Jason Thomas from Toledo, Ohio, will be representing Noble Poker at the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas. 

Interview with Jason Thomas, Noble Poker player at the World Series of Poker

Jason Thomas won Noble Poker's WSOP Super Satellite on April 30, 2005 and will play in the $10,000 Main Event of the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas in July. Noble Poker will be following Jason's poker play, in hopes that he brings home the first prize, expected to be over $6 Million. Noble Poker interviewed Jason ahead of his trip to Las Vegas, which will be his first-ever.

NP: When did you first start playing poker?

Jason: When I was around 12 or 13, I started playing quite a bit with my relatives. I really didn't start playing seriously until 9 months ago.

NP: When did you first start playing poker online?

Jason: 9 months ago.

NP: Have you ever played at a mainland poker tournament?

Jason: I play in a weekly home tournament, but I plan to play a few real ones before the WSOP!

NP: Have you been to Las Vegas before?

Jason: No.

NP: Was it easy to win the qualifying tournament at Noble Poker?

Jason: I liked having a larger buy-in and a fairly small number or people. The competition was very tough when it got down to 3 or 4 people, but was easy enough before that to gather some chips.

NP: Any memorable moments at that tournament (specific hands you remember?)

Jason: At one point early in the tournament I played a terrible hand from the big blind where I flopped top pair + weak kicker. I stupidly checked and called all the way to the river and let someone draw to a straight relatively cheaply. At that point I was down to around 350 and the blinds were 50/100.

A couple of hands later I went all-in with AQ and I got 3 or 4 callers. My AQ holds up and I am back in the game. After that I vowed that I wouldn't play weak and scared anymore.

The final table was 3 handed for a very long time, which was very stressful. I was fortunate to have the chip lead by a large margin to be able to bully the other 2 players. Once it was heads-up, the other player started making a comeback. I wanted to try to end it quick, since I had a feeling I was probably out-matched. I had KT in the big blind. The flop was T82, I bet half the pot and get called. The turn was another T, and I bet half the pot again and was called. The river put a 3 flush on the board, but I hoped I was still ahead and went all-in and was called with 2 pair. I was really in shock that I won it and I still really can't believe it.

NP: Give us a little background about yourself.

Jason: I'm 34-years-old and living in Toledo, Ohio. I have a degree in Computer Science and Engineering from the University of Toledo. I work as a software developer. I am married with a 3-year-old daughter. I hope to make enough money from poker to enable me to quit my day job and start my own business.

Noble Poker wishes Jason Thomas good luck, and hope he wins the 2005 World Series of Poker!