Swedish Domination: Jacobson's Rise to the Top
Martin Jacobson is one of poker’s most consistent and respected players. Originally from Stockholm, Sweden, Jacobson now makes London his home base as he travels the globe playing his trade. Since 2008, Jacobson has amassed $4,807,316 in tournament winnings, not including the money he’ll earn from his deep run in the 2014 World Series of Poker Main Event.
Jacobson, who currently sits second on Sweden’s all-time money list behind Chris Bjorin, first appeared on the poker scene when he finished third in the 2008 European Poker Tour Budapest €4,350 Main Event for €197,904. Less than a year later he would finish runner-up to fellow Swede Ragnar Astrom in the World Poker Tour Venice €4,400 Main Event for €238,840.
Jacobson continued to have success on the European front, which included two runner-up finishes on the EPT. The first came in August 2010, when he placed second to Toby Lewis in the EPT Vilamoura Main Event for €297,985. The second came in January 2011, when he finished behind Lucien Cohen in the EPT Deauville Main Event for €560,000. Jacobson’s other EPT highlights include fourth in the 2011 EPT Berlin for €230,000 and tenth in the 2012 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure Main Event for $101,000.
As far as the WSOP is concerned, Jacobson’s first cash came in 2009 when he finished eighth in a $1,500 No-Limit Hold’em event for $65,486. Amazingly, his second WSOP cash was also a final table appearance when he took fourth in another $1,500 event a year later, good for $183,345. In 2012, Jacobson final tabled Event #5 €10,000 No-Limit Hold’em Mixed Max at the WSOP Europe, ultimately finishing seventh for €42,094, and then in 2013 he placed sixth in the $111,111 One Drop High Roller for $807,427, his largest career cash.
Perhaps Jacobson’s most impressive WSOP has been his run in the 2014 WSOP Main Event. The Swede managed to do what few players have done and ride his Day 1 chip lead all the way to Day 7. If you recall, Jacobson finished Day 1a as the chip leader with 200,100, and on Day 2, he brought that up to 342,700, good for 21st of 1,864 advancing players. On Day 3, Jacobson increased his stack to 721,500, putting him 29th of 746.
Jacobson’s consistency continued on Day 4 when he finished with 1.594 million – good for 18th of 291 – and again on Day 5 when he finished 14th of 79 with 3.925 million. Finally, Day 6 saw Jacobson return to the chip lead when he bagged up 22.335 million to finish as the big stack amongst the final 27 players. With chips, patience and a knack for winning, a seat at the November Nine is almost assuredly in Jacobson’s future.
Here's a look as Jacobson's WSOP résumé prior to the 2014 Main Event:
Total WSOP & Circuit Earnings: $1,204,983
WSOP Bracelets: 0
WSOP Cashes: 13
WSOP Earnings: $1,204,983
Circuit Rings: 0
Circuit Cashes: 0
Circuit Earnings: $0
Check out Remko Rinkema’s interview with Jacobson from Day 6 of the Main Event: