Philip Long Bidding for Back-to-Back Bracelet Wins in WSOP $1,500 Eight Game Mix
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Philip Long saves up his run good each year for the WSOP $1,500 Eight Game Mix event - or so it would seem. The mixed-game specialist from England is back in his comfort zone, running deep in the same event he won last year when he outlasted a field of 481 to claim his first gold bracelet and $147,348.
PokerNews caught up with Long during a break on Day 3, with the field inching closer to a final table. We asked how he's been able to put together a deep run in the same event he won the last time he played it.
"It's a good tournament because I like playing all the different games, it's nice to play a mix. I think it kind of suits me because I don't think I'm top-tier in any of the games but I kind of know all of them." He continued: "So I think it's a combination of that and then getting lucky at the right time which has enabled me to do okay."
A Little Luck When You Need It
Long was on the ropes for some time on Day 2 with the money bubble approaching, but managed to make the right plays and find a bit of luck to bring him back to life.
In a 2-7 Triple Draw hand near the bubble, Long was all in before the third draw with Alex Foxen posed to deal the knock-out punch. Foxen stood pat and Long moved a card to the side, considering drawing, but instead stood pat.
"He was pat and I had to decide whether to pat behind or draw," Long said of the critical hand. "But I felt like my hand was good often enough and it was too bad to break it, so I patted and it was good. But he could have easily had it and I would have been out."
"I think it kind of suits me because I don't think I'm top-tier in any of the games but I kind of know all of them."
Long had stood pat with ten-eight-seven-four-two, which turned out to be just barely good against Foxen's ten-eight-seven-four-three, with the fifth card deciding the winner.
In the very next hand, Long played another 2-7 hand, this time finding what he needed when he drew one on the final draw to take the pot with seven-six. It seems Long may be especially lucky in his favorite game in the mix, 2-7 Triple Draw.
"Every time I've need some help, I've always got it."
Going for the Back-to-Back
While he mostly plays PLO back home, he's dabbled in this mix of eight games over the years on the internet and live, and has gotten quite comfortable with all the games.
"I play a mix of these games - like I know these games and nothing else."
Now that he's won a bracelet in the Eight Game Mix, his opponents likely have him on their radar, but Long doesn't think they know much about his play.
"There's no extra pressure, I just want to win."
"I think they're kind of aware that I won it last year, but I don't think they know anything particular about me other than that."
Most also won't remember that Long ran deep in the WSOP Main Event in 2013, where he finished in 29th place for a career-best $229,281. We asked if there's any pressure to close this one out, now that he's so close to pulling off the amazing feat of back-to-back wins in a particular WSOP event.
"There's no extra pressure, I just want to win."
He's put himself in prime position to defend his Eight Game Mix title. After entering the final day fourth of 28 returning players, Long is now vying for the chip lead with 13 players remaining.
Follow the PokerNews live updates to see if Philip Long can go back to back in the Eight Game Mix at the World Series of Poker with a bracelet and a top prize of $177,294 on the line.
