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LAS VEGAS, NV (November 9, 2010) – John Racener, Jr., the spiky-haired, bubble-gum blowing 24-year-old poker phenom started the biggest day of his life last Saturday at the In-and-Out Burger, buying 50 value meals. This action wouldn't satiate his hunger to advance to the final table in the World Series of Poker, but it would help the people who relied on a Las Vegas shelter for their daily sustenance. Racener has come to believe that with success comes responsibility, and in this case, he wanted to be a worthy ambassador for the world of poker.
While Racener bought and distributed food to the Casa de Luz food shelter on Saturday, his Twitter following grew by more than 550 people. Then, calmly, methodically and patiently, he played out his hands and watched others stumble in a 14-hour marathon poker match. At stake was an extraordinary $8.9-million prize, and Racener oulasted seven other opponents to advance to the final table. Faster than a dealer flipping an ace, the offers began pouring in from prospective new sponsors seeking to join his first sponsor, GetFein.com, the long-lasting energy crystal for beverages, and the Cardrunners.com online gaming site.
For Monday Night's World Series of Poker finale, Racener held just 14 percent of the chips in play at the Penn and Teller Room of the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino. Despite playing a conservative style that prolonged the inevitable, he was unable to overcome his Canadian opponent, Jonathan Duhamel. Racener left the Game Room with winnings of $5.5 million.
“Give credit to Jonathan. He played a strong tournament,” he said afterward.
Racener was a heavy underdog scratching and clawing to earn a seat with the November Nine, yet alone make it to the final table. Still, he maintains a confident demeanor that cannot be bluffed. Outwardly, he sips an energy drink and gives his gum a workout, but behind the oversized sunglasses, there's some intense machinations that evaluate multiple strategies in a split second preceding each decision. Over a long haul, many players show cracks in their veneer, but not Racener.
Racener said keeping focused during a 14-hour battle, such as the one last Saturday, is essential because “one slip-up, and you could be out. It's high stakes, without mistakes.”
His secret weapon? “Fein crystals allow me to stay alert and in the zone, and the time you need help the most is the later stages of the tournament,” he said. “The intensity can be brutal.”
He says he uses a Fein packet before play starts, and depending how he feels, mixes another one into his cranberry juice two to four hours after.
Sometimes, the odds and the cards are too much to overcome. Despite last night's setback, Racener remains confident he can be a positive influence.
“Since I was a kid, I wanted to bring a young, rock star aura to poker,” said the phenom they call J-Money. “I got to the November Nine, and eight of us were in our twenties. Pretty cool.”
Racener learned the in and outs of the game from his dad, John Sr., and took naturally to the excitement of the duel of wits, the bluffing and the intensity of the game. His father passed away two years ago, yet the inspiration he gave burns deeply each time he takes a seat. He knows that if it's possible, his dad is stealing a peek at every hand.
He's no saint. He rolls with a group of friends straight out of the hit TV series, "Entourage." His interests include pretty women and fast cars. But Racener says he aims to be a true ambassador for the world of poker, continue his charitable work on behalf of children's centers in Tampa and in support of Bad Beat on Cancer. Mostly, he wants to continue on his quest to be the best in poker.
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