Closing In Again: Is This the One for Watson?
Mike Watson has one of the most loaded r��sum��s in tournament poker.
More than $8 million in total tournament tournament cashes. A World Poker Tour win in the $15,400 Bellagio Cup IV Main Event in 2008. A total of 32 cashes at the World Series of Poker worth a little over $1 million. A hair under $3 million in live tournaments under the moniker ��SirWatts,�� including multiple major series wins and two weekly $1K wins.
You might notice something missing from that though: a WSOP bracelet. Watson has been close multiple times but has yet to break through.
��It would definitely be an accomplishment, get the monkey off the back so to speak,�� Watson said. ��I don't think I care about winning a bracelet as much as a lot of people do, but it's been frustrating at times, a lot of runner-up finishes.��
Watson has finished second in bracelet events three times.
In 2011, he played in a $3,200 Shootout at WSOP Europe and nearly beat out a tough final table that included the likes of Max Silver, Bertrand ��ElkY�� Grospellier, Steve O'Dwyer, Emil Patel, Taylor Paur, and James Dempsey. He fell to Tristan Wade heads up, however, earning $150,319.
Last summer, he ran deep in Event #58: $1,500 Mixed Max No-Limit Hold'em. That final table had Jeff Gross, Brandon Cantu, and Mark Herm. After Jared Jaffee bested him heads up, Watson had to settle for $246,068. Later in the year, at WSOP Asia Pacific, Watson finished second to Sam Higgs in a $5,000 Pot-Limit Omaha event for $68,914.
Watson is already back to his final tabling ways at this year's WSOP, having come in sixth in Event #12: $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em Six-Handed for $56,835.
Asked if so many deep runs without a bracelet begins to weigh on the mind, Watson said he doesn't worry too much about it.
��What are you going to do?�� he said. ��You just keep going out and playing the best you can and hope it works out.��
Watson has again found himself within sniffing distance of that elusive bracelet, as he took a stack of 750,000 into the dinner break of Event #24: $1,500 H.O.R.S.E. with limits coming back at 30,000/60,000 and 11 players remaining.
Another final table appearance would mark his first big mixed-game final table. Though he said his mixed-game skills aren't quite as sharp as his no-limit hold'em abilities, he remains confident and says he enjoys the format.
��I have a good stack and I like my chances,�� he said. ��I couldn't think of anyone off the top of my head who has more of a right to the top player without a bracelet spot than me.��
That's a title he hopes to be relinquishing soon if all goes well as this tournament winds down.
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