Monday, February 12, 2018 11:34 PM Local Time
Alfred Karlsson Picks Up a Ring, USD $86,067 in Souvenirs
Swedish grinder scores first live victory on holiday in South Florida
South Florida is one of the most popular leisure destinations in the US. That appeal extends across the ocean, too. Holiday-seeking Europeans are frequently among the patrons roaming the halls of casinos and card rooms in the region.
Last season, a handful of Lithuanian players came to Florida and took the Palm Beach Kennel Club event by storm. They were on vacation and stumbled across a major tournament series, which is easy enough to do in this state. They were in attendance for the duration, littering the results with deep runs. One of them won a ring.
The venue and the flag have changed this time around, but the story is following a similar script.
Alfred Karlsson flew to Florida with his friends from Sweden, seeking some fun in the sun amid the Scandinavian winter. He’ll leave with a suitcase full of money and a WSOP Circuit ring.
The Swede outlasted a field of 1,766 entries in the $365 multi-flight event, winning the top payout of $86,067. It’s his first victory in his first appearance on the traveling tour.
Karlsson, 24, primarily plays the game online. “I don’t really like live poker,” he said. “It’s too slow.” He smiled and added, “Maybe now I’ll start liking it a bit more.”
Live tournaments can be grueling, and that was certainly the case in this one. Although scheduled to finish on Sunday, that goal ended up being unattainable. Karlsson and Karthik Ramakrishnan battled heads-up for hours before calling it a night around 4:30 a.m.
The two finalists returned Monday for an unscheduled Day 3, and it took about 90 more minutes of play for Karlsson to secure the ring. It’s his first live tournament victory on any tour, let alone the WSOP Circuit.
“I wasn’t going to play any poker.” Karlsson said of his vacation plans. “But I ended up doing it… I don’t regret it.”