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Martin Jacobson on his WSOP Runner-Up in the 3K 6-Max Event
- Martin Jacobson finishes second in WSOP $3,000 6-Handed event.
- Showed resilience, overcoming a short stack to reach heads-up play.
- He remains motivated for deeper runs this WSOP summer.
Martin Jacobson finished 2nd in the $3,000 6-Max Event
Martin Jacobson came painfully close to adding another WSOP bracelet to his already impressive poker résumé, finishing second in the $3,000 6-Handed No-Limit Hold’em event in Las Vegas.
For Swedish poker fans, it was another reminder of Jacobson’s class, consistency and ability to navigate huge tournament fields at the highest level. After starting Day 2 short, dropping as low as five big blinds and still turning the run into a runner-up finish, the result says plenty about both patience and tournament experience.
In this interview, Jacobson talks about pride versus disappointment, why 6-max poker suits his game, the final table dynamic against Abhishek Mhatre, his plans for the rest of the WSOP summer and whether we might one day see him at Poker-SM Live.
You came in second in the $3,000 6-Handed No Limit Hold'em and came incredibly close to another WSOP bracelet. Now that you've had time to digest it a bit, what's the stronger feeling: pride in the achievement or disappointment at being so close?
Definitely pride in the achievement. Of course you always want to win, but if you're going to be disappointed every time you don't, tournament poker can easily become quite depressing.
When, like me, you almost only play tournaments with huge starting fields, the variance is so great that you have to be relatively happy every time you make a final table.
I was also short with 11BB before day two and down to 5BB at the very least, so it felt really good to be able to turn that deficit into second place.
The format is 6-max, fast paced and a lot of pressure in almost every decision. How does that type of tournament suit your game compared to a traditional full-ring?
Better, I would say. It generally benefits the better players because you are forced to play more hands and end up with more difficult decisions. Above all, it is significantly more fun. There is less waiting between hands you play and more action overall.
Is there any hand, decision or spot from the tournament that you still go back to in your head?
No, not really any particular hand that I'm particularly stuck on. There are always a number of decisions you go back and analyze after a deep run, but overall I feel like I played very well throughout the tournament.
How did you experience the final table and heads up play? Was there any opponent or dynamic that stood out?
It was a pretty interesting dynamic. Abhishek Mhatre, who won, had a big chip lead but not a lot of experience. He therefore raised-called a very large portion of his opening range.
This led to the game being quite wait-and-see at times, as no one could re-shove his openings without a really strong hand. This gave him the opportunity to put a lot of pressure on the rest of the table.
You've been playing the WSOP for many years and know exactly how special it can be. How do you feel about this year's WSOP so far, both sportingly and around the tournaments?
The WSOP is always special. This year they have also invested a lot in the live broadcasts, with a proper stage and more TV tables, which elevates the overall experience.
This was actually my first event of the summer, so I haven't had time to get a complete picture yet, but it was of course a very good start.
What does your own WSOP summer look like going forward? Which events have you already played, and which ones do you plan to play next?
Now it's going to be full steam ahead until the end. It's incredibly nice to get such a good start and hopefully I can ride the momentum to more final tables and a second bracelet. I don't have a completely locked schedule, but the plan is to play a lot and of course the Main Event.
Do you follow the other Swedes, Hildebrand for example, on site during the WSOP, and how much do you keep track of each other's deep runs during an intense summer in Las Vegas?
No, I actually have a pretty poor grasp of it. There's so much going on at the same time and everyone is busy with their own tournaments.
But it's clear that you support the Swedes when you see someone go deep, especially in the Main Event.
After such a strong start to the series, does the feeling change for the rest of the WSOP? Do you get more excited, more hungry, or do you just try to reset and move on to the next event?
You definitely get more motivated and can play a little more relaxed when you've already got a good result.
At the same time, every tournament is unique, so there's not much of an advantage than that. You just have to reload and grind on.
A big thank you to Martin Jacobson for taking the time to share his thoughts after another impressive WSOP run.
With a runner-up finish already secured early in the summer, Jacobson has once again shown why he remains one of Sweden’s most respected tournament players. We wish him the best of luck for the rest of the series.
Results WSOP 2026 Event #56, $3,000 6-Handed No-Limit Hold’em
| Place | Player | Country | Prize Money |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Abhishek Mhatre | Canada | $492,050 |
| 2 | Martin Jacobson | Sweden | $327,370 |
| 3 | Naseem Salem | USA | $226,350 |
| 4 | Paulina Loeliger | Austria | $159,050 |
| 5 | Kevin Rand | USA | $113,620 |
| 6 | Christopher Vitch | USA | $82,530 |
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