Deep Dive
The Disqualification and Player Safety
Chad and Josh open by discussing a viral video of a player being removed from the €5,300 PLO European Championship. The player, Burgger Larson, was disqualified in 30th place for €13,000 after becoming intoxicated and verbally aggressive toward Rich Zoo, widely respected as one of poker's nicest and most reserved personalities. Josh emphasizes that there's simply no place for that behavior in poker — a game where players should feel safe. He acknowledges the WSOP is trying to create entertainment and that some controversy like Martin Cabell's antics can be funny, but there's a clear line between entertaining table talk and threatening conduct. Josh notes the irony that Larson had chips and a real chance at a bracelet, but lost it all to a lack of self-control.
The Bubble Walk Debate and PLO Strategy
The conversation shifts to the same event's bubble, where the big chip stack gave Nikki Palma a walk in the big blind, frustrating other short stacks. Josh explains this is completely standard strategy and the players upset by it don't understand PLO math. When you're a big stack on the bubble, picking up two and a half to three and a half blinds every hand until the bubble bursts is mathematically superior to playing pots where short stacks have near-zero incentive to get involved. Josh notes that roughly 90% of hands run below EV for short stacks against a big stack in bubble spots, so the walk actually accelerates the bubble and gives the chip leader even more control. It's pure game theory, not collusion or unfair play.
Josh's WSOP Europe Run and the Main Event Bust
Josh reflects on his Prague experience so far, highlighting the exceptional dealer quality — consistently enforcing rules like phone restrictions that often go overlooked in US casinos. He's cashed five of six events with semi-deep runs around the top 5% of fields, though still chasing profitability. The aggressive European playing style fascinates him; players are sticking it in your face and testing your resolve rather than simply calling off badly. His main event run ended brutally on day four when he got pocket aces all-in preflop against pocket queens, and a queen came on the river. He takes it philosophically, noting it mirrors a 2004 WPT Championship hand where the exact same outcome happened — aces losing to queens with a queen on the river. Josh credits his good fortune throughout his poker career and reminds himself that he still had chips after the cooler, so he could keep fighting.
Misplaying Against Annette and Life Lessons
Josh reveals his bigger regret came later when he misplayed a hand against Annette Obrestad with 7-7 in the blinds. He raised three and a half blinds from the small blind, and when Annette shoved for roughly 20 big blinds, Josh snap-called before the dealer even finished announcing the bet. The issue wasn't the decision itself — it was that he didn't give himself time to think it through, reverting to old habits of moving too fast. Josh emphasizes he's comfortable making bad decisions, but only if he's actually deliberated. This hand bothered him far more than the aces losing because he had agency and wasted it. He resolves to use his time banks and actually think, a simple but crucial discipline he'd let slip.
Hall of Fame Aspirations and Vegas Life
Josh discusses his Poker Hall of Fame status, acknowledging he's on the edge of the conversation but outside it currently. With eight bracelets, he'd need just a couple more to enter serious consideration, especially compared to the top candidates like Shawn, Siver, and Jason Koon who have deeper resumes. He's chasing both more bracelets and another Player of the Year title — he won in 2021 and loves competing on leaderboards. Looking ahead, Josh plans to late-register the €20,000 super high roller and potentially play the €1,500 European Circuit Championship before heading to the €8,400 GG Millions event. He credits his wife Rachel with keeping him sane after bad beats; she somehow absorbs more stress during his deep runs than he does. Living in Vegas near Daniel Negreanu, golfing daily, and building a tournament life there has been a dream realized.