October Nine Jesse Sylvia Leading The Pack

Just three years ago Jesse Sylvia first started playing poker during the last year of high school, but now stands on the brink of WSOP glory as he enters the final table with an impressive chip lead.
Interestingly, Sylvia says his good friend Russell Thomas was instrumental in taking his poker game to the next level. Coincidentally, Thomas also managed to make it past the 6,598 player field to become one of the October Nine and the two friends currently have a running joke as to who is the best player. Despite a bit of gentle ribbing, the 24 year old from Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts acknowledges the part his poker mentor has played in his success, and commented:
“I am a huge, huge believer in the idea that the people in your life make you rich. If you have really good people around you and great relationships with those you care about, you just feel good. Everything just becomes more amazing.”
While still a senior at college, Jesse Sylvia says he tried his hand at online poker and before long had run his deposit up to $8,000. Things got even better for the young pro after satelliting PokerStars $200 Sunday Million and coming 3rd worth over $100,000 after a deal was agreed.
Six months later, however, after deciding to play full time Jesse Sylvia soon ran into trouble playing Pot-Limit Omagha and went from a $30,000 upswing to a $60,000 downswing and before long had just $10,000 remaining in his online poker account.
That was the lowest point in his poker career, but Sylvia has since gone on to carve out a lucrative career for himself playing live $10-$20 cash games for up to 60 hours each week. As far as live tournaments go, Sylvia had four cashes worth $23,777 before  guaranteeing himself a minimum of $754,798 for reaching the 2012 WSOP Main Event final table. With an $8.5 million prize awaiting the eventual winner, this has certainly got to qualify as a high point in the now Las Vegas resident’s blossoming career.