"I really, in my mind, have two goals, and they're both the same thing—to get the big prize and to win the tournament.
To win, you have to be focused on coming first. The fame that comes with all this is obviously big, but I haven't thought too much about it. I'm just going to take it as
it comes and focus on the poker,” said James Akenhead, the 9th player in the upcoming 2009 WSOP Main Event final table, known also as "Mokka."
This 27-year-old London native is a member of the acclaimed group of young poker pros based out of the UK, the Hit Squad. He just missed a WSOP bracelet last year, as
he was landed 2nd place in a $1,500 event and won around $520,000. Although this time he’s short-stacked, he seems to believe that he can overcome the challenges that lie ahead for him.
"It's like a dream," Akenhead said. "I told a friend in January, I just have a feeling that I'll run badly in the other events, but pull something out for the main. And it's happened!"
If the support that followed him this summer returns in November, he’ll be bringing a lot of noise from the rail. "The support's been amazing. I feel sorry for some of
the guys out there; they would win a hand and not even get a clap. The great support I got really helped,” he said.
One interesting factoid about Akenhead is that he is a former railroad conductor, who quit his day job, like many others, to play professional poker, a choice that has
earned him well over $2 million in cash winnings. He has a slew of live tournament wins under his belt, which may give him an experiential edge in the final show down.
Read about all the WSOP 2009 November Nine.
|
