An enormous fan favourite of the World Collection of Poker (WSOP) is making one other deep run in his most treasured occasion of the yr. That is proper, you guessed it—Purple Coronary heart recipient John Smith has been kicking ass and taking names as soon as once more within the $25,000 Heads-Up Championship.
Smith is presently within the quarterfinals, battling for a spot within the occasion’s remaining day, which takes place tomorrow. He wants to beat another hurdle to safe his place on the desk, an atmosphere he is aware of all too properly.
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Smith has been a daily fixture within the Heads-Up streets of the WSOP for almost twenty years, reaching the grand finale in 2016 and 2017, every time incomes a $200,000 payout.
This yr, he is already secured $86,000 however is aiming for his first bracelet and the $500,000 prize that comes with it. Smith instructed PokerNews that his love of heads-up poker stems from “I preserve profitable, and I play the perfect gamers and appear to do properly at it.”
The veteran added that he is nonetheless in a position to sustain along with his youthful counterparts attributable to repeatedly taking part in in residence video games regardless of solely taking part in a handful of tournaments annually.
Observe John Smith’s Chase for a Bracelet at PokerNews
Smith’s Highway to the Quarterfinal
In Smith’s first-round match-up, he confronted 2019 WSOP Most important Occasion runner-up Dario Sammartino and dispatched the Italian with ease. A key hand occurred in Degree 1, the place Smith turned a seven-high straight and was paid off after Sammartino rivered journeys. It was one-way site visitors from there, and Smith superior to the second spherical, the place he confronted Younger Ko.
Ko, who defeated Espen Jorstad in Spherical 1, was no slouch and had Smith on the ropes a number of instances. Withstanding an onslaught of stress, the 77-year-old rallied again and secured his spot in Day 2 after profitable a essential flip.
Smith then confronted his hardest problem but, Weston Mizumoto. Their match was the longest of Spherical 3, with Smith pulling off one other gorgeous comeback after being right down to crumbs. His instincts kicked in, and he took consecutive small pots amidst a vital double-up. After turning a flush and extracting worth, Smith gained greater than a 2:1 chip lead, which he by no means relinquished.
All through the battle, Smith was very complimentary of Mizumoto, calling him a “excellent participant.”
Within the quarterfinals, that are presently in progress, Smith is up towards the UK’s Darius Samual. Ought to Smith safe his fourth heads-up victory of the match, he’ll face the winner of Patrick Kennedy vs. Artur Martirosian within the semifinal tomorrow.
Editor & Reside Reporter
Calum has been part of the PokerNews crew since September 2021 after working within the UK vitality sector. He performed his first hand of poker in 2017 and instantly fell in love with the sport. Calum’s proudest poker achievement is profitable the one match he has ever performed in Las Vegas, the distinguished $60 Flamingo night occasion.
