Of poker’s new generation of tournament pros, there’s little doubt that Alex Jacob is amongst the best. A year ago, Jacob made his first TV table, finishing second at the 2006 World Poker Tour’s Foxwoods Poker Classic to Victor Ramdin. Since then, he’s won the internationally televised US Poker Championship and appeared at a World Series of Poker final table.
Ramdin was unable to appear at the 2007 edition to defend his title thanks to a strong showing in the European Poker Tour’s Grand Finale in Monte Carlo. That left Jacob as the protector of the throne when 206 players showed up for the first of two ‘day ones’.
While the field was largely composed of unknowns, Alex was unable to take advantage, languishing for most of the day after being reduced to T6,000 early on. He finally worked his way back to the T20,000 staring stack, but found himself unable to get away from a strong hand when he knew he was beaten.
Jacob called a preflop raise from player who he’d later describe as ‘tight and predictable.’ Holding pocket eights, he managed to keep his cool when he hit his flop; Ad-9h-8s. Rather than slow-play his set, Alex bet out T1,200 when his opponent checked to him. He got the call he was looking for.
The turn came 4c and again the tight player checked. Alex bet out for T4,000 with a little over T14,000 behind, but instead of the call Jacob was looking for, the unnamed opponent check-raised to T12,000.
Alex wrestled with his decision for several minutes. His hunch told him he was beat, that his opponent would have only played a superior set the way he did. Finally though, Alex lost the war of attrition with his demons, unable to ignore the strength of his own hand. He moved all-in and his opponent immediately called, revealing pocket aces for the superior set. We’ll have two new finalists this year.
Gary Wise
gary@wisehandpoker.com
