Chad Brown’s words belie the tone in his voice.

"I'm underperforming," he said of his 2008 World Series performance so far.

Still, there is a hint of optimism in Brown’s voice. And there should be. He’s already made the money in three big events in this year’s World Series. He’s won in the neighborhood of $65,000, including the money he made for an eleventh place finish in the $5,000 No-Limit 2-7 Draw Rebuy event. What’s more, just like last year when he took second place in the same event, Brown took no rebuys and no add-on.

"It's a very rare accomplishment,” he admitted.

Still, despite Brown’s hesitancy to talk big, he’s more accomplished than many of the pros on the circuit. It’s tough to get him to serve as his own PR agent, though, at least in terms of how well he is doing this year.

"I cashed three times and I bubbled twice, which was disappointing," he said.

Disappointing because Brown had his sights set on a record. His own.

Last year, Brown cashed a record eight times in World Series events. This year, he was aiming for nine.

It would have been much more attainable had Brown’s bubble luck gone another way. Take, for instance, what happened in the $5,000 No-Limit Hold’em event.

Sitting with an M of ten, Brown was on the button with a pair of tens. Play folded around to the cutoff who came in for a raise.

"My instinct told me he had a big hand," Brown remembered.

Brown worked out the play in his head. If his opponent had queens or jacks, Brown thought might have the opportunity to push the guy off the hand if an ace or king came, not to mention the possibility of what would happen if a ten fell on the flop.

So, Brown made the call, only to see the small blind push all-in. Before Brown had much time to consider his move, the cutoff re-pushed. It made Brown’s fold easy.

Sure enough, the cutoff held pocket queens. Right fold at the right time, save the ten on the river that would’ve given Brown his set and the win.

And so it happened that Brown picked up pocket jacks soon thereafter against the same player. This time, he got it all-in to see his opponent’s...wait for it…pocket queens. No miracle for Brown and he was out on the bubble.

Brown’s luck didn’t improve in the Seven Card Stud Championship. Near the bubble, he lost five hands in a row where he started with the best hand. The worst of the five was having the chance to four-bet on third street with aces in the hole. He was up against QQ/J and felt good, as one jack had already been mucked. It ended up not mattering. His opponent ran out a flush and that was that.

That’s a problem with goals. A lot of people would be proud and somewhat satisfied with Brown’s performance so far this year. Brown, however, is thinking about the possibility of not breaking his 2007 record. He thinks it’s unlikely he can cash six more times before the end of the 2008 Series.

"But not impossible,” he said.

That’s where you hear that optimism in Brown’s voice. He may be disappointed now, but he hasn’t counted himself out yet.

Good luck the rest of the way, Chad.