Jack Sinclair: Main Event Rookie Taking Full Advantage

The World Series of Poker $10,000 World Championship Main Event is under 50 players on Day 6 and payouts are well into the six-figures. Players dream their whole lives of holding a seat at this point of the event, but for Jack Sinclair this is his first Main Event and he’s challenging for chip lead with over 17 million.

His tablemates will be at a loss by looking up his results – he only has three cashes for $13,500 to his credit. But his game goes far beyond his Hendon Mob profile, “Yeah, I’ve never been much of a live player,” he said. “I started out playing live but as soon as I was able to play online properly, I almost exclusively played online.”

Sinclair had guidance from two well-known players in the live arena. “I spend a lot of time with a couple of guys who play a lot of live games – Anton Morgentstern, who has a couple deep runs here, and Phil Gruissem – who plays all the big tournies,” said Sinclair. “Spending so much time with those guys, they encouraged me to play live. They helped with some stuff to get started.”

Sinclair enjoys not having a public image or persona in poker. “The thing is, as soon as I sit down at a table, everyone thinks I’m three-betting light and doing crazy stuff,” he said. “I don’t know, maybe it’s the way I’m looking at them or something.”

“It doesn’t matter because if they look me up they’re basically going to find nothing and think I’m a huge fish,” he added. “Then I sit down and play a hand and my image is completely gone. Maybe the first hand I play, I’ll get away from something but for the most part I don’t get much credit.”

Sinclair may be short on live experience, but that doesn’t mean the significance of this opportunity is lost on him. “I’m trying to think about that , but yeah it’s definitely surreal,” he said. “I keep thinking, that , ‘today, its’ been fun’ kind of thing or ‘if I make it to the first break I’ll be happy.’”

“It just keeps going and today has been insane,” he added. “I came in with less than 30 big blinds and now I have 17 and bit million – so quite the day.”

Sinclair had memorable day earlier in the event. “On Day 4 I had Mickey Craft on my direct left and that’s an experience I’ll never forget – he was completely insane,” he said. “Then we got moved to the Secondary Feature Table and he calmed down.”

“There was a hand where he raised the river two times the pot with a stone bluff and call opens from under the gun plus one with six four off suit,” Sinclair said. “But then at the feature table he was calmer than the five hours before that – but I did manage to double three times off Mickey that day.”

“I think if I was on his left I might have won the tournament by now,” Sinclair joked. “He’s a great guy and it’s the most fun I’ve ever had a table, possibly ever.”