WSOP 2007: Bill Edler

Bill Edler has had a pretty good year in 2007, including a win in February in the $10,000 Heads-Up Championship at the Crystal Park Casino in Los Angles. We caught up with Bill at the dinner break on day two of the World Series of Poker $5,000 no-limit hold'em six-handed event (#45). Event #45 had started with 728 players and at the dinner break on day two, they were down to 22 players with a minimum cash of $22,000 to the remaining players. Bill Edler was in second place in chips with just over $600,000, while the average stack was right at $330,000.

Card Player: How has the 2007 World Series of Poker been for you so far?

Bill Edler: The World Series has been humbling, somewhere between humbling and humiliating. I will stick with humbling as I am still in this tournament; it has been quite an experience. I have misplayed quite a few hands, just generally zigged when I should have zagged. After thousands of hands, I could tell a couple of hand stories, but on balance I feel like I have gotten what I deserved, which is nothing. It is fun to be able to keep on plugging and to learn from my poor play. Here we are at 22 players and certainly one bracelet would turn it all around. Short of that, I am still kind of unhappy with what I have done so far.

CP: Are you playing more or less events than you had planned back on June first?

BE: I have slowed down a bit. We've been having some visa issues with my wife. We are going to Europe after the Series. So I have taken a few days off here and there. I have played plenty of tournaments, which is what makes it all the more humbling. It's not like the guy who comes in for three or four and doesn't get it done; that is a lot more reasonable. But I will keep my chin up; I'm still having fun.

CP: Your year up until the Series was going well.

BE: I had that one win (Crystal Park) but I also had four straight "almosts." LAPC, Bay 101, Borgata, and a 5K also at Borgata. Big tournaments that I just didn't bring home. You gotta get close to win, but the whole idea is to get close and then win. You remember how dejected I was in LA; actually I was maybe more tired than dejected.

[The finishes Bill refers to:

January - Borgata: $5,000 no-limit hold'em, 4th ($84,000)
January - Borgata: $10,000 hold'em, 13th ($55,000)
February - Crystal Park: $10,000 heads-up, 1st ($215,000)
February - Los Angeles Poker Classic: $10,000 hold'em, 7th ($189,000)
March - Bay 101 Shooting Star: $10,000 hold'em, 6th ($160,000)]

But this is something I love to do; even when I lose, I lead a blessed life. It's easy to keep things in perspective and never get too upset. I give my lovely wife and daughter most of the credit for that. It's a lot easier when other things in your life are straightened out and you can just think about poker. When I go home to my wonderful, loving wife, that puts it all right into perspective.

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