In Event #17 of the 2010 World Series of Poker (WSOP), a $5,000 No Limit Hold’em tournament, popular poker pro Jeff yellowsub Williams made the final table and exited in third place, banking $328,000. The six-figure score is one of the largest claimed by a member of the PocketFives community so far during the 2010 WSOP. PocketFives.com caught up with Williams, the winner of the 2006 European Poker Tour (EPT) Monte Carlo Grand Final, to relive his deep run in the talent-rich event.

A rail thread in Poker Discussionwas buzzing about Williams’ third place performance. The event marked his second WSOP final table and first since 2008, when he finished as the runner-up to Michael worldsgrtestBanducci in a $1,000 No Limit Hold’em with Rebuys tournament. The thread, created by jtj03, featured well wishes from veterans like Nat N 82 50 24 Arem, Devin TranquilChaosPorter, 51st ranked bbbbb33, and PocketFives.com co-founder Adam Small.

The final table of Event #17 featured eventual winner Jason TheMasterJ33DeWitt (pictured), DoylesRoomBrunson 10 member Amit amak316Makhija, CardRunners instructor David Raptor Benefield, Paul badpab2Foltyn, and James croll103Carroll. On the talented group, Williams told PocketFives.com, “Everyone played very well. Even the guys I didn’t know like Sam Trickett played very well, so it was tough sledding. I ended up three-balling a lot because I felt like everyone would open a ton.” Trickett banked $505,000 for his second place finish and DeWitt walked away with $818,000.

Williams came armed with a lively rail to the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas that featured his girlfriend and a variety of yellow signs. Some of the more memorable ones included a graphic “Yellow Submarine” drawing (pictured) and another one taunting, “Go Jeff ‘Chainsaw Jr.’ Williams.” The backing did not go unnoticed: “My girlfriend and all of the guys I’m living with this summer were there, which was great,” Williams recalled. “One of the girls brought some construction paper and markers. To have their support was great. I was able to talk hands with them on breaks.”

Does the extra support really matter? Does having a loud crowd backing you actually affect your play? Williams, a highly successful live and online poker pro, gave his take: “They were definitely a factor. To have that support, I know I’m not just playing for me. It’s different than when I’m in the middle of a tournament. When you’re one of only a few players left, it’s great to have so much crowd support.”

Williams still has about two-dozen events left on the 2010 WSOP docket to turn in another bracelet run. He’s hungry too, especially after coming within inches of a bracelet for the second time: “I feel like I’ve been playing well. There’s so much variance in tournament poker that most people don’t understand. I’ve run very well in my career, but to close one out would be unreal.”

The Georgia pro has registered for a variety of tournaments so far, including the affordable $1,500 events and the aforementioned $5,000 buy-in contest. On the talent difference among the different WSOP buy-ins, Williams told PocketFives.com, “The $1,500 and $1,000 events are a bunch of recreational players interspersed with pros. In a $5,000 event, the whole final table may be pro players. That’s how it is. It was smart of the WSOP to have the $1Ks. The play in those is always laughable early.” The Main Event, which kicks off on July 5th with the first of four starting days, carries a $10,000 buy-in.

Finally, Williams admitted that he cross-booked action with Tom durrrrDwan (pictured) in Event #17, 15% to 12.5%. Dwan had originally proposed 30% to 25%, but Williams admitted he was “not comfortable” with that arrangement. Accordingly, the pair worked their way down to 15% to 12.5%. Dwan failed to cash in the tournament and by the time Williams made the final table, he was essentially freerolling in the $5,000 buy-in contest.

Check out who else has made waves in the 2010 WSOP by checking out a partial list of PocketFives.com member cashes.