GETTING TO KNOW THE NOVEMBER NINE: MARK NEWHOUSE
Name: Mark Newhouse
Twitter: @mark_hizzle
Age: 29
Birthplace: Chapel Hill, NC
Hometown: Los Angeles, CA
Occupation: Poker Pro
Employer/Company Name: Self-employed
Marital Status: Girlfriend
Years playing poker: 10
Years entered Main Event: 9
WSOP Earnings: $906,093
WSOP Cashes: 8
WSOP Final Tables: 2
Best Main Event Finish: Ninth in 2013 for $733,244

WSOP: How does it feel to be standing here two years in a row?

Newhouse: Truly amazing. I don’t want this to sound wrong, but I’m much calmer this year about it. I’m more focused now than I was before.

WSOP: When Luis Velador busted out in tenth place, you were the first player to rush across the stage to console him. Can you say what was said between you two?

Newhouse: I just know the disappointment he must feel. It’s never a good feeling to bust out but especially when you go out in ninth or tenth. When I busted last year after all that time off, I was sick about it. So, I know how he feels. I wanted to share that with him and let him know he played great.

WSOP: How do you feel about your current chip position heading into the November Nine?

Newhouse: Honestly, I don’t even know what I have right now.

WSOP: You did go out ninth in last year’s Main Event. Can you explain more about why that’s so tough?

Newhouse: That’s the worst place to finish in the tournament, with all the hype leading up to it. Anything but ninth, that was my goal this year.

WSOP: How have the experiences of 2013 and 2014 and been different?

Newhouse: Last year, I was more nervous. This year, I was much more relaxed and was just playing poker. Even though getting in [to the November Nine] was a bigger deal than it was last year, I was just having fun all the time. There wasn’t too much pressure. I wasn’t thinking that much about it, and here I am – I made it.

WSOP: This will be talked about as one of the great feats in poker history. Where do you think this ranks historically speaking?

Newhouse: It’s a great accomplishment, but I can’t comment on the greatest. I don’t want to say that about myself. Yeah, I know it’s amazing, but I’m never going to say ‘greatest’ about anything with my name in it.

WSOP: What about if you win in November?

Newhouse: Okay, maybe then I’ll say it.

WSOP: How long have you been playing poker seriously?

Newhouse: Ten years.

WSOP: How many times have you played in the Main Event?

Newhouse: Eight -- every year since 2006, I think.

WSOP: What got you interested in poker?

Newhouse: I started playing when attending college. I worked part-time at Staples. We used to play there sometime.

WSOP: What made you decide to play the Main Event for the first time?

Newhouse: When I was 21, I won major tournament in Atlantic City at the Borgata. After that, I took break from school, and have been playing ever since.

WSOP: What’s your daily life like away from the WSOP?

Newhouse: I’m mostly a cash game player. I don’t play that many tournaments and don’t travel the poker circuit. Most of the time I’m in live action at the Commerce Casino in Los Angeles.

WSOP: What was the turning point for you in this year’s Main Event?

Newhouse: A few days ago, just two spots out of the money, I was dealt quad-fives and knocked out a player with a huge stack who had queens-full. That hand gave me a big stack for the first time and put me near the chip lead.

WSOP: Do you have any initial thoughts on how you’re going to spend the downtime?

Newhouse: I’ll be playing a lot more No-Limit Hold’em. I won’t play one hand of Limit Hold’em [which he often plays while sitting in cash games at the Commerce Casino]. I’ll also do some traveling.