Kirk Morrison has been a favorite of PokerListings.com for quite some time now, a mantle that owes as much to his friendly and down-to-earth demeanor as it does to his not inconsiderable talents at the poker tables.
Earlier in 2007, Morrison caught the attention of the poker gurus at PokerListings when he cashed in a record-tying four straight World Poker Tour events, including a $2 million second-place finish at the WPT World Championship in April. Since then, Captain Kirk has cashed five times in the 2007 WSOP, enjoyed a somewhat random trip to the EPT4 Barcelona Open and arrived in London for the inaugural World Series of Poker Europe with some rather heady aspirations.
PokerListings.com caught up with Morrison at the end of play on Day 2 of the £2,500 H.O.R.S.E. event, and despite the late hour, the Kiwi Kid was more than willing to answer a few of our more pressing questions as we watched Londoners party around us in Leicester Square.
Alright, Kirk, how are you feeling about your play today?
I'm feeling great. I'm feeling really great. I started the day as the chip leader, which doesn't mean anything in a Limit tournament, but I started as the chip leader and I was lucky I did. If I'd had $20,000 less I would have been out of this thing.
I had a bad run of cards but I was able to pull it together and bring my stack back up. I was chip leader at one point and I'm ending the day third or fourth in chips, which is good. Jen Harman is chip leader right now and I really think she and I are going to play heads-up for the bracelet tomorrow. I really believe that.
How are you feeling about playing the final table with Chris Ferguson, Alex Kravchenko and the rest of the final eight?
Chris Ferguson: ask Chris who taught him how to play poker, way back in 1997 in the Bicycle Casino before he won his Main Event. Ask him who taught him how to play. He'll probably think for a bit, but he'll tell you it was Kirk. (Laughs.)
Seriously, though, they're all great players, really tough players. But I feel like I can beat them. I feel like I'm going to be playing Jen heads-up for the bracelet.
How often do you play the H.O.R.S.E. games? Are you confident in your stud abilities?
Absolutely. They're what I grew up with. I grew up with Stud and Razz, all of those games. I feel like I can play with the best of them.
And how do you like London so far?
Loving it. I'm loving it. How can I not? It's a great city.
I didn't even know this was a bracelet event; I just got on the plane and got here. I just wanted to go to London.
To be honest, I don't care about the bracelet. People are always asking, "Kirk, would you take the bracelet or the money?" Give me the money!
I'm all about money. I mean, I'm not all about money, but between the money and the bracelet? Come on.
You were in Barcelona before this for the EPT. Did you enjoy yourself?
It's a beautiful city. I loved it there.
I heard a rumor it was a spur-of-the-moment thing, your playing in that tournament.
It was, it was. I was in L.A. at the (WPT) Legends of Poker, and I was standing in line, this really long line, and every grifter under the sun was coming up to me asking me to put them in the tournament. Finally I got fed up and said "Toss it, I'm going to Barcelona," and I bought a plane ticket and flew over.
How did you feel about your play in that tournament?
I felt good. I didn't last too long, but to be honest, I got lazy. I got lazy and I started making some plays that I shouldn't have, so I wound up busting out.
It's probably easy to get distracted in a city like that.
It really is. I wasn't too upset about having free time to look around and to party. (laughs)
So how do you compare London and Barcelona? Which city are you enjoying more?
I love Barcelona. (pauses to gaze at the partiers in Leicester Square) Looking around here, though, I'm starting to really love London too!
I overheard you tell a floor director you're planning on sweeping the WSOPE.
I had a dream last night; I swear to God, I dreamt I was going to sweep this Series. I dreamt I was going to win every event.
So you're going to play the Pot-Limit Omaha event tomorrow?
I am, and we'll see if I can win it. I think I can. I'm confident. We'll see what happens, but if I win this first one tomorrow, look out. There's no telling what will happen, but I think I'm going to sweep it.
Kirk, thanks very much. Get some rest and good luck tomorrow.
Anytime, mate. Thanks.
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Morrison enters the final table of the H.O.R.S.E. event third in chips, his $172,500 stack behind only Jennifer Harman ($204,000), and upstart Razz specialist Yuval Bronshtein ($185,000). With a table that includes Chris Ferguson, Thomas Bihl, Alex Kravchenko and Joe Beevers in his path, Morrison will have a tough road to follow in order to claim the first of his intended trifecta of victories, but is certainly in a good position to do it. If the Captain does manage to pull out a win on Saturday, buckle up: the Kiwi Kid has proven in the past he can put streaks together, and the World Series of Poker Europe might just be the ideal time for another one.
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