The countdown to the 2026 WSOP starts here. 100 bracelets. All the poker players. And PokerOrg will be on the floor from start to finish.
Terrrance āTJā Reid is the WSOP US Circuit Manager and a passionate poker player. He earned his biggest score to date last December, finishing fourth in the WSOP Paradise Super Main Event for $3 million.
What's been your top priority for WSOP prep this summer?
I've already got my schedule built for the WSOP, and my Airbnb is booked. I like to handle all the logistics as early as possible.
Beyond logistics, what other preparations are you making?
Iāve sold a little bit of action for the entire series. I am also bringing back the daily Torching with TJ vlogs.
As you know, I'm working with the WSOP, focusing on the Circuit. We've got Circuit events running all the way up until the WSOP starts. And the summer series is a great time to meet with a bunch of industry leaders, casinos, and poker room managers to set ourselves up for the second half of the year.
What specific study recommendation would you offer other players?
The best way to learn is to surround yourself with people who are slightly smarter than you, have conversations with them, and see how they think about the game.
Then find a study course or a coach that meets you where you are in your game. If you're a beginner, Jaka Coaching was where I started. It's very good for beginners and intermediate players.
Which events do you plan to play this summer?
I'm going to be playing a little bit of everything, including bigger buy-ins than I ever have in the past. I'll play more mixed games than ever, and I'm going to play the $25K Heads-Up event for the first time.
I would like to win the $25K heads-up event. It's such a star-studded field ā it would be a fun one to win.
'Heads-up is a very pure form of poker'
You played a heads-up series against Doug Polk recently ā what insights did you gain from playing him?
That I can hold my own with some of the best in the world. I think that I played really well against him ā Doug told me as much. A few big pots made the difference.
Heads-up is a very pure form of poker. There's nowhere to hide. You can't target a certain player at the table and you can't stay out of somebody's way. Your opponent is sitting directly across from you, trying to take your chips while you try to do the same.
Who would you choose to win the 2026 WSOP Main Event?
I'm going to go with Brock Wilson. He studies harder than anyone I know. He's coming in with a lot of momentum and playing very strong poker against the best in the world at the PokerGO studio. He's young, energetic, and can withstand the long days. And I believe that nobody wants it more.
What kind of impact do you think the WSOPās new deal with ESPN will have?
I really hope it gets in front of as many new eyeballs as possible, which is the goal, obviously. People often talk about getting more people into the game, but I think we should focus on viewership first. Before securing new players, let's get some new fans. That's how the game grows.
The combination of ESPN and the hiring of Jeff Platt gives us the best chance to succeed and bring in new fans. Jeff's going to focus on delivering the best viewership experience. ESPN obviously brings all of its resources and storytelling abilities to the Main. It's all very exciting.
TJ Reid: The quickfire round
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The 2026 WSOP starts on May 26 and runs through August 5 when the Main Event champion will be crowned.
