Don't Invite This Guy to Poker Night

For the second time in four years, Canton resident John Bowler tested Lady Luck in the World Series of Poker Main Event and finished in the money, walking away with $21,295 for finishing 599th place among 6,865 players.

Although not a bad payday, he was hoping to stick around a bit longer.

"I was disappointed when I got knocked out because I really expected to go further," said Bowler, who works in Roswell as the seafood facility team leader for 's Southern region. "I had a good chip stack and felt good on Friday morning. But a couple of hands don’t go your way, and you’re done."

A poker player for more than two decades, Bowler, 53, has watched the game evolve through the years. Initially, he played various forms of poker. After the World Series of Poker exploded in the late 1990s and early 2000s, he switched exclusively to Texas hold'em, the WSOP Main Event’s choice of cards.

In the beginning, Bowler played in a lot of home games with friends. About five years ago, he started playing in major tournaments. With his current playing group, the members decided to set up their own tournament system to send the top finisher to the WSOP. Participants contribute to the $10,000 buy-in, then split the winnings: one-half to the top player and the remaining half split among the team.

Bowler earned the top spot in 2008, when he finished 263rd out of 6,844 players and pocketed $35,383.

Bowler said he was more nervous during that first WSOP appearance than this second go-round. Both times, he learned a lot.

His favorite aspect of poker is the gamesmanship between players who are trying to outthink one another. He likes to study the other players and see what aspects he can incorporate into his own game.

"I've always been one to mix up my game to keep players off guard," he said.

So whom does Bowler watch for inspiration? Top players Phil Ivey, Daniel Negreanu and Phil Hellmuth Jr. grab his attention, as does a newer star, 26-year-old Ben Lamb.

"I think he’ll be somebody we’ll hear a lot about," Bowler said.

Lamb is one of three Americans to make the November Nine, the nine players who will sit at the WSOP Main Event’s final table in, yes, November. His Main Event performance also will move him to the top of the WSOP Player of the Year competition.

Bowler said he'll keep playing, honing his skills and looking for his next opportunity to play in the WSOP Main Event.

"If I didn’t have a wife and kids," he said, "I’d be living in Las Vegas doing this for a living."