Player Interview: Chip Leader Michael Krasienko
![[user153906]](/img/avatars/avatar.svg){kind=avatar}
Michael Krasienko started Day 3 with about 460k ... and the flu. He started feeling sick late in Day 2 and was hoping a good night's sleep would help. It didn't.
Nothing's worse than sitting through a 12-hour day at the tables, playing the premier event of the year, when you feel awful. But that's not stopping Krasienko. He's using the adrenaline that comes with playing the Main Event and nearing the money to push him through.
PokerNews found Krasienko as players were headed into the last break of the evening to ask him his secret to overtaking the chip lead and his plans for the rest of the day.
Krasienko: Basically, I played tight most of the day, made some hands, and ran pretty well.
PokerNews: Any big or memorable hands that stand out from the day.
Krasienko: There was this one hand where my opponent started with about 180,000. I raised with pocket eights, and he called.
The flop came 
. I bet, and he called. 
was dealt on the turn. I checked and my opponent bet. I raised, and he jammed. I obviously called and knocked him out. He had 
.
That was my biggest pot of the day. But mainly, I've been playing solid, picking my spots, and was lucky to get a few bluffs through.
PokerNews: You had four cashes in this year's WSOP and a deep run in the Main Event last year, finishing 343rd. How much poker do you play?
Krasienko: I play mostly PLO cash games. My first main event was last year, and I don't play much no-limit, just in tournaments.
PokerNews: What about the Main Event is enticing to a PLO player like you?
Krasienko: It's such a great tournament. It's the best tournament in the world. The best structure. The best field. I just really enjoyed it when I played it last year, so here I am. Outside of this pretty much all I play is PLO cash.
PokerNews: What's your plan for the last level of the day?
Krasienko: I just sat down at a new table, but it looks like it will be a little tougher. That's what happens as the field whittles down. My previous table was a little tough too; I was just lucky to capitalize in few good spots.
Actually, most of my tables have been tough. Some harder than others, but when you're running good, then good things happen.
I'm going to feel the table out and see how they're playing. Mostly, I'm just going to play my game, and play solid poker. Nobody's super short, so I just need to keep it solid and see what happens.