Soon after he began playing $1/$2 limit holdem online, quickly moving up limits and ultimately adapting his game to no-limit.  In September 2005 "Buc" won a promotion that made him an honorary member of the Ultimatebet team for 2006.  He represented them in five major tournaments, cashing in three (his screen name was "pud99"). 

During one tournament series, Shawn had just busted from a satellite.  As he started leaving his seat the guy who busted him yelled, "They're just giving it away here at the World Series!"   A few months later he sat down in a game at the River Rock Casino in BC when he heard the same obnoxious voice declare, "The pros are coming from everywhere!" Thus, his friendship with FBT was born. 

"He likes to give the juice and he didn't even know me."  They have been traveling the circuit together as roommates since then.

Last week, I joined the Vancouver boys for a late night trip to the Bellagio buffet.  Actually, it took us a while to get there because a "discussion" over where to eat had to be moderated.  Shawn wasn't too hungry* so he ruled out Fix, voting for Chinese.  So, naturally, FBT steered us back to Fix (even though Shawn had just made the final table at Mandalay Bay, these guys weren't about to cut him a break).  The place was packed, and we ended up at the sushi joint--but the hour long wait was about three too many for these guys--so ultimately we made our way to the buffet. 

After a quick game of credit card roulette to see who would pay the bill, we finally found ourselves at a table (where FBT ordered his magical poker juice).  The conversation quickly went to how Kyle, FBT, and Shawn are always able to accumulate a ton of chips early in a tournament, but sooner or later find themselves struggling in the middle stages of an event.

After ending the day at Mandalay Bay as chip boss, Shawn had commented to me that this was the stage where he has a difficult time "gauging the value" of his hands.  "The reason we're so good early on is because it's basically a cash game."

FBT continued, "When the stacks are deep we each have the ability to control the table, but, man, it gets tough right in the middle."  As a reporter, I often see winning cash game players not able to adjust to the mounting pressure that comes with each stage in a tournament.  We discuss this concept on every final table preview show for PokerWire Radio--at certain points all of the factors come together and it's just about winning pots as quickly as possible. 

Kyle elaborated, "When I've got KQ on a K high flop, I'm gonna check-call someone in a cash game; I want to give him some room to hang himself while keeping the pot small."   FBT chimed in, "But in a tournament, man, it's tough to know when you have to just start taking it down."

It's obvious they've figured out at least part of the equation--Shawn won Mandalay Bay and Greg dominated the Mixed Holdem WSOP event on his way to a bittersweet second place.  Hopefully they will both be able to finish strong in today's event.

^{*The not-too-hungry Buchanan polished off three plates of food.}

I hated him because I was winning every other pot before he sat down.  After he sat down (actually it was more like a short descent down a level in the atmosphere) there wasn’t anything I could do to win one.  On the hand in question, I had raised preflop, he called from the blinds and an early position limper called.  I felt good about my hand on a J high flop with two diamonds.  Action was checked to me, I bet, and both players called.  I knew that Random Guy was drawing to a , but I had no idea where FBT was at.  

He knew just where I was, though. On the  non- turn, FBT led out, the player in between called, and I put in a big overraise figuring to squeeze this blonde-haired behemoth out of the hand.  Instead, the big jerk shoved, random Guy called (on the draw), and I folded.  Greg had a weak J but knew exactly what was going on.  He read the situation perfectly and played the hand perfectly.  

He spotted me the next day on the floor at the WSOP and was dying to ask me about the hand.  While I still wanted to hate him for being right, I just couldn’t bring myself to do it.  There’s something endearing about a gimongous ex-professional hockey player who wears pink hats.  I’m fairly certain that my favorite poker writer will be adding him to his shortlist of the world’s largest eight-year olds (FBT can give LA Mike a run for his money).

Over the last year, I have been able to spend a little more time each tournament hanging out with Greg.  That’s because he keeps making it deeper and deeper each event he plays (and when everyone else starts going home there's no one else to hang out with but wanna-be writers). This A-list cash game player has been making all the right moves in becoming an A-list tournament player.  

I think the main reason he has been doing so well in making the shift over the last several months has everything to do with the crew he hangs out with when he’s away from the tables.  While every player who’s vying for a bracelet has a crowd there to cheer him on, it’s clear that Greg has two friends who may as well be brothers.

The genuineness of their relationship is something often not seen on the tournament trail. There’s an authenticity to their friendship because there’s an authenticity to each individual.  I look forward to telling the story of Kyle Wilson and the newest WPT Champion Shawn Buchanon over the course of the WSOP.  

FBT ranks them in the top 1% of cash game players in the world. There’s a good chance that by the end of the 2007 WSOP, we will be counting them in the top 1% of tournament players in the world as well.