Just how hard is it to repeat as champion in a big-field poker tournament?
Well, given how rarely it happens in the poker world, even among the best players in the world, it’s pretty hard.
Pretty, pretty hard.
Last year’s Main Event champion, Israeli farmer Nadav Lipszyc, said he “channelled” Daniel Negreanu to bring the title home in his first major live tournament ever.
He’s back here on Day 1C and we spent an orbit with him just to see if he could dial Daniel back up again.
The scoop? It’s not always a fairy tale to be back on the grind.
Hand #1: Nadav re-raises from the small blind for 12k and makes the initial raiser fold.
Hand #2: Nadav raises on the button and calls the all-in of 26k from the small blind. The Israeli got in good with A♠ K♥ but is less than happy when his opponent hits his pair of queens with Q♦ 2♦ on a board Q-J-9-5-8.
Quite angry to have lost the hand with his hands even shaking a little bit, Nadav finally drops an (ironic?) “nice shove.”
Hand #3: Fold
Hand #4: Fold
Hand #5: Fold
Hand #6: Nadav raises 4,700. The small blind tanks and finally folds 4-3 offsuit face up.
Hand #7: Nadav limps in UTG+1. Both him and the big blind check until the turn (Q-Q-9-4-2). Nadav bets on the river. His opponent calls immediately with 9-J, which is enough to beat the champ who mucks
Hand #8: UTG, Nadav min-raises to 4,000. Both small blind and big blind call. A c-bet of 4,500 is enough to take the pot this time.
Hand #9: Too much action for Nadav in the big blind when a first player raises and the button goes all-in. Fold.
Hand #10: Nadav folds his small blind after a raise from middle position.
Lipszyc still has time to grow his stack of 98k or so, which is still a bit above average (72k). Here’s rooting for him.
