Beyond Fairy Tale? Norman Chad Among Leaders for Final Day of Event 25

Poker News / Short-Stacked Shamus / 16 June 2011 / Leave a Comment

"I slept on a bed of hundred-dollar bills to simulate winning the WSOP stud8 event today. Plus I prayed to my personal God that I could cash." So tweeted Norman Chad, the wisecracking co-host of ESPN's World Series of Poker coverage since 2003, yesterday before the start of Day 2 of Event No. 25, the $1,500 Seven-Card Stud Hi-Low Split-8 or Better event. Chad's prayers were answered -- and then some -- as he not only cashed, but will be in fourth place with 23 remaining when Day 3 begins later today.

Chad is one of a number of familiar faces who will gather around the final three tables this afternoon, a group currently led by stud-specialist Cory Zeidman.

Kirill Gerasimov, who has three second-place finishes in WSOP events but no bracelet, returns today to an above-average stack. Last year's WSOP Player of the Year Frank Kassela is still in, as are Kristy Gazes and Karina Jett, albeit with short stacks. (Jett finished fourth in this same event last year.) Cyndy Violette, who won the $2,000 Stud/8 event in 2004, returns as well. And Poker Hall of Famer and WPT announcer Mike Sexton has also made it through the starting field of 606 to the third day of play.

But most of the attention will likely be focused on Chad, who along with his ESPN co-host Lon McEachern has had a big hand in shaping the WSOP experience for many of us over the last eight years. Amid the ex-wife jokes and neologisms like "whamboozled" and "squadoosh," Chad's color commentary has added greatly to the network's ever-expanding coverage of the Series, earning him many fans who will be rooting him on today.

As Chad noted via Twitter before the start of Event No. 25, he's played plenty of WSOP events before. "WSOP career in-the-money record: 1-for-16," he reported, adding, self-deprecatingly, "I'll go 1-for-17 Tuesday in the $1,500 Stud/8 event. Of course, I again need to find $1,500."

That lone previous cash to which Chad referred came in this same event in 2009 when he finished 32nd out of 466, earning $3,288. Despite his jokey pessimism, he'd survive Tuesday, noting via Twitter that he had. "Hey, I'm just a balding kid with a dream," he told his followers. "Managed to accumulated 33,400 chips (some of them I brought from my home game)."

He'd build those chips to a handsome stack of 179,000 by the end of play on Day 2. Ever the commentator, Chad reported on his progress throughout the day and long night on Twitter. A few highlights:

"There will be a If-Norman-Chad-Can-Cash-The-End-Of-The-World-Can't-Be-Far-Behind' rally today hosted by @ToddBrunson at Olympic Gardens." (Wed Jun 15 13:25)

"1st 2hrs: I steadied the ship and got back to 35000 chips. 112 left; 64 make the money. I've got a chance, so I'm gonna lay off the sauce." (Wed Jun 15 20:13)

"Correction: Only top 56 cash in stud8, not top 64. THEY'RE KILLING ME HERE. How long do I have to stick around to make an honest buck?" (Wed Jun 15 21:10)

"With 74 players left - with 56 making the money - I have 51000. That's above chip average, plus I'm dressed better than most of the others." (Wed Jun 15 22:34)

"I HAVE CASHED. In a related development, Todd Brunson was rushed to a local ER with a case of suspended disbelief." (Thu Jun 16 00:32)

"I am now going to sleep, exhausted but peaceful, knowing I've made it to the final 23 in the stud8 event, with 179,000 chips. Stuff happens." (Thu Jun 16 07:03)

There are a lots of ways to see what other "stuff happens" today with Chad and Event No. 25. Aside from following him on Twitter (@NormanChad), you can check the live updates on PokerNews as well as the live streaming feed over on WSOP.com.

Can Chad make the final table? Or could he -- dare one think -- actually win a bracelet? To repurpose one of Chad's most famous lines, it would be inconceivable, beyond fairy tale...

Then again, such remains a possibility for a balding kid with a dream.

(Addendum [7:00 p.m. Vegas time]: After battling nearly four hours on Day 3, Chad was finally eliminated in 12th place, earning $10,676 for his finish. "Great day," he tweeted afterwards. "Finished 12th in WSOP stud8 event, then went to 99 Cents Only store and they had those Fritos Scoops that I love.")