If you’re a recreational poker player, WSOP Paradise is the stuff of dreams. The Atlantis resort is packed with all the players you’ve watched on TV — and you get to play with them. (Or at least in the same room if your heroes are battling it out in the Triton high rollers.)
Brandon Stegall won his seat to Event #1, the $2,500 Circuit Championship Mystery Bounty, on GGPoker. He came close to winning his first ring at WSOPC Southern Indiana in September, finishing third in the $600 PLO for his career-best score of $6,849.
Stegall played Day 1A on Thursday and hit the rail in 517th place. But he decided to give it another go and re-entered Day 1B.
Across the room at WSOP Paradise, Alex Foxen was playing the $100K Triton PLO Main Event. Stegall wanted a photo with Foxen but said, “He was with his family, and I was too nervous to ask him. I was starstruck. Getting to bump elbows with people you see on Triton... the whole environment here is amazing. I'm just honored to be among them right now."
Some of the Foxen run-good rubs off
Stegall finally found the courage to approach Foxen, who was more than happy to pose for a photo.
Stegall also picked up some of the Foxen run-good. When we caught up with him on the dinner break, he was sitting in second place, with just a single big blind between him and chip leader Hayden Hetland.
There’s a long way to go. As Stegall himself pointed out, “There’s another 8 hours to go tonight” – which seems like a crazy thing to be saying at 7pm in the evening. If Stegall can go the distance and maintain his stack, he’ll have a great shot at a deep run and some bounties on Day 2 on Sunday.
Meanwhile, Foxen was on his second bullet in the $100K PLO, rubbing shoulders with Michael Mizrachi, Patrick Antonius, and Ike Haxton.
It’s the perfect reminder of why poker is such a unique game – one where you can meet your heroes on a level playing field.
The WSOP Paradise $2,500 Circuit Championship Mystery Bounty continues with Day 1C on Saturday and Day 2 on Sunday, when the bounties will kick in. We’ll have full live coverage from Day 2 onwards.
