2013 WSOP Europe: WSOP.com Qualifier Nick Rosen Turned $5 into a �10,450 Seat
Two weeks ago, Nick Rosen didn��t own a passport. Born and raised in New York, the father of three, Aria table games dealer, and self-proclaimed ��normal guy�� had never been outside of the United States before this week. Now, after winning the $215 mega satellite to the 2013 World Series of Poker Europe Main Event on WSOP.com, Rosen, who defeated a field of 56 and earned an additional $3,000 in spending money, is now more than 5,000 miles away from home playing in a �10,450 buy-in tournament.
Rosen didn't plan on playing the mega satellite until he won a $5 super satellite, and even after winning the mega, he wasn��t sure if he wanted to fly all the way to France.
��I was thinking about taking the cash,�� said Rosen on the second break of Day 1b. ��But this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. You have to take a shot sometimes, and I��m glad I did. Everything��s top notch here.��
Rosen says that he��s played poker on and off for the last 20 years, and as soon as WSOP.com launched he jumped right into the action.
��The first morning, I was in,�� said Rosen. ��I won the first Sunday major. It feels good to be back in the game.��
Nearly a month ago, PokerNews reported the results of the first major tournament held on WSOP.com. Sure enough, the winner of the $15,000 guarantee $215 buy-in event was ��NICKKK.�� He earned $4,350.
Rosen says he hasn��t visited any of the sights in Paris yet, and his French is a little shaky, but he��s focused on the task at hand.
��My main focus here is to play and hopefully go deep,�� he said. ��Score �C that��s the main objective.��
According to the Hendon Mob database, Rosen has never recorded a score in a tracked tournament, but there are two players at his table right now who have �C Benny Spindler and Jeff Madsen. Spindler won the Season 8 EPT London Main Event and has nearly $3.9 million in career tournament earnings. Jeff Madsen is a two-time WSOP bracelet winner, former WSOP Player of the Year champion, and has over $4 million in career tournament earnings.
Rosen isn��t phased by the superstars though, and not out of disrespect, but for a simpler reason.
��They��re just people,�� he said with a smile on his face. ��I deal to million-dollar players all the time, and they��re just people too. They might have an edge because they have experience, but I can hold my own.
As for expectations, Rosen is simply happy to have an opportunity to play in this event.
��I��m blessed,�� said Rosen. ��This is a freeroll.��
At the second break of Day 1b, Rosen had chipped up a bit to 31,500. PokerNews will keep an eye on him throughout the Main Event.
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