One of the World Series of Poker Main Event players eliminated during the first days of the competition budgeted just $50 for his bid to play halfway across the world in the $10,000 buy-in tournament.
Starting with a $1 buy-in online satellite, Londoner Phil Brockwell (30) used his budget to grind his way up through a series of escalating satellite buy-ins until he finally won a $12,000 travel, accommodation and buy-in package in a $1,000 888Poker buy-in competition.
Playing online for five hours one Sunday night, he turned his $1,000 buy-in into a win and a generous Main Event package prize…all on an original budget of $50.
Perseverance was the name of the game as Brockwell worked his way up, sometimes busting out and having to start again, but in the end he achieved his ambition, and travelled to Las Vegas for the highlight of his poker playing days.
The fact that he busted out Wednesday during Day 2C play did little to diminish the Londoner’s enthusiasm, or his plans to do it all again next year.