Time is running out to draft your WSOP Paradise Pick 3 team. With a $30K package up for grabs, including a buy-in to the $25K Super Main Event, don't let the clock hit zero on Thursday without locking in your three players.
If you're like me, you've waited until now to lock in your squad. You've watched names get added, analyzed who's been drafted the most, and searched for the undervalued gems that will set your team apart.
Lucky for you, I'm not going to keep my team a secret. You can copy my team, steal one or two of the picks, or build a team of your own.
Key qualities to earn a spot on my team
There are a few things I'm looking for in my players. Namely, that they're definitely playing, they're likely to fire as many entries as it takes to cash, and they're going to play for a deep run.
Additionally, drafting the biggest-name players may be a mistake in this format. Star names will appear on many other teams, making it harder to stand out from the rest of the fantasy pack. Guys like Ari Engel (drafted 371 times), Jonathan Little (201 times), and Shannon Shorr (drafted 130 times) are going to be very popular. I searched for players further down the draft list to separate myself.
I'm also worried some popular players may be tempted to play some of the bigger Triton events running concurrently.
Martin Jacobsen, Jonathan Little, Shannon Shorr, or Quan Zhou could hop into the $75K PLO, $100K PLO, or $50K NLH Turbo tournaments that overlap with this $2.5K Circuit Championship.
Sure, they've all committed to playing the opening event, but that doesn't mean they can't change their minds or fire one bullet and move on. Losing a player to another tournament would doom your team. I want to rely on my players.
With all that in mind, let's get into my dream team.
TJ's pick #1: Nick Palma
Nick Palma hits all the key points I mentioned above. He's confirmed to play, and I know the guy will be locked in for this event. He's a true live grinder who likely won't be pulled by the Triton events or other Bahamian distractions. This buy-in is well within his comfort zone, so I anticipate he'll fire as many times as it takes to find a bag.
Palma's had some solid results these last few months with multiple final tables and a solid PGT series against some of the best US pros. Put him against this field with a bracelet on the line, and he'll be licking his New York chops.
TJ's pick #2: Ryan Phan
There are a lot of quality picks I thought about for this slot. Daniel Pearlman and Matthew Higgins would have normally made the cut, but they're both playing at WSOPC Cherokee, and I'm worried they won't come down to Paradise until it's over. For that reason, I'm going to a Midwest player for my second pick.
Ryan Phan hasn't put in a ton of volume in the second half of this year, but when he has played, he's dominated. At the WSOPC series in Iowa in September, all five of his cashes were final tables, including one outright win for $11,899. He scored a win, three 4th-place finishes, and an eighth-place finish at that series. Deep runs are what it will take to earn enough fantasy points to win. Give me a guy who makes consistent final tables at a recent Circuit event to get the job done.
TJ's pick #3: Terrance (TJ) Reid
That's right, I'm betting on myself. One of the best parts about this game is that if you're playing, you can draft yourself for your team. Call it a little extra motivation, I want a little something extra to root for.
Besides my devilishly good looks, I'm feeling great about this event, and I meet my own criteria. There's no way I'm playing one of the Triton events, so all my attention will be on the Circuit Championship.
I'm planning on max bullets, so as long as registration is open, I'll be at the table trying to find a bag. I just fired five bullets in the $1,100 NAPT PokerStars Open Main Event before finally cashing for just under $100K, and I'll do it again here if I have to. The good news is that, unlike my bankroll, you don't have to worry about all the entries that fail; you just get to cash in on the one that works. For both of our sakes, let's hope it's bullet one this time.
If you're planning on playing and want to draft yourself but aren't on the list, just let us know. Comment on this article or tag us on any of our socials so we can get you in there before it's too late.
Draft your team now
Don't worry, I'm not eligible to win, so one of you can. Use my picks, or make your own – just head over to create a team now. The deadline is December 4th at 11am ET. Someone will be joining me in The Bahamas for a dream chance to play the $25K Super Main Event.
See you in Paradise.
