Among the bedlam of friends, family, and fans at the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas preparing to watch the 2009 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event final table unfold is PocketFives.com member Jonathan FieryJustice Little (pictured at right). The Las Vegas poker pro is rooting on Steven Begleiter, whom fans are ardently chanting for every five minutes leading up to the “Shuffle Up and Deal” command. PocketFives.com sat down with Little to get his thoughts on the day’s festivities.
The gates to the Penn and Teller Theater at the Rio opened at 11:08am PT today and players took to their seats one hour and 18 minutes later amid a packed house. Pre-game festivities included WSOP Main Event Hostess Lacey Jones interviewing Dennis Phillips and 2008 champ Peter Eastgate (pictured at left) and Barry Shulman being presented with his WSOP Europe gold bracelet. The national anthem of the United States was then played. As the Doyle Brunson-given starting command approached, chants of “USA” echoed throughout the theater.

Meanwhile, ESPN announcers Norman Chad and Lon McEachern recorded their opening segment on a platform to the right of the main stage. During the taping, audience members were asked to be silent so that viewers of the cable station could understand the two poker commentators. This ignited even louder cheers of “Go Cada” and other exclamatory remarks. A moment of silence was held for Hans Lund, the runner-up in the 1990 WSOP Main Event who passed away two days ago.

PocketFives.com: It’s great seeing you here at the Penn and Teller Theater. Why are you rooting for Steve Begleiter?

Little: I’ve been helping him out for a while and he’s a good guy.

PocketFives.com: What are you expecting to see pan out today given Darvin Moon’s commanding chip lead over the rest of the table?

Little: Some of the short stacks are going to bust like they do at every final table and Moon will probably sit around and do nothing.

PocketFives.com: Were you surprised at Moon’s run of cards as the action played out on ESPN?

Little: Not really. Someone gets good hands in every tournament and they usually end up as the chip leader regardless of what else happens.

PocketFives.com: We notice that you have a front row seat on stage to watch the action. How did you swing that?

Little: I’m the man, of course.

PocketFives.com: What’s next on your live tournament schedule?

Little: I think there’s a WSOP Circuit Event in Lake Tahoe I might go to. I’m also headed to the Bellagio for the World Poker Tour tournament there next month.

PocketFives.com: You just bought a new house in Las Vegas, right?

Little: I’ve had the house for about six months after moving out of my condo. It’s going really great. I have a putting green in the backyard, but I don’t golf. It was the same price as regular grass, so you might as well.

PocketFives.com: What’s next for you?

Little: To be the best. I have to try to work on cash games because I think if I lack anything, it’s the deep stack part of the tournament. I just want to be the best I can be.

PocketFives.com: The cards are about to be in the air. Give Begleiter some last-minute words of advice.

Little: Don’t do anything ridiculous.