A Quick Chat With Erik Seidel

As much as I would like to write about something else, it’s impossible to ignore the buzz being generated inside the Rio Convention Center by today’s $50,000 HORSE event. I caught up with Erik Seidel on his way into the tournament room twenty minutes before the event was scheduled to begin.

SR: Do you think the HORSE event merits consideration as the new world championship?
ES: I think there was a need for a higher buy-in event that spread a variety of games. I’m not sure these are the best games. I’d like to see one with all no-limit and pot-limit games. Or I’d like to see a $100,000 buy-in at the World Series. This will do for now. The only problem with it is that it’s a pretty small group of people who play these games. So is it a test of the best players in the world? It’s a test amongst those players. But it is an exciting event. I know a lot of the big players are excited about it so it should be fun.

SR: What do you think about them making the final table all no-limit hold’em?
ES: I like that idea. I think it’s great.

SR: I asked Doyle [Brunson] about it and he called it a made-for-TV event.
ES: I don’t know. The limit players—and I don’t count Doyle amongst them because he plays no-limit great also—a lot of the limit players complained about the no-limit final table, but that’s just another game. They’re playing the limit games, and they have to finish playing no-limit. Yes, it for TV, but then again I think people would be pretty bored if they had to watch stud eight-or-better or razz on TV. So I think it’s a good idea.

SR: How many players do you think will enter today’s event?
ES: 150

SR: That’s the over/under that Mike Matusow set.
ES: Oh, really. Well, I already bet under 85 so… [Laughs] …it’s already over for me.