Poker News Daily: Is this your first World Series of Poker (WSOP)?
Lemke: This is my first year. I had played in a Circuit Event in Atlantic City, but this is my first WSOP.
PND: You just took down the $5,000 buy-in No Limit Hold’em tournament (Event #15) for your first WSOP bracelet. Was that the first event you played?
Lemke: No. I played in two other events, but went 0-2. Now, I am 1-3.
PND: The $5,000 buy-in tournament featured a pretty strong field. What motivated you to play in it as opposed to entering more of the $1,500 buy-in events?
Lemke: I came out here with the intention of playing all of the No Limit events that I could. I’ve already signed up for the Main Event. I just like the structure better. You start with more chips and that’s more my style of play. I didn’t sign up until the tournament started and almost didn’t even play in it because we were out the night before and I didn’t feel too well the next morning. I decided to sign up and I guess things went well.
PND: You’re an online poker player. Do you typically play the deep-stack tournaments or stick to the Sunday majors?
Lemke: I play the Sunday majors and a few heads-up tournaments. Lately, I haven’t really been playing much online, but I’ve been hanging around a lot of online poker pros. It’s great because I’m around them and can just listen to them talk strategy. I’ve picked up so much information. They’re all younger guys and I’m 32. It’s good to hang out with them and they’re smart kids. They know what they’re doing and know what they’re talking about.
PND: Did they give you any tips heading into the last day of play in the $5,000 buy-in No Limit Hold’em event?
Lemke: I talk strategy with Mark Herm, who is known as “dipthrong” online. He’s actually staying in the hotel with me right now and we always talk strategy. I’ve learned so much from him. Mark is from the same area as I am and he’s one of the smartest kids I know. He didn’t want to tell me strategy while I was playing; he just wanted me to do my thing. After every big hand, I’d talk to him and ask if I made the right play. He’s great encouragement for me and he’s part of this as much as I am.
PND: Was the hand when you crippled Billy “Patrolman35” Kopp the point where you felt like you could take down the bracelet or did you have it in your mind before then?
Lemke: Anything can happen heads-up. I’ve in played heads-up tournaments where I was really short-stacked, but came back and won. Once I got to the point where Fabian Quoss and I were about even in chips or I had a slight lead, I felt pretty confident. I knew we were both tired; I was pretty groggy and he was pretty groggy. I had a rowdy crowd and I think that helped me out. I took advantage of the situation because I think he just wanted to get to bed. He’s a great player and I don’t want to take anything away from him, but I think he called a little thin just to try to get it over with. Unfortunately, I sucked out, but I’ll take it.
PND: Play wrapped up late on Day 2 and started early on Day 3, making the tournament a true test of mental and physical endurance. You put on a Shronk shirt. Did that help you get through it?
Lemke: Once we went to the break, I really felt like I had a chance and wanted to put the shirt on. We’re on television and I wanted to show people back home that I’m here in honor of Justin Shronk. I felt pretty confident and the players were pretty assertive at the table. I was the old man at the table and the average age was 25.
