Final Table Interview: Kevin Eyster
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Kevin Eyster and Pierre Neuville came back to finish a heads-up battle that was paused last night at the request of Neuville. Both players have already achieved their best World Series of Poker finish and are now playing for the title and the bracelet. We caught up with Eyster prior to the match resuming to get his thoughts on playing for the bracelet, the overnight break, and the key hand that got him to today.
PokerNews: While you do have a WSOP Circuit ring in a six-max event, this is your best WSOP finish and cash. How does it feel to be so close to a bracelet?
Kevin Eyster: I feel great. I’m a little exhausted and drained but I am really excited. I’m just ready to play.
Do you think the break overnight helped or hurt you?
I am just coming back to more of the same. I think it helped him (Pierre Neuville) out a little bit. He sort of seemed like he was slipping away. They gave us the option to play another level. I wanted to play but he declined so we went home.
I respected that. It was a good move on his part. He got some rest, I hope. I didn’t get much sleep so hopefully it helped him out — from his perspective. Of course, I don’t want him to win.
You are about 2:1 in chips, what’s your game plan?
Same old methodical stuff as yesterday. I need to play patient, small-pot poker and get some big hands and get it in.
Your thoughts on the final table?
It was a relatively stacked final table, Chewy (Andrew “Luckychewy” Lichtenberger) and Bryn (Kenney) are two of the best in the world. I would rank them in the top 20 in the world and having them at my table was a little nerve-racking. They are good friends of mine and I have roomed with both of them on previous trips, so we are all pretty close. I think they are more talented but I outlasted them and that’s all that matters.
Are there any memorable or keys that got you here?
There is this one hand. I would just like to say thank to The Grinder (Michael “The Grinder” Mizrachi). He bet 26,000 into a 15,000 pot. I only had 31,000 left at that point. Because he over bet the pot, I just made the call and lost the hand, leaving me only 5,000 left. Had he bet 8,000-9,000, something normal and not over bet the pot, I would have went all in, he would have called and I would have been out. I had $5,000 left and the big blind was 500. I was able to run it all the way up. So thank you, Grinder.
Any final thoughts?
No. I am just ready to play. It will be another big six-max for me. I have a circuit ring, a FTOPS six-max and some other win. If I win today, there is talk of crowing me “Six-Max Kev.” We’ll have to see what happens.