On Wednesday, May 31, Chad Eveslage signed up for the $1,500 Dealers Choice event at the 2023 World Series of Poker. From the first orbit on, his game of choice was Badeucy, a split pot, triple draw game in which half of the pot goes to the best Deuce-to-Seven hand, and half to the best Badugi hand.
Eveslage didn’t stop calling Badeucy as his game of choice for six straight days.
By the end of the night on Day 3 of the $10,000 Dealers Choice Championship, Eveslage did something only two players in the modern era of the World Series of Poker have ever done – won the $10,000 Championship event of a non-No Limit Hold’em format, and the $1,500 version, in the same year.
Since 2009, when the WSOP established the $10,000 Championship event format, only Benny Glaser (2016, Omaha Hi-Lo) and Greg Mueller (2009, Limit Hold’em) have done the same.
Eveslage pulled it off in a format in which he was theoretically playing some of the best mixed game players in the world at their best game, for two full tournament runs. Evidently, his aptitude in Badeucy and every game that was called in front of him was enough to carry him through to a pair of victories – his second and third career WSOP bracelets, respectively. He collected a combined $443,307 in prize money for his pair of victories.
Six straight days of Badeucy is a lot for anyone – anyone, that is, except for Eveslage.
“Probably less hands actually, as weird as that sounds, because I’m usually playing it online,” Eveslage said of his volume of hands compared to his busiest times playing the game. “But in live poker, definitely – like I mean, every round, I was just calling it.”
To be clear, Eveslage has proven many times over that he’s competent in a wide variety of games. Since the start of 2021, he has two World Poker Tour titles to his name, along with the three WSOP bracelets. In 2022, he won $1,415,610 in the WSOP’s $25,000 8-Handed No Limit Hold’em event, his biggest career result to date.
During this particular history-making run, one of the things that was most clear was how much fun Eveslage was having at the table, and how loose the vibes at his tables seemed to be. Eveslage has said on multiple occasions that mixed game tournaments are a particular favorite because of the players he gets to sit, chat, and play with over the course of an event.
“It’s really enjoyable. Like, I mean, me and Gordo [Mike Gorodinsky], I’ve played a lot online with him, but we haven’t played much live,” said Eveslage. “My mom actually commented, because one of the reporters made it look like I was cussing at him, but it was like a joke. It looked in print like I was picking a fight with this guy.
“And then I played with John Hennigan, which was fun, too. I haven’t played too much with him. He’s a character. I mean, I’ve never played with somebody like him. He’s a complete alien, but like, in the best way ever.”
Whether it was Eveslage’s incredulity at what he’d just accomplished, or just a general worldview of the state of things, Eveslage continued to circle back to a thought that AI and technology are about to swallow society whole. Upon considering an opportunity to match Adam Friedman’s back-to-back-to-back Dealers Choice $10K wins, Eveslage wondered aloud if there would even be two more WSOPs to make it happen.
Regardless of his sincerity in such bleak potentialities, Eveslage was certainly satisfied with his back-to-back victorious performances.
“This is like 10% going to be the last World Series to ever happen,” Eveslage said. “You know, I’ve got to make the most of it while it’s here. Where’s my head at? Yeah, nice to get a win. Nice to get some of this before we all merge with machines.”