WSOP Countdown: The best players without a bracelet
Ahead of the WSOP, Barry Carter takes a look at the tournament players most likely to capture their first bracelet this year.
There are plenty of players who are considered world class without a bracelet - people like Patrik Antonius, Tom Dwan and Viktor Blom for example - but in terms of tournament players likely to play most of the events, these are the guys I think are overdue a WSOP bracelet.
Marvin Rettenmaier
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| 'Mad' Marvin Rettenmaier |
Perhaps the poster boy for the recent explosion in the success of young German poker stars, Marvin
Despite a lot of cashes he had a disappointing WSOP last year, however that was made up for by winning a WPT title either side of the series - a rare back-to-back feat that only a few players have managed.
He ended 2012 with a €365,300 win in an EPT High Roller and goes to Vegas coming off the back of a €43,000 side event win at EPT Monte Carlo.
He is clearly a fan favourite and would be one of the most celebrated bracelet victories were he to take one down this Summer.
Stephen O'Dwyer
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| Steve O'Dwyer |
Until a few weeks ago Stephen O'Dwyer was one of those players in the 'best without a major title' category. He had been racking up a string of notable final table appearances including three EPT Main Events, the WPT Championship and lots of big side event scores - alongside his WPT National Denmark title.
However this month he finally made his big breakthrough, not only winning the EPT Grand Final but also overcoming what many believe was one of the greatest final tables of all time in the process.
He has also made the final table of EPT London this year, so if form and confidence is anything to go on, O'Dwyer is the man to beat in Vegas.
Chris Moorman
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| Chris Moorman |
Arguably the best online tournament player in the world, Moorman had always struggled to establish himself in the live arena.
That has changed in the last two years and Chris Moorman looks incredibly close to that first major live title.
In the past two years he's racked up two two runner-up spots and a third-place finish in bracelet events, not to mention two lucrative runner-ups in EPT side events and final table appearances in both the EPT London and Aussie Millions Main Events.
When you look at his online success a major live title seems only a matter of time, so perhaps this year could finally be the one for him.
Joseph Cheong
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| Joseph Cheong |
Cheong is a former November Niner who has been accumulating a lot of big results lately.
'subiime' first came to our attention after coming third in the 2010 Main Event for $4,130,049. He has gone on to net a number of WSOP near misses including a runner-up finish in the Mixed Max event and fourth place in the WSOPE Main Event last year.
This year he came second in the WSOP APAC High Roller, but more significantly he won the APT Manila Millions for $1,343,370.
With a big title finally under his belt he will be looking to repeat the feat in Vegas.
Andrey Pateychuk
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| Andrey Pateychuk |
Despite winning the Rookie of the Year award at the European Poker Awards, Andrey Pateychuk's success has flown under the radar outside of Russia.
In 2011 he won both WPT Prague and EPT San Remo, as well as finishing 15th in the WSOP Main Event.
He is one of only a two of players who will be able to complete the prestigious Poker Triple Crown at the WSOP this year, an accolade which will no doubt give him that extra boost of motivation to go for it.
Roberto Romanello
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| Roberto Romanello |
Welsh tournament pro Romanello could also complete the Triple Crown this summer in Vegas, having previously won WPT Bratislava and EPT Prague.
In the WSOP he is also well known for making what some consider the greatest fold ever in the Main Event.
Although he hasn't had any major results to shout about of late, he is a very active figure on the EPT circuit and has got plenty of experience going into the WSOP.
Martin Jacobson
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| Martin Jacobson |
Another player who must be wondering what he needs to do to win a major title, Martin Jacobson of Sweden has an amazing record. He has made three EPT and three WPT final tables, as well as a WSOP and a WSOPE final table - yet still no first place to boast of.
Earlier this year he scored a much needed win in a WPT National side event as well as a big cash in an EPT Deauville side event, so he should be going into the series this year feeling confident.
Sam Trickett
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| Sam Trickett |
Trickett is one of poker's biggest winners in recent times, with success in both large-field tournaments and high rollers.
He has come close to a bracelet several times, most notably last year at One Drop where he won $10 million.
Amazingly, because of his near miss in that event he is 4th in the all-time WSOP money list despite never winning a bracelet.
Expect him to go looking to change that this year, particularly in the higher buy-in events.
