Bernard Lee, ESPN Staff Writer 10y

Newhouse gets a second chance

Poker

Ever since its inception in 2008, making the World Series of Poker November Nine has become every poker player's dream. To attain this pinnacle, one must navigate through a field of 6,000-7,000 players and focus nonstop for seven grueling days of play. Year after year, nine players achieve this monumental accomplishment and earn the opportunity to represent their family, friends and country at the most coveted final table in the game.

Making last year's November Nine, North Carolina native Mark Newhouse felt a sense of redemption after a meteoric rise. In 2006, the then-21-year-old poker pro won the World Poker Tour Borgata Poker Open main event for over $1.5 million. After years of self-professed poor bankroll management and personal challenges, Newhouse found himself in a difficult situation, financially and mentally. His quest of redemption in 2013 turned into a recurring nightmare: He finished ninth.

"As far as what the worst place is to finish emotionally, I used to think it was tenth, because you're right there at the final table bubble. But now I think ninth is even worse just because you actually do take this four-month break, come back and then it's just over," recalled Newhouse.

"Being short stacked [entering the 2013 final table], I tried to tell myself that whatever happens, happens, and tried not to give myself any expectations to not allow myself to be let down ... but it was so disappointing. It was more devastating than I thought it would be."

After his elimination from the 2013 WSOP main event, Newhouse wanted to forget about the experience. That proved to be an equally difficult challenge. His newfound celebrity would not allow the quiet he desired as people recognized him and continually complimented him on his success.

The accomplishment became more of a burden than a joy.

"After the final table, I didn't want to talk to anybody," he said. "But so many random people ... would come up to me and congratulate me and try to talk to me about it. And it was really the absolute last subject I ever wanted to talk about. They mean well, they're trying to reach out in a positive way, but after a while it got aggravating. You don't want to hear about it anymore. ... Let's pretend that it never happened. It was a disaster."

For the next several months, the Los Angeles transplant had difficulty focusing on his profession and began another downswing in his regular $80/$160 and $100/$200 limit cash games at the Commerce Casino. The memory of his near-miss still haunted him.

"I had a shot to really change my life, and now I'm still stuck back starting over doing the same thing," he said.

As the 2014 WSOP approached, Newhouse decided to head back to Vegas.

"The two years before [the final table] I spent a lot of the summer in LA and missed a lot of the World Series," he said. "I decided this year that I wouldn't do that again. I was going to spend the majority of my summer in Vegas and play a lot of tournaments. I did that this year."

Although he had blanked on all 17 WSOP preliminary events in 2014, he surprisingly had a solid mindset entering the main event.

"I was feeling good even after having not a great summer in tournaments," he said. "I was 0-for-17, but I was actually doing well playing cash games at Bellagio. I think I was close to break-even for the summer. So it's not like I was super demoralized.

"Toward the end of the Series, I would start buying into the $1,000s and $1,500s after dinner break, not really taking them all that seriously. But entering the main event, I was more prepared to take it seriously since I made it last year."

After an exhausting and nerve-racking experience last year, Newhouse just enjoyed playing in the event.

"I felt very differently this time," he said. "Last year, I felt a lot of pressure. Every hand, I was very stressed out. I really wanted to make it. This year, while really the stakes were even higher, as people say it's a big deal to make it twice, I really just didn't let it get to me. I was just playing poker, having fun, felt very relaxed. No real expectations and just trying to have fun."

After finishing Day 1 with a starting stack, Newhouse didn't expect to survive long, noting that he felt he would be eliminated early on Day 2. Suddenly he began accumulating chips. At the end of Day 5, he bagged up 7.4 million chips and was the chip leader with only 79 players remaining. Suddenly, making back-to-back November Nines, something no other player had ever done previously, seemed feasible.

"Once I got to Day 5 and got to be chip leader, it started seeming a lot more realistic that I could get down there again. Also, I had chips this year, which I never really did last year."

The curse of making last year's November Nine may have become a blessing as Newhouse's previous experience allowed him to run over tables without the added pressure of making his first November Nine. The lethal combination of being in this position last year, having a huge chip lead, watching the remaining players desperate to make it and owning a laid back personality, created a dream situation.

"I think the experience of already being there did help and I think that is part of the reason why I was relaxed," said Newhouse. "Making the November Nine is like a dream for most poker players. And I've already done it. I'm just playing poker. I could really take advantage of players trying to squeeze in. It just worked out for me."

The final 27 players returned on Day 7. Twenty-six did their best to keep their emotions in check. One sat calmly in his seat.

"For me it was 'just another Day 7.' For others, every single pay jump, there were people stalling," he said. "They wanted to make sure they made the next jump, make it to the final table. That's what I was doing last year. And it's easy to take advantage of. It's very hard for them to play back at me when I have all the chips."

The 2014 November Nine bubble was the polar opposite of last year. In 2013, Newhouse was the short stack and barely made it through via a key double up versus Sylvain Loosli. This year, he was in excellent position and sent the tournament on a four-month break as his pocket fives held against Luis Velador's pocket fours.

As the bubble burst, the celebration commenced. Bruno Politano's Brazilian rail exploded while the other November Niners' friends rushed their respective players. As for Newhouse, he just wanted to go home.

"I was trying to sneak out as quickly as possible," he said. "As soon as it happened, everybody was coming after me with tape recorders. I had a big group of guys holding microphones and asking me questions. I guess I'm the celebrity this year."

Newhouse became the first player since Dan Harrington to make back-to-back final tables in 2003 and 2004.

"To be honest, I'm trying not to put too much thought into it, just to not have too many expectations and have a big disappointment," he said of his second final table appearance. "Mostly I'm just relaxing, getting organized, doing nothing, being lazy. Just trying not to stress myself over anything, not really thinking much about the final table. I have not played a single hand of poker since the final table. I am planning on going to Australia just for the WSOP-APAC and that will probably be the only poker I play."

With less than two months until the final table, redemption is once again right around the corner.

"If last year's finishing ninth was a good accomplishment, and as far as I'm concerned, one of the worst things that could ever happen, then this [year] is absolutely a chance to redeem it. ... Now I still have a lot of people coming up to me congratulating me, but it's a little different. Now, at least it's something I can feel good about."

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