2026 WSOP: Dealer Error Leads to Ricky Landais Elimination, Potential Loss of Tens of Thousands of Dollars
2026 WSOP $10K GGMillion$ High Roller event: Player Ricky Landais eliminated due to a dealer misdeal, potentially costing tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars. The poker community once again debates dealing standards and player rights.
At the 2026 WSOP $10K GGMillion$ high-roller event, a controversial incident occurred where a player was eliminated due to a dealer error (misdeal). According to live reports, French player Ricky Landais encountered a dealing mistake in a critical hand and was ultimately eliminated, a mistake that may have cost him tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars in prize money.
Incident Details
According to witnesses, the hand had reached the flop when the dealer made an error—the flop should consist of three cards, but the dealer may have misordered the cards or caused the hand to become unplayable. Ultimately, the tournament director ruled the hand a misdeal, but Landais had already put chips into the pot, and due to the mistake occurring at a key moment, he was forced out of the tournament.
Player Reaction
Landais expressed extreme disappointment after the event, stating that the mistake could have been avoided. Although tournament officials tried to mediate, according to WSOP rules, dealer errors generally do not change the final outcome, and the player must accept it. Similar incidents have occurred before in poker history, but each time they spark discussion about dealing standards and player rights protection at the tables.
Misdeal in Poker
In Texas Hold'em, a misdeal typically refers to the dealer failing to deal cards in the correct order or quantity, such as dealing the flop, turn, or river incorrectly, or exposing cards during the deal. According to standard poker rules, if the error occurs before any action has begun, the hand can be declared void; but if action has already taken place, the handling varies by tournament. In major events like the WSOP, the tournament director has the final say.
FAQ
- Misdeal refers to an error made by the dealer during the dealing process, such as dealing the wrong number of cards, dealing cards in the wrong order, or accidentally exposing a card's face. According to the rules, if the error is discovered before any player has acted, the hand can be declared void; otherwise, the decision is made by the floor supervisor based on the situation.