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Last year, Brian Hastings earned his first WSOP bracelet in the $10,000 Heads-Up No-Limit Hold'em event. Hastings also has two previous cashes in Omaha Hi-Low 8-or-Better events, finishing 16th in the $5,000 buy-in last year and 37th in the $1,500 buy-in just last week. With previous success in Omaha tournaments, it's no surprise that Hastings sits near the top of the leaderboard at the final table of this event. PokerNews' Pamela Maldonado spoke with Hastings during the break.
In May you cashed mostly in no-limit Hold’em events online but have had more success at the World Series of Poker with Omaha events. Which game do you prefer and do you prefer live or online?
I think these days I like playing mixed games more than I like playing hold’em. I’ve just played so much no-limit hold’em in my life that it’s become repetitive. I’ve probably played a couple million hands in just hold’em so right now I prefer mixed games. The other games are just newer and fresher and additionally I generally other players are worse at those games. You know, they are just games that people have spent as much time learning compared to no-limit hold’em. There is a lot of strategy content for no limit: training sites, books, and forums. There’s significantly less on mixed games. It’s the kind of thing where few people put in a lot of work off the tables, therefore not too many people know how to play at optimum level.
You have a pretty stacked table. How comfortable do you feel playing against some of the toughest competitors?
I feel very, very comfortable. I’ve played a lot of cash games with Rob Mizrachi back in Florida. He’s a very good player but there aren’t really any issues there. Otherwise, I feel pretty good about myself against the field.
Do you think an amateur winning the event is more or less impactful than a professional winning?
It depends what event. It’s a cooler story that gets more attention if Phil Ivey wins three bracelets than if three different amateurs win one bracelet. It depends on the situation, the event, and who it is. Either way, both can be good for the game.
and George check-called a bet from Hastings. The turn was the 
and George checked again. Hastings fired once more and George called. The 
hit the river and it went check, bet, call once more.
with a pair of aces which was good for the high. George showed 
for the same low and the two chopped the low, resulting in George being quartered. With this win, Hastings is now up to 735,000.
hit the turn and both players checked to see the 
complete the board. Hastings fired another bet and this time Kargen folded.
for a straight and the nut low. Lenaghan tabled 
before the cards were picked up and placed into the muck. Hastings was able to scoop and eliminate Lenaghan from play.
, giving Lisandro a full house of queens full of sevens for the high. He also won the low with his eight-seven and was able to secure the triple.
. George led and Hanson raised all in. George called the bet.
and the river the 
and George check-called another bet. He did the same after the 
for the nut low and took down the low of the main pot.
and Hastings checked. Fuhs continued out and Mizrachi raised. Hastings called only to have Fuhs come back over the top with three bets. Mizrachi folded his cards and Hastings called.
for trip nines and a sixty-four which was good enough for the scoop.