When a sun run in poker comes along, every sage mind poker says ride it until it ends. It’s one of the greatest mysteries in poker – how to keep a hot streak going. For Jesse Lonis, it’s all gas and no brakes.
He returned to the final two tables on Day 4 of the $3,500 World Poker Tour Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown Championship and there’s perhaps no place better for him to play.
“I’m really comfortable when I play here,” Lonis said. “I have a good group of people here. It’s probably one of my favorite environments for floor supervisors and dealers, everyone’s great.”
He has seven WPT cashes at the property and chopped the Lucky Hearts main event in January in a three-way deal for $404,267. “I’ve been in a zen run where I just haven’t busted one of these in nine days now,” said Lonis.
“(When) I chopped the last one here it was kind of eating at me,” he said. “Obviously, I want that nice trophy, but 'Raminator' (Raminder Singh) won and deserved it. It’s still in the back of my head.”
WPT title still eludes Jess Lonis
Over the last year Lonis won a WSOP bracelet, a PGT title, a NAPT red spade, a Wynn building and even an online WSOPC ring, but a WPT title has eluded him his whole career. “It’d be awesome to lock up a WPT trophy down here,” he said.
Like many in the game, it’s hard to lock down future tournament commitments for him. “Everyone is asking me if I’m going to Texas for the big tournament and I still don’t know,” Lonis said. “And it starts tomorrow.”
“I pretty much take it day by day. more on how I feel,” he said. “I brought my family and daughter down with me and they just left yesterday. So, I feel fresh enough for the road to go a little bit.”
Whatever he decides to play, Lonis has no choice but to skip a week in May – he’s getting married.
“It’s a small destination wedding in Hawaii and I’m looking forward to it,” he said. “Then, for the WSOP, I’ll be going hard and try to win while I’m running hot.”
All photos courtesy of WPT - shot by Joe Giron
