"They Always Have It": Could You Find This Fold in the WSOP Main Event?

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Jul 05, 2025 3 min read

We've all heard the setup before - you're playing in Day 1 of the World Series of Poker Main Event and look down at pocket kings and some one shoves. What do you do?

Well, that exact hand happened for Jesse Tinsley pre-flop on Day 1d of the 2025 WSOP Main Event, but with a slight twist.

The Hand

PokerNews spoke with Tinsley to get exactly how the hand played out.

"Under the gun opened to 700 with the blinds 200/300," Tinsley said. "Middle position called, and the cutoff raised to 3,000. I was in the small blind with pocket kings and made it 7,500."

Tinsley said that he knows many debate whether or not you can fold pocket kings preflop in the Main Event, citing Daniel Negreanu as a proponent of this school of thought.

"Negreanu's said he's never folding kings in the Main. I've DM'd him about it — but obviously he's a million times better than me!"

After Tinsley four-bet, the initial raiser five-bet all-in for around 75,000.

"He covers everybody and it's kind of a crazy bet," said Tinsley. "Middle position folded and the cutoff called. Once he calls, there's no way. I think I get away from it either way, but I feel like in general in the Main Event you're so deep, you can find better spots.

"I'd rather see a flop with jacks than just get it in pre-flop with pocket kings."

As a result, Tinsley opted to fold his KxKx only to see his opponents show A♥A♠ and A♦A♣. According to Tinsley, the middle position player who initially called had folded QxQx for a truly wild collection of hands.

Tinsley is playing in just his second WSOP Main Event, but has already picked up plenty of experience with spots like this and tough decisions.

"I played last year and there were a bunch of scenarios were I ran pocket queens into pocket aces," said Tinsley. "It was the last hand of the night, I had chipped up to 170,000 — all I have to say, it's Day 1, they always have it.

"They're never shoving 150-200 big blinds deep. This hand was actually an easier scenario!

Based in the United Kingdom, Will started working for PokerNews as a freelance live reporter in 2015 and joined the full-time staff in 2019. He now works as Managing Editor. He graduated from the University of Kent in 2017 with a B.A. in German. He also holds an NCTJ Diploma in Sports Journalism.

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