Over the weekend, Patrick pleno1Leonard (pictured) took down the PokerStars Sunday $100 Rebuy outright for $52,000. Impressively, he has now final tabled every Sunday Major that PokerStars offers: the Sunday Million, Sunday Warm-Up, Sunday $100 Rebuy, Sunday 500, and Sunday Second Chance. It’s no wonder that Leonard is ranked #6 worldwide on our site.

PocketFives: Congrats on the Sunday $100 Rebuy win. How are you feeling about it?

Patrick Leonard: I am feeling pretty good. It was the last Sunday Major I hadn’t final tabled on Stars. I final tabled it a few months ago and went in 2/9. I 5bet folded a flop and killed my stack. I really wanted to redeem that. I had one of the best players in the world on my direct left and he was the chip leader, so I was a big underdog, but that made it all the more fun.

PocketFives: You beat PocketFiver Zaureos(pictured below) heads-up, who had a ton of success last week in the Majors as well. Tell us about his play and how heads-up went.

Patrick Leonard: I actually had him pegged as a small- and mid-stakes guy with great results, so I assumed this was a huge deal for him. Four-handed, I really went after him and then heads-up when we both clicked the deal button, I asked for more than ICM. He flat out refused, so I had big respect for that at the time.

I ran very well heads-up and didn’t run him over or anything like that. I two-outted him for most of the chips; he got very unlucky. Often when you get short-handed with smaller-stakes regs, you have to at least consider that their backer has taken over for them and I initially thought that, but afterwards I checked his results and he has been doing very well lately. I have huge respect for Portuguese players and it’s very possible he’s the next Naza114!

PocketFives: You’re at #6 worldwide in the PocketFives Rankings. How important are the Rankings to you?

Patrick Leonard: At the start of the year, I gave up MTTs, was about to delete my PocketFives account, and wanted to go back to cash games. I don’t take drugs in real life, I don’t drink too much, and I don’t really gamble. The three weeks I took off from MTTs must have been similar to a drug addict in rehab. I’m back to stay now and will be chasing Big Huni to get my #1 spot back.

PocketFives: What was going on that made you want to quit? Why did you ultimately decide to come back?

Patrick Leonard: I never planned to fall in love with MTTs; it was purely by accident. I started and just couldn’t stop. I’m a cash game player and decided that after I made #1 on PocketFives, I’d go back to Zoom.

Part of the reason I came back was because of the improved structures at the WSOP this year. I had no intention of going, but now I’m going from Event #1 through to the Main Event and will be trying to bring a bracelet back home. Playing a lot of tournaments, including SCOOP, EPT Monte Carlo, and EPT Malta, will be good preparation. I’ve told myself that after July I’ll go back to cash games properly, but who knows.

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