2010 World Series of Poker November Nine: Jason Senti
With November just around the corner, and the 2010 World Series of Poker Main Event Final Table upon us, we're going to be profiling each November Niner throughout the next three weeks, to give you the scoop on how they got where they are and what to look for come November 6.
Jason “PBJaxx” Senti, a 28-year-old professional poker player from Minnesota, commands the shortest stack among the 2010 World Series of Poker November Nine with 7.625 million chips.
“Super short, but I’m in,” he tweeted moments after the final nine was set.
There is no cause for alarm with 15 big blinds, however, seeing that just last year 2009 November Niner Antoine Saout turned 18 big blinds into a third-place finish good for $3,479,670. Senti is no stranger to success himself, having finished fifth in Event 34 High of the 2010 PokerStars Spring Championship of Online Poker for $47,125 and 32nd in the 2009 WSOP Heads Up Championship for $17,987.
How He Got There
Senti entered Day 7 among the short-stacks with just 970,000 chips. He proceeded to balloon that number to 13.55 million thanks in part to a very fortuitous double-up through Matthew Bucaric. Bucaric opened to 200,000 from under the gun and received three callers including Senti from the cutoff. The flop fell A♣J♦5♦, and after a series of bets, Senti and Bucaric got all the biscuits in the middle. Senti’s A♠J♠ had outflopped Bucaric’s A♥K♣, and neither the 6♠ nor the 2♣ changed anything, doubling Senti to 6.1 million chips.
The double-up sparked Senti and within two hours he eliminated both Edward Ochana and Michael Skender to more than double his stack to 13.25 million.
Senti entered Day 8 fourth in chips but failed to get anything going. His stack slowly dwindled and then took a big hit when he doubled Brandon Steven who eventually bubbled the official final table. Although Senti saw his stack halve during the 18-hour marathon, he found a way to survive the day and cement his name in WSOP history.
What to Watch For
Seat 1 is also an interesting place for Senti to be because he has position on Soi Nguyen (owner of the second shortest stack) and Filippo Candio (the most aggressive player at the table). Nguyen, like Senti, needs to double, and Candio is sure to open early and often. If Candio habitually opens light, this gives Senti the opportunity to resteal and possibly chip up without showing down. However, if Nguyen starts open-shoving, then Senti will be forced to sit and wait for a hand. This is a very unique table dynamic that could either make or break Senti’s bracelet chances.
Senti has already proven capable of manipulating the short-stack during the later parts of the Main Event. This will be his toughest test yet, and he will need a little bit of luck, but don’t count him out as a contender for the bracelet.
Jason Senti is sponsored by PokerStars.net, who are currently giving Club PokerNews members regular exclusive $15,000 Sunday Million Freerolls and $2,000 PCA Freerolls.
The PokerNews Live Reporting Team will be tableside November 6 when the 2010 WSOP Final Table resumes. Until then follow us on Twitter and Facebook for up-to-the-minute news on the WSOP and everything else poker.
