last year's WSOP Main Event, what's the most exciting thing that's happened to you in or out of poker?
The last Main Event was really bad because I only lasted two hours, so I'm looking forward to doing a little bit better this year.
To shift gears, I started playing pickleball, which is a lot of fun. I’ve also been refocusing on my health and have lost 45 pounds. I've been going to the gym every day and playing pickleball.
Easy life.
I'm almost living a retired life at this point. I play online two days a week, and the rest of the time, honestly, I'm just hanging out with my wife and working out. I can't complain.
Chris Moneymaker and the Red Bull diet
When you won the 2003 Main Event, what was your daily routine as you got closer to the final table?
Every night I would stay up until 4am waiting for the table draw the next day. I would go over the players with Dan Goldman, my contact at PokerStars, because I didn't know anyone.
How did you prepare yourself for the long day?
I’d wake up around 11am and go grab a big breakfast. We would start playing at noon, and pretty much the entire day, I would switch between Red Bulls and water.
And you're still alive?
I would drink a water, drink a Red Bull, drink a water, drink a Red Bull. I wouldn't eat for the rest of the day. That was the routine.
My heart was definitely beating fast on the first day, walking in and seeing my table. It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I was never going to come out here and do this again, so I was going to try and enjoy as much of it as I could.
The ESPN effect in 2026
What was your mindset when you sat down each day?
My mission statement every time I sat down was simple: let’s make it two more hours. We would take a break. Let's go for two more hours. During those two hours, I would try to be focused, attentive, and present. I was 27 years old – I could do that.
Do you still think that way during tournaments?
Let’s just say it was a lot easier to be alert and present back then. It's funny. Because now if I try to lock in for three hours, my life hurts [laughs].
Phil Hellmuth made a point last year about how getting older can deter you from the WSOP. People don't think that sitting in a chair should be so hard.
This year has to be special for you, as ESPN is back televising the event. Do you think it will have a big effect on the game?
I don't think it'll have as drastic an impact as it did in 2003, but now that we're coming out from behind a paywall, everyone can watch and experience it, which will have a significant effect.
I've heard there are some potential Netflix productions in the works with poker. We could get a spike in viewership like the show The Queen's Gambit gave chess. But I do know that overall, it will definitely have a positive impact on the game.
Chris Moneymaker: The quickfire round
Follow Chris Moneymaker on X.
The 2026 WSOP starts on May 26 and runs through August 5, when the Main Event champion will be crowned.
