There is a sense of so near yet so far about my 12th place finish at the WSOP main event, but you have to keep in touch with reality. There was a starting field of 8,773, and I managed to last until the penultimate day. It’s the biggest payday of my career, so when you put it like that, you need to get things in perspective, I guess. But I can’t help thinking of what might have been. Anyway, what’s done is done.

My preparation consisted of playing online for around 20 hours a week. I gathered up enough winnings and decided I would have a shot at the main event again this year.