Middleweight boxing Hall of Famer Marvin Hagler once said, “It’s hard to do road work at 5 am when you’re sleeping in silk pajamas.” Meaning, that once a performer has been to the top, it’s hard to stay driven and hungry.
2014 World Series of Poker Main Event champion Martin Jacobson can relate ten years removed from his historic win. He won $10 million – the second largest at the time, following Jamie Gold’s 2006 win worth $12 million.
“I look back at it, and it’s the pinnacle of my poker career,” Jacobson said. “I think that’s why my motivation for poker cooled off a bit since. I’m never going to top that result, so what am I doing?”
“It will always feel surreal,” he added. “It’s such a big milestone that it’s hard to comprehend that it even happened, even ten years later.”
Pushing past going through the motions
Jacobson made the money in Day 2 of the $3,500 World Poker Tour Seminole Rock ‘N’ Roll Poker Open Championship and is playing to fill an empty space on his mantle.
He has six, six-figure cashes since his bracelet win but has nearly $8 million in tournament earnings outside of his Main Event. His WPT resume has ten cashes, three final tables, and $644,718.
“A WPT title would mean a lot – I don’t have one,” Jacobson said. “I’ve come close with a second place and sixth, so yeah it’d be really cool.”
Jacobson is still in fantastic shape while many of his peers have turned pear-shaped. In addition to exercise, Jacobson was impacted by “Breath” by James Nestor.
“The impact of breathing through your nose as opposed to your mouth has an impact on your longevity and performance,” said Jacobson.
Post-poker life nearing
He’s particular about when and where he plays these days. “I try to not force it (playing) anymore and will pass on playing now,” he said. “I have a non-poker business and investments that take up my time, mostly early-stage investing.”
“You know, life after poker stuff,” he said. “I want to initiate more outside of poker.”
Jacobson mostly plays in the US in events that he prefers, but those are getting fewer. “I still study and play quite a bit online,” he said. “But I don’t invest as much effort as I used to, like even as much as just a year ago. So, thinking ahead, I probably won’t be playing that much longer.”
All photos courtesy of World Poker Tour - Drew Amato.
