The PokerListings Daily 3-Bet is an unconventional style, a flair for the dramatic and all the hopes of the poker everyman pinned to your afternoon poker news chest.
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Today in the 3-Bet we find where to watch the WSOP Main Event playdown, more on the poker Granddad of the moment and life after the WSOP begins.
1) How to Watch the Main Event
Today's the day! The final nine players in the 2017 WSOP Main Eventreconvene at the Rio starting at 5:30 pm PT to begin the march to a new champion.
No 3-month break. No extensive coaching. Just a short respite to catch their breath and right back in to the fray to scrap for $8.15m.
It's the way the Main Event should be, yeah? Even better, all the action is ready to be aired live (on delay) over the next 3 days for the world to watch along.
Front row seat on PokerGO
Where can you watch it? Depends where you live but, thanks to the new PokerGO streaming service, there's a pretty good chance you can watch wherever you are. Here's how:
- US, Latin America, Brazil, Pacific Rim: ESPN, ESPN+, WatchESPN and ESPN Play
- Canada: TSN (excluding Quebec), TSN2, TSN GO
- UK: BT Sports throughout UK and Ireland.
- Balkans: Arena Sport HD for Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro & Macedonia.
- Israel: One Sport HD
- Rest of World: PokerGO streaming for Germany, France, Netherlands, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Austria, Sweden, Norway, Switzerland, Denmark, Belgium, Finland, Czech Republic & Japan.
2) The John Hesp Way
There's an overwhelming sentimental favorite at the final table this year and that man, of course, is 64-year-old John Hesp.
Bottomless zest for Hesp.
The gregarious, unconventional and charismatic Granddad from Bridlington, UK, has captured more than few of hearts over the past few days with his general élan and joie de vivre at the tables.
It's been a decided contrast to the hoodies/tanking/seriousness of years past and people are, unsurprisingly, eating it up.
Also eating it up? Mainstream media from around the world.
As Hesp explained on his Facebook page it's been a veritable deluge of attention from outlets around the globe and a thrill he couldn't have imagined.
For a guy who's never read a poker book, never had a lesson or even played much more than a £10 tourney, it's an astonishing turn of events.
So what happens now? Well, the rubber hits the road tonight and Hesp will have his unconventional play - and 85m-chip stack - put to the test in front of the world. Can it withstand the heat? One thing Hesp says for sure, as he told the Yorkshire Post: he's not going to change his approach one bit.
“I have been bold and unorthodox in my playing style. Since the start professionals from all over the world have been coming up to me saying ‘we simply can’t work you out’ and that’s the way I like it.
“I have never read a poker book or had a coaching lesson. I go with the natural instincts of my head and my gut ...
“I came here to play poker the John Hesp way and I have had the most awesome life-changing experience."
We wouldn't have it any other way.
3) Jason Mercier's Gonna Be OK
After an 11-cash, two bracelet, Player of the Year whirlwind summer in 2016, Jason Mercier had a tough act to follow in 2017. And despite a few more modest bracelet bets for inspiration, things didn't quite work out as well this year.
With 10 cashes and one final table it wasn't all loss for Mercier but he did leave Vegas this time around on a more somber note. Still, it's good to know his neighbors care about his well being. And it's safe to say he's got a lot to look forward to with the birth of his son in the Fall.
Leaving Vegas like ... me and marshmellow are pooped. Pregnant wife all smiles. #SmilesNotPilespic.twitter.com/WvZXUKyT9Y— Jason Mercier (@JasonMercier) July 18, 2017
Back in the real world ... pic.twitter.com/D8xn5TqfGP— Jason Mercier (@JasonMercier) July 19, 2017
