ToP chess Players conTinue To succeed in PoKer
CHESS PLAYERS AND POKER by ben masur
But when Jeff returned on the national Every summer, anyone who decides to scene, it wasn’t with chess pieces in front pony up the $10,000 dollars has a chance of him. It was with cards and chips. Jeff to compete in the World Series of Poker cashed in his first ever live poker event in 2008 at the Euro(WSOP). Players pean Poker Tour are not ranked. in Prague. A year You can be a total later in an EPT novice sitting next event in Poland, to one of the he took 10th world’s best. The place out of 203 same isn’t true in players for a $30, chess. A player 943 cash prize. who is playing his And less than a first chess tournamonth later in ment won’t be sitPortugal, Jeff got ting across from third place out of Magnus Carlsson. 322 players, good Many people who for $224,028. look at chess and almira sKriPchenKo Then in March of poker think the two are totally different, but in fact, they 2010, Jeff took home second place in a have never been more alike with players High Roller Event in Germany for from the chess world increasingly enter the $149,207. And at this summer’s WSOP, he cashed in three events; his best was a world of poker...and succeeding. 32nd place in a limit hold ‘em shootout While chess is still working itself into the event for $5,620. mainstream of America, poker has already done so thanks to ESPN. The sports net- “I’m aware of human beings and our tenwork broadcasts the WSOP every week dencies and patterns,” Sarwer said in his and replays episodes on a consistent feature on ESPN. “People hide their intenbases. In one of the recent shows, former tions and fears in life, but in poker, you get to see a glimpse into their soul a little bit. chess prodigy, Jeff Sarwer, was featured. In chess, you can choose a route which is Sarwer, who the character Jonathan Poe (a uncomfortable for your opponent. In poker, foil of Josh Waitzkin) in Searching for you can do the same thing.” Bobby Fisher is based off of, won the Under 10 section of the World Youth Champi- Sarwer isn’t the only chess name who is onship in 1986. And his sister, Julia, won succeeding in the poker world. the Girls Under 10 section in the same tournament. However, Jeff’ s chess career Danish Grandmaster Sune Berg Hansen, came to a stop when he and his sister were winner of the 2010 Thailand Open Chess sent to a foster home as the two spent the Championship, is spending most of his time and energy on poker. A professional rest of their childhoods on the run.
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