The slowroll. You don’t see it that often in big-time poker events anymore, but when you do, hoo boy. It is considered one of the most unsportsmanlike things one can do at a poker table, frowned upon by just about everyone except the slowroller. But hey, if you’re going to try to put your opponent on tilt, slowrolling can be quite effective, if you are willing to live with the reputational consequences.
On Wednesday, eight-time World Series of Poker bracelet winner Benny Glaser was looking for his ninth on the final table bubble of the WSOP Paradise $25,000 Super Main Event. Finding himself as one of the short stacks, though with a couple competitors significantly shorter, Glaser decided to shove pre-flop for 89.5 million chips with A-Q after a raise to 8 million by Terrance Reid and a re-raise to 21 million by Eric Wasserson.
Reid folded, which put the action on Wasserson, who had pocket Aces. That would normally be cause for a snap call, but for whatever reason, Wasserson asked the dealer to count Glaser’s chips. He also double-checked his cards, which, sure, might as well, just to be safe.
He then tanked for a short time, counting out his chips. Wasserson finally called, and Glaser was not happy, to say the least. Of course, he was upset that Wasserson had him dominated, but he was visibly more perturbed that he got slowrolled.
The community cards were dealt and Glaser was eliminated in 10th place for $665,875.
In a brief interview with the WSOP’s Jeff Platt afterward, Wasserson said he didn’t immediately call Glaser’s all-in because he was considering the pay jump. And that is not incorrect – the difference between 10th and 9th place is nearly $200,000. He added that there was a short stack at another table, so he believes he should have used some time banks to delay some more, implying that he would have liked said short stack to be eliminated before he called.
At the same time, Wasserson would not have been knocked out had he lost the hand. And, obviously, he knew he had pocket Aces and was therefore a sizeable favorite to win heads-up against Glaser no matter what Glaser had. Thus, asking for a count and going into a minor tank does seem overboard.
Wasserson insisted that there was no malice behind the slowroll and that it was not personal against Glaser, and admitted that he ultimately had to call.
As of this writing, Eric Wasserson is 5th in chips at the final table with eight players remaining.
