Seat 8: Martin Jacobson (14,900,000 -- 37 BB)
Martin Jacobson is one of poker’s most consistent players, and he proved that in the 2014 WSOP Main Event when he finished Day 1a as the chip leader and rode it all the way to the November Nine. Only two other players – Joe Cada and Ben Lamb – have done that since the November Nine concept was introduced in 2008.
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 WSOP 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.
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. Of course he’ll have a shot of besting that come November.
“It feels incredible to make it this far in such a big and prestigious tournament … this is probably my biggest achievement so far,” said Jacobson.