[ad_1]
Shaun Deeb joined an unique membership this month when he received his sixth profession World Sequence of Poker match.
However the embellished poker professional from Wynantskill, New York, has his sights set on a minimum of two larger prizes.
The primary is WSOP participant of the yr, which will probably be decided when the collection ends subsequent month. After that, Deeb’s consideration will flip to his weight-loss prop guess with billionaire businessman and high-stakes poker participant Invoice Perkins.
“I’m hurting my fairness of successful that guess by going so exhausting for participant of the yr,” Deeb stated. “However I do know there’s solely so a few years you’ve got a extremely good shot of successful participant of the yr. That’s what I discover most vital about my high quality of life is that outcome.”
Deeb discovered playing cards from his grandmother and started working poker tournaments at his home when he was 16. He grew to become a legendary on-line participant, and his eight profession titles at PokerStars’ World Championship of On-line Poker collection ranks second all time.
It’s on the WSOP the place Deeb made his mark in stay tournaments, and he has almost $9.2 million in profession WSOP earnings by way of Saturday.
He captured his first bracelet, that are awarded to match winners, in 2015 within the $10,000 buy-in Pot-limit Maintain’em occasion and is certainly one of 20 gamers with six profession bracelets. As an example his versatility, solely certainly one of Deeb’s bracelets got here within the in style No-limit Maintain’em variant.
His most up-to-date victory was within the $1,500 buy-in Eight-Sport Combine Six-Handed on June 13 for $198,854. Shut buddy Josh Arieh earned his fifth profession WSOP bracelet days prior, and Deeb threatened to retire if Arieh reached No. 6 earlier than he did.
“I at all times make enjoyable of him for being such a fish,” Deeb stated. “It was very ridiculous and entertaining that two days later I win the eight sport and Josh is on my rail, drunk, and having a blast and pumping me up.”
Deeb has cashed in 11 tournaments for the reason that begin of the collection and was third within the participant of the yr standings by way of Saturday behind chief Ian Matakis and Michael Rodriguez Pires Santos.
Deeb received participant of the yr in 2018 when he claimed two bracelets and greater than $2.5 million in winnings and is pushing for the WSOP so as to add a financial prize to the award.
Daniel Negreanu is the one two-time participant of the yr winner.
“That’s why it means a lot to me,” Deeb stated of his former adversary, “as a result of that can elevate me to a degree that who I feel is one of the best, if not prime three, poker gamers and poker ambassadors, no matter you wish to name Daniel.”
Deeb’s dedication to carry out effectively on the WSOP has briefly shifted his focus away from the high-stakes guess with Perkins.
In March, a video of Deeb consuming rooster fingers throughout his victory in the principle occasion of the WSOP Circuit at Turning Stone Resort On line casino in Verona, New York, went viral on social media.
Perkins, who has made a number of weight-loss prop bets with poker gamers, gave Deeb 10-1 odds he couldn’t attain 17 p.c physique fats by the beginning of subsequent yr’s WSOP. Ought to Deeb win the guess, he would make $1 million.
After beginning at 306 kilos, Deeb famous he’s down greater than 40 kilos.
“Clearly I’ve not been going to the health club (this summer season) as a result of I discover participant of the yr extra vital,” he stated.
Deeb, 37, has a powerful case for induction into the Poker Corridor of Fame as soon as he’s eligible in three years. Additionally, he maintains a vocal social media presence and sometimes serves as a mediator within the poker group.
That willingness to function a watchdog for fellow poker execs helps make Deeb one of many subsequent technology of ambassadors alongside Negreanu and others.
“I’m very opinionated. I’m very loud,” Deeb stated. “However over virtually twenty years of poker, individuals acknowledge they may not just like the tone of a few of my feedback, however often the which means and message is appropriate.
“There’s so many nice issues about poker that I like. We have to present individuals how entertaining it’s.”
Contact David Schoen at dschoen@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5203. Comply with @DavidSchoenLVRJ on Twitter.
[ad_2]
Source link
