Last week, I shared the build-up to my favorite poker story: my 2022 World Series of Poker Main Event run. After three intense days of dodging bullets and surviving on a thread, I could feel the reality setting in that I might actually make it to the money. While a min-cash isn’t usually anything to celebrate, in my case—having won my seat through an 888poker competition for our Stream Team—it was a massive deal.
The Final Push to the Money
With around 100 players left and my stack on life support—about 9 big blinds—I was on the small blind. It folded to me, and I hoped to see some trash in my hole cards. Unfortunately, I looked down at AQ offsuit. What was I supposed to do with this? It’s the kind of hand that could go either way, but with such a tiny stack, I knew I had to move or risk being blinded out.
I tried to hide my discomfort, but eventually, I folded. The big blind turned over KQ suited, and I felt a mix of relief and frustration—I was likely ahead, but my primary goal was to survive. At this point, everyone knew I was desperately trying to hang on. No more pretending that this was just another day at the tables.
Taking a Chance on Pocket Jacks
The very next hand, I was on the button, and this time, I had pocket jacks. I couldn’t fold again. I shoved all-in without hesitation, hoping I wouldn’t regret it. The small blind folded, and the big blind went into the tank. After what felt like forever, he folded AT, and I was able to breathe again. This was one of those moments where poker becomes a mental battle—not just with the cards, but with your own nerves.
Playing the Game, the Tournament, and the Clock
As we neared the money bubble, I started to get more aggressive with my stall tactics. I knew that with so many short stacks around, the clock would be my biggest enemy. Every hand I played was an opportunity to stall, and I took full advantage of that. I started playing slowly, trying to drag out every decision, hoping I could stay in the game long enough to see the bubble burst.
My teammates, watching from the rail, noticed my accelerated pace and urged me to slow down, but I was determined to do whatever it took to secure my spot in the money. When they told me about a player at a nearby table with just 1 big blind, and how the table was stalling to get him into the money, that was all the motivation I needed. I wasn’t going to make it easy for anyone to call the clock on me.
The Final Moments Before the Bubble
As we got closer to hand-for-hand play, I had nothing left in my stack but hope. I made sure every decision looked excruciating. I’d look down at my cards, sigh audibly, and seemingly agonize over every fold. My teammates could see what was going on, and they were loving it.
Then came the ultimate fold: 62 offsuit. As soon as I threw it away, my teammates messaged me, asking if it was a big hand like queens or kings. I couldn’t help but laugh and tell them the truth: “62 offsuit.”
The Moment of Glory
After several minutes of stalling, we were hand-for-hand, and all I had to do was fold my way into the money. I made a point to pass every hand back without even peeking, adding to the drama. Then, the bubble finally burst, and I did it—I cashed in the Main Event for $15,000. It wasn’t much more, but I didn’t care. For me, it was an achievement I would never forget.
This year, I’m hoping to channel some of that resilience and maybe, just maybe, dream a little bigger. We’ll see how far I can go, but one thing’s for sure: I’m ready to make a run at it again.
