HomeNewsWorld Series of Poker

As it does every year, the 2016 World Series of Poker Main Event attracted all kinds of characters. William Kassouf was one among essentially the most vibrant within the field, using every opportunity he needed to let his voice be heard in what he deemed "speech play."

Love him or hate him, Kassouf's verbal antics were a part of his poker strategy. Time and time again, Kassouf would use his chatter to place his opponents on edge and out in their comfort zone. Inside the event, several players made comments about Kassouf's act, but none more so than Griffin Benger with 17 players left within the tournament.

"This is verbal abuse!" shouted Benger in a hand against Kassouf at the main stage, pointing on the Brit from around the table.

On the feature table, surrounded by bright lights and cameras at every turn, Benger opened the action from the under-the-gun position to 875,000. The blinds were 200,000/400,000/50,000, and Kassouf opted to three-bet to 2.3 million from the hijack seat. Play then moved back to Benger.

"Griffin Benger raised under the gun, I three-bet, he four-bes, and i am now giving him the speech to make myself look weak," Kassouf recalled after the hand was over. "He was counting out chips, he was looking like he desired to four-bet. He was taking his time over it. I said, 'I've got a large quit here.' I USED TO BE the television crew and that i said, 'Anyone know the way many miles from here to Hollywood?' As though he's Hollywooding and he isn't really going to four-bet me. But I DO KNOW he will four-bet, I DO KNOW he's got a large hand."

Benger then four-bet to 5.6 million.

The chatter from Kassouf continued as he went into the tank. He was sitting there with pocket kings, and it was all an act to fireside up Benger and hopefully make him call off after he shoved.

"I've got a monster hand, I AM HOPING he has ace-king or queens, probably the most two," Kassouf said. "If he's got aces, it's an absolute cooler. If he has ace-king or queens, I'm making myself look weak."

All while he was within the tank, Kassouf was actually the only Hollywooding what he could only think it was a hand that will prove in his favor. After all, he had two kings, the second one best starting hand in Texas hold'em, and he knew that his antics fired up players enough that they might play back at him with weaker hands.

Kassouf kept at it because the time ticked away, and at last Benger called the clock on him, he said. As though that wasn't enough drama in this epic stage, things escalated and so they escalated quickly.

Benger snapped. He began yelling at Kassouf from around the table as his face turned more red with every word launched from his mouth. He started with the verbal abuse exclamation and kept going, yelling and pointing at Kassouf with a fury.

"I said, 'OK, let's gamble, I'm all in,'" Kassouf said. "He snap-called, he's got aces, and the remainder is history."

The snap-call from Benger was another ferocious moment in an effort to be fully entertained when the episode airs on ESPN within the coming months. Benger jumped from his chair, slamming down the at the table, and storming across the feature table stage in enraged excitement.

"Whatever happens, my life is sweet"! Benger yelled out, pacing backward and forward before settling within the arms of these on his rail.

Kassouf turned over the and, like he said, the remaining was history.

The flop, turn, and river were void of a king, coming , and Kassouf was eliminated in 17th place. That hand put Benger as much as nearly 34 million in chips, and he would go directly to reach the general table with 26.175 million and seventh at the leaderboard.

"I've been here just about every year, although I missed it last year, and that i came back this year," Kassouf said in an empty hallway after his elimination. "It's my first WSOP cash, and what did I cash for, $338,000? It's my first profit the WSOP, so I'll take that i am. the only who is going home laughing instead of these types of other Americans. I say, 'Well played, thanks for coming to the opposite 6,720-odd that parted their way with $10,000. Thanks for that to spice up the prize pool."

Indeed, Kassouf scooped $338,288 for the finish, easily his largest live tournament score to this point and on the subject of double his career live tournament earnings.

"No regrets," Kassouf added. "I played solid inside the tournament. I had a technique coming in that days one to a few I'D JUST play as a satellite. Literally just get throughout the first three days to the money, little need to make moves, grind it out, and prefer I said, on Day 3 before the cash I had 45K, which was under starting stack and that i still managed to cash. I got through to Day 4, Day 5, Day 6, made it through to Day 7, and finally finished 17th for $338,000 and played it like a tournament from Day 4 on and crushed every table I payed. So thoroughly enjoyed it, no mistakes, no regrets. I played my A-game and gave 'em hell."

Want to stick atop the entire latest within the poker world? If so, remember to get PokerNews updates in your social media outlets. Follow us on Twitter and find us on both Facebook and Google+!

PokerNews.com is the world's leading poker website. Among other things, visitors will discover a daily dose of articles with the newest poker news, live reporting from tournaments, exclusive videos, podcasts and such a lot more.

PokerStars is the most important online poker room offering the largest amount of poker games and different game variations including Texas Hold'em, Omaha and other popular poker games. By joining PokerStars you'll be able to easily learn the entire poker rules and poker strategy by playing free poker games. Join PokerStars and revel in prime quality online poker.

Read More... [Source: PokerNews]