Timothy Su Aims for Proficiency as He Nears the Final Table
As a recreational player with only $2,467 in lifetime tournament cashes, Timothy Su might seem like a long shot to win this year's WSOP Main Event. But the Boston-based software engineer has impressively wielded a big stack from start to finish, and, with over 100 million chips nearing the final table, he shows no signs of slowing down.
"I'm proud," he said of nimbly navigating the 8,569-player starting field. "When the big blind is the starting stack... to think that's what we all started with is unreal."
Originally from Allentown, Pennsylvania, Su is a self-professed "nerd" whose favorite pastimes—playing the oboe, reading, and listening to Tchaikovsky—might seem to be at odds with poker-playing. But nothing could be further from the truth for Su, who sees plenty of parallels between music, poker, and software engineering. "Fundamentally, you can treat everything with a mindset aimed at being proficient," he told PokerNews. "Practice, problem-solving, and thinking things through. Taking your time."
Su played poker casually in dorm room games at Northeastern University. After graduating, he was torn between a career as a musician and and as a software engineer. Eventually he settled on the latter path. But he kept playing music and—of course—poker as well.
Key Hands
Su got off to a blazing start in his first-ever Main Event. He finished Day 1a with 297,000 chips and was the Day 2ab chip leader. He kept accumulating chips and eliminating talented opponents. On Day 3, he busted high-stakes phenom Igor Kurganov in a set-over-set cooler. On Day 5, he busted three-time bracelet winner Brian Yoon with aces over Yoon's kings. And on Day 6, in a hand that the poker world is still buzzing about, he eliminated Sam Greenwood when he shoved all-in on the turn with a straight draw and got lucky on the river.
“There wasn’t much thought that honestly went into it,” Su said of his decision afterward. “It was near a pay jump and I thought he could have a lot of hands that he would probably bet-fold. When he flipped [two aces] over, I think he had one of the best hands to call it off with. So, kudos to him. And then the cards just determined where the money went.”
HOW HE GOT HERE
| Day | Chips | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1a | 297,300 | 2/1,334 |
| 2ab | 791,000 | 1/1,087 |
| 3 | 602,000 | 293/1,286 |
| 4 | 2,570,000 | 47/354 |
| 5 | 19,235,000 | 1/106 |
| 6 | 34,350,000 | 3/35 |
WHAT TO WATCH FOR
Throughout the tournament, Su has adopted a jovial, chatty demeanor at the tables. As the hand against Sam Greenwood demonstrates, he's also willing to take an aggressive, creative approach when the situation calls for it. Where does this mindset come from? Maybe it links to his background in music and improvisation. Or maybe, as an exuberant member of his rail called out, "He's a killer! Bracelet or bust!"
Hearing those words, Su shook his head and said, smiling, "I'm just trying to play well."