Dylan Linde makes peace with the Poker Gods in $2M PLO win

 They say the Poker Gods giveth and the Poker Gods taketh away.

Just four days ago, they took from Dylan Linde in the cruelest of manners, setting him up with pocket kings against Klemens Roiter’s aces at the final table of the Monster Stack event. The aces held, Linde was eliminated in a heartbreaking 7th place, and Roiter went on to win the tournament and $1,204,457.

On Sunday, the Poker Gods gave back to Linde in an even bigger way, helping him to victory in the $50,000 Pot-Limit Omaha High Roller for his 3rd bracelet and an even bigger first prize, a career-best $2,146,414.

At this final table, Linde flopped sets against overpairs in preflop all-ins, faded massive combo draws in huge pots, and even drilled a couple of river gutshots to steal pots away.

So, was this indeed the poker Gods paying him back?

“It might be," said Linde, following his win. "There were definitely some great river cards for me. In Omaha, it’s really fortunate to just win four-card runouts. To win a bunch of them in a row? It’s your day.”

Dylan Linde played great and ran well, a deadly combo.

Don't do anything stupid!

Before play started on Sunday, we asked Linde if this was a shot at redemption after that Monster Stack disappointment, to which he cooly replied ”I don’t feel like I need to be redeemed. Today, wherever I bust, if I don’t do anything really stupid, I’m going to feel great. If I make good decisions, I’m happy.”

Well, he didn’t bust, seemed pretty darn happy, and said that he didn’t think he did anything stupid, before confirming that this indeed made up for four days ago.

“It is decidedly more fun than losing! Honestly, today I just wanted to have a good time, make some good decisions, and no matter what the result was, be happy with how I played, and I think I can say that today.”

Linde claimed a third bracelet and a new high score on Sunday.

More fun than a minefield

Along with the joy that obviously came with winning, Linde explained how it was also the heightened competition that comes with a High Roller tournament which brought him more enjoyment than his two previous final table runs this summer (in $1,500 and $2,500 buy-in events).  

“The big difference in playing this versus, say, the Monster Stack is it’s less 'minefield-y'. Obviously, it’s poker, so there’s a lot of variance, but here everyone is very studied and very balanced. They can have bluffs in situations that you don’t find in other events, and thinner value, so it’s more mentally taxing. All of it is difficult, which makes it incredibly fun.”

A new POY contender emerges

As Linde completed his latest triumph, eliminating good friend Stephen Chidwick in 2nd place, another friend was watching closely and was then one of the first to congratulate him: current WSOP Player of the Year front-runner Benny Glaser.

Benny Glaser may not have the WSOP Player of the Year award locked up after all.

Having won his third bracelet of the summer just a night ago, it seemed as though the POY race may be done and dusted for Glaser, but with Linde’s win, he’s quickly rocketed to within striking distance in 2nd place.

So, is it game on for a banner in the Horseshoe Grand Ballroom?

“I’ll give him a run for his money," said Linde. "The thing is, Benny just wants it really badly. I will come and play fresh poker every day and play hard, but at the end of the day, I’m still gonna take days off and enjoy myself.”

Dylan Linde in a lighter moment at the tables

Linde elaborated on the (not so) routine this summer that he credits for bringing him this success so far.

“I’ll keep doing the same process that I’ve been doing this summer because I think I do better when I’m well-rested and happy and spend time at home with my fiancé, my cats and my friends, come back and play poker, have a good time, laugh with the people, make hard decisions, screw ‘em up, get ‘em right. That’s what I want, that’s what I care about, and if it comes to be, it comes to be.”

$50,000 Pot-Limit Omaha High Roller - final table results

^{Additional images courtesy of PokerGO.}