Ray Henson: "I Want to Deserve WSOP Player of the Year"

During the World Series of Poker you’re going to find Ray Henson at the Rio every day, grinding it out. He doesn’t look at the schedule; he just shows to play whatever is happening that day. To Henson’s surprise it’s working out surprisingly well in 2017, eight cashes into the Series he’s leading the WSOP Player of the Year race without having won a bracelet.

Henson is humble about his time in the spotlight. “I had plenty of motivation to win already, but it would be cool to win,” he said. “I think the scoring system is very flawed this year. So, I don’t think right now I would be deserving of the win, but if I can close out the Series and win a bracelet and make another couple runs or something – I think I would be deserving.”

Ray Henson’s highest finish is third place at the WSOP. (Photo: PokerPhotoArchive.com)
“Right now with there’s so many people that are having a much better summer than I am and for me to be in first place is something I don’t agree with but with the scoring – I’m not saying I wouldn’t take it,” he said. “It’s definitely motivation to win something so that way if I do win POY people can’t say there’s asterisk there. I want to deserve it and have a great summer.”

Henson final tabled three events out of his eight cashes but fell short of winning each time. “There’s so much variance at the end of tournaments,” said Henson. “A couple were Limit Hold’em and people say these Limit events are so swingy – well at the final table I’ve gone 0 for 4 with queens. If I was at the final table of a No Limit event, I would go 0 for 2 and then I would be done. There’s so much variance at the end – you just have to run good.”

“I’ve had my stretches of run good but at the final tables I just haven’t had the cards,” he added. “When I do have the cards they just don’t win – it is what it is. I’m not frustrated at all, I’m happy with my results and I’m going to keep playing my best.”

Ray Henson has cashed in five different poker variants in 2017. (Photo: PokerPhotoArchive.com)
“I was frustrated but I knew I had a long summer ahead and I have a great fiancée that’s here for me and keeps my mind straight,” Hesnson said. “I didn’t have that in the past – so when life’s good off the felt, life’s going to be good on the felt.”

Ray Henson’s WSOP 2017 Cashes

Event $5: $565 The Colossus III – 699th place, $2,508 – 47.2 POY points
Event #11: $1,500 Dealers Choice – 47th place, $2,335 – 39.2 POY points
Event #14: $1,500 HORSE – 110th place, $2,247 – 38.7 POY points
Event #18: $565 Pot Limit Omaha – 450th place, $831 – 32.7 POY points
Event #24: $1,500 Limit Hold’em – 3rd place, $75,780 – 125 POY points
Event #33: $1,500 No Limit Hold’em – 248th place, $2,251 – 38.7 POY points
Event #38: $10,000 Limit Hold’em  – 7th place, $41,399 – 74.5 POY points
Event #46: $1,500 Pot Limit Omaha HiLo – 3rd place, $96,555 – 135.5 POY points

Totals: 8 cashes, 3 final tables, $223,906 earned, 531.5 POY points