Neuville still lamenting WSOP Main Event final table exit

LAS VEGAS -- When Pierre Neuville was bounced from the World Series of Poker Main Event in seventh place on Sunday night, the way he handled his bustout interview was admirable. He spoke about how much he loves the game. He politely thanked the WSOP, the fans, the dealers and even the media (that’s gotta be a first).

“I will remember these last two months as one of the best dreams of my life and I will forget the last hours and last two cards,” he said with resolve.

But when we caught up with the 72-year-old Belgian at breakfast Tuesday morning at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino, he conceded that putting his disheartening finish at the final table behind him has been more difficult than he expected.

“Physically, I feel fine, but mentally I am really struggling to get back to 100%,” he admitted. “It’s difficult because I didn’t play my best poker in the biggest poker tournament of my life. I had a good strategy and I didn’t follow it 100%. I made my share of mistakes and had some bad luck. That was hard to overcome.”

Now, before you start to feel sorry for Neuville, keep in mind that he's enjoyed a incredible life journey and just added $1.2 million to his more than $3 million in career earnings. And Neuville certainly wasn’t looking for sympathy, for himself, anyway.

“I will be fine, but I am more disappointed for my family and the people around me,” he said. “I was too optimistic. I really thought I was going to win and that I would be able to take care of all the people around me; my family, my kids and grandchildren, my charities. I even have some people back in Belgium whose lives would have been changed if I won. So for all of those people I feel bad. I feel bad that I didn’t do better.”

Neuville told us that he has not played any poker or watched much of the final table since his exit, saying it would be too difficult for him. He also said he wasn’t particularly rooting for anyone to win.

“They are all very good players,” said Neuville, who was trying to become the oldest Main Event winner in the November Nine Era. “I wish them all luck, but to me, it really doesn’t matter who wins.”

To help take his mind off the bitter finish, Neuville and his family visited the Mob Museum in Downtown Las Vegas on Monday and were also planning on taking the helicopter tour of the Grand Canyon before flying home on Thursday.

“I never envisioned such bad results,” he said. “My problem is that I was too optimistic. This was more about poker. It’s about me disappointing people. But I will be back. And I will make another run. But right now I am just very disappointed.”