2009 WCOOP: Eastgate reflects on big cash

You might think when a guy is less than one year removed from winning the World Series of Poker Main Event that he might get a little complacent. You might think he is happy to rest on his laurels. Not Peter Eastgate. Nope, this member of Team PokerStars Pro came into the World Championship of Online Poker with his eye set on making some more cash. He did that just the other day in the $25,000 Heads-Up event. By now, you should know that he didn't walk away empty-handed. Here's what he has to say about it.

by Peter Eastgate

After returning from Pokerstars EPT in Barcelona I decided to play the $25k WCOOP Heads-Up Championship. I really enjoy playing heads up, as I find it very challenging. I felt mentally ready to play and was looking forward to playing.

The first round was a bye (as we were 36 players, only 8 players played the first round and 28 got a bye).

The first match was a true marathon match. It lasted four hours and throughout the match I felt I made the best decisions. For most of the match I was ahead and I felt my opponent might have played his short stack a little too passively. I actually think I might have played it the same way if I was in his position. The reason the match dragged out was because he was fortunate enough to suck out on me a few times.

The second match was a quick one (compared with the first). I played the German Tobias Reinmaker, who has recently been in the news for getting Roland De Wolfe to muck the best hand at showdown. I was in control of the match from start to finish and when he was short-stacked, I overbet the pot with Q2 on a rainbow board of Q863, in the hope that he would make a hero call with a lesser hand. I was fortunate enough when he did call with A8 and the river bricked out.

The third match was over really fast. I played Adonis, who is known as a wild one, who usually verbally abuses his opponents, including me on a couple of occasions. The money went in on a 9-7-6-3 flop with three hearts, with me holding 97o for top two and him holding Th8x for a turned straight.

I was overall pleased with my play and the play in the last match was based on previous experience against my opponent. My fellow Danish poker pro Allan Bække also had a good run finishing second.

I will definitely play the main event on Sunday, and if I have the time, maybe a few more during the week.

Peter Eastgate is the 2008 WSOP champion and a member of Team PokerStars Pro.