Which Top Poker Legend Returned to the WSOP After a 9-Year Absence?

In the 841st episode of the PokerNews Podcast, Chad Holloway and Kyna England are joined by bracelet winner and philanthropist Gershon Distenfeld at Level 9 in Las Vegas to talk about latest from the 0024 World Series of Poker (WSOP) including which old-school poker legend, who hadn't played a serious hand of poker in nine long years, made a surprise appearance in the $10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha (PLO) event. You'll have to either listen or watch to learn who it was!

The crew then discusses what actors they'd like to see portray Doyle Brunson in a potential movie, what it was like playing in the WSOP $600 PokerNews Deepstack Championship, and take a look ahead to the upcoming Charity Series of Poker (CSOP) event on July 3 with actress Shannon Elizabeth.

Distenfeld then talks about what it was like to win a WSOP gold bracelet and donate the $204K prize to charity, his professional life in the financial world, and what motivates him in life and poker. You'll also hear about Dario Sammartino, who finished runner-up in the 2019 WSOP Main Event, finally getting his first bracelet.

Plus, get your $25K Fantasy update and learn about winners from other Vegas properties including Golden Nugget, Wynn, and Venetian. They include Lindsey Kludt, Brock Wilson, Florian Duta, and Ori Hasson, among others.

A new PokerNews Podcast will drop twice weekly during the 2024 WSOP every Tuesday and Friday at 8a PT / 11a ET / 4p UK time. Make sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you do not miss an episode!

Time Stamps
*Time | Topic*
00:16 | Gershon Distenfeld & Kyna England join the show
00:57 | Poker pro returns to WSOP after nine-year absence
03:43 | Interview w/ Justin “Boosted J” Smith
07:40 | Producing a Doyle Brunson movie
09:30 | Who would you like to see play Doyle Brunson in a movie?
11:13 | The 2024 WSOP $600 PokerNews Deepstacks Championship a big hit
13:57 | Michael Beattie wins his way into PD Deepstacks Championship
14:09 | Interview w/ Michael Beattie
15:30 | Gershon Distenfeld wins bracelet and donates all winnings to charity
17:05 | Charity Series of Poker (CSOP) Event July 3 with Shannon Elizabeth
17:40 | The philanthropic side of Gershon Distenfeld
21:30 | Wearing his WSOP gold bracelet
23:10 | Working in the world of finance
23:39 | Gershon on Bloomberg TV
25:55 | $5K Seniors High Roller draws big field
27:27 | Advocating for winners to give 1% to charity
28:20 | Mostafa Haidary wins Event #52: $5,000 6-Handed NLH for $656,747
28:45 | Dario Sammartino wins First Bracelet in Event #61
29:37 | Lindsey Kludt ships Golden Nugget event for $153K
31:50 | Brock Wilson wins WPT Alpha 8
32:10 | Florian Duta wins Venetian $1,600 NLH UltimateStack for $138,440
32:24 | Estonia’s Henri Kasper wins Venetian $1,100 Seniors for $85,517
32:38 | Michael Brinkenhoff wins Venetian $1,600 NLH Seniors for $161,941
34:27 | Ori Hasson wins Wynn Summer Classic $2,200 Mystery Bounty for more than $800K
34:43 | Video of Ori Hasson bounty draws
35:38 | Kyle Knecht wins Wynn Summer Classic $3,000 PLO PKO 
36:05 | $25K Fantasy Update
38:08 | PokerNews Cup on Global Poker
39:00 | How to get more women into poker
42:50 | Will the WSOP Main Event set a new record?