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Location of Interview Thread : here
Date of Interview : Interview was posted on 28th September 2006.
Official Site : here
* Questions are in no particular order. Questions from THF members are noted. All other questions by Kevin Muldoon.
Question :
We’re now approaching the start of October. What have you been doing the last 2 months since this year’s WSOP?
Answer :
I’ve been at home more than usual. My youngest daughter is a senior in high school and my next two youngest are in college nearby. I’ve spent time designing some changes for PokerStars now that I’m a member of the team. And, I played in the Borgata WPT and the London EPT events.
Also, I get many e-mails each day on my website and I have eliminated the backlog I had. I have spent some time on the phone and in meetings as we prepare for the beginning of the Professional Poker League (PPL).
Question :
I’ve read that you have donated all of your tournament winnings to Charity earning you the nickname The Robin Hood of Poker (most of which going to http://www.children-inc.org ). When did you start doing this and what made you do this in the first place?
Answer :
I was already involved with Children, Inc as a sponsor of some children. I won a tournament and gave some money to some of the coordinators who helped the children. After that, I decided if I won more money in tournaments I would give money to help rebuild orphanages and other facilities.
I won more than I expected, so I gave some money to other causes also.
Question :
StarlightCoast is a staff member of TexasHoldemForums who, like a lot of online players, keeps a track of his online playing through his poker blog The Oregon Trail. 3 weeks ago someone who reads his blog regularly sent him $1,000 to help boost his bankroll. The benefactor had 2 stipulations.
- Starlight must chase after bonuses to help pad the bankroll.
- When the bankroll passes $10k he must seek out a struggling poker player and do the same for them.
Have you heard of any donations like this before? (You are after all the Robin Hood of Poker!)
Answer :
That was a generous offer. Players I’ve given money to have not had much success. It’s another reason I give money to help poor children instead.
Question :
You released your book ‘Ace on the River : An Advanced Poker Guide’ last year. Are you planning on releasing any more books in the future?
Answer :
I will probably come out with a second edition of Ace on the River in a year or two, but other than that, I have no plans for another book. It’s a lot of work and I refuse to use a co-author.
Question : (From gobluejrm)
In my free time, I like to play poker. However, with that being your profession, what do you like to do with your free time?
Answer :
I would rather golf or play bridge.
Question :
Your stepson Joe Sebok is following in your footsteps and carving out a career in Poker. How do your styles differ and have you had the pleasure of crossing swords with him in a major tournament yet?
Answer :
Joe and I have played at the same table several times. It has been beneficial because without actually watching him play, I wouldn’t be able to know some of the things he does incorrectly.
Joe plays a style similar to mine, since I taught him, but he makes more mistakes because of his limited experience.
Question : (From Blackinks)
How hard is it to balance family life with your career?
Answer :
All professionals in every field have problems balancing their family lives and their careers. It is tougher when you have a job with irregular hours or one that takes you away from home for extended periods of time, such as with poker.
Questions : (From Jvelez)
Hi Mr. Greenstein, you are one of my favorite pros. As one of the regulars at table one you must have a significant bankroll. Do you (like Todd Brunson) invest in Real Estate, bonds, stocks or are you more like a gambler like Ted Forrest?
A : If I could afford the stakes I play at, I would probably be playing higher. When I win, I buy stocks as a long term investment. I usually don’t sell them unless I need the money.
Q : Also you are a resent addition to Team PokerStars. What are the advantages of being an ambassador to the best online poker site? What are the disadvantages?
A : I am involved in changes in the software, which I like. I get money for wearing their logo, which is helpful.
I have commitments, which is something that most poker players, including myself, try to avoid. It can be disastrous if I have to get up early for a commitment regarding PokerStars which causes me to play tired later in the day.
Questions : (From wbtczn)
With you donating your tournament winnings to charity, how do you build and maintain your bankroll (and make a living)?
A : In the past, my main source of income came from the side games. I don’t get to play in them as much because of all the tournaments. That is one of the reasons I took the position with PokerStars. Otherwise, I would have had to stop giving any of the tournament winnings away.
Q : I recently watched a player at a higher limit Omaha table on Full Tilt (named bgreen, I think) who claimed to be you. He was playing against and chatting with John Juanda and one other pro, can't remember who the other pro was, Matusow, perhaps. Was that you? What restrictions do you have based upon your relationship with PokerStars?
A : I played as barryg1 on FullTilt. I check out most of the online sites. When I design software, I always like to check out competitors products and see where they are better than we are. Then, I try to come up with something even better.
Questions : (From rw11687)
At what point in your life did you realize you could make enough money playing poker to live on?
A :From the time I was twelve, I always did well at poker. I knew I could always depend on poker, but it wasn’t as intellectually stimulating as some other avenues I might have pursued.
Q : With the cost of traveling the tournament road being around 500,000, does having a bad year hurt your bankroll?
A :Tournament poker has hurt the high-limit cash games. There aren’t as many good games as there used to be. I can always make more than my expenses in tournaments, but giving the money away put a big dent in my bankroll.
Q : Have you ever had a losing year?
A :Up until two years ago, I rarely had a losing month, let alone a losing year.
But I haven’t been able to show a profit the last two years, unless you count the money I have won and given away.
Q : What’s your advice to a young player who makes money, who would like to pursue it as a career? From your own experiences, do you have a certain landmark event that let you know you could pursue this career?
A : I always did better than the other players I played with. Since I kept winning, I kept playing.
Questions : (From witchywitchy)
You are known as a big cash game player. Do you much prefer cash games to tournaments and if so, why?
A : I enjoy tournaments. But they can be frustrating. Cash games are my job. Tournaments are my hobby.
Q : Do you play poker every day and if so, is that because you want to or have to (rather like a professional ice skater)?
A : I play between 100 and 150 days a year. I play cash games as my source of income. If I didn’t need the money, I would still play in some major tournaments.
Barry With Phil Hellmuth
Question : (From xtra)
You say that math and psychology are two of the biggest keys, as people get older do you think it will take away from their game?
Answer :
Experience that comes with age is very valuable. However, most players start going downhill when they are in their fifties.
Questions : (From Mattastic)
Who has been the biggest influence on your poker career and why. (It doesn't necessarily have to be a fellow player or someone on the circuit.)
A : My parents played card games with me when I was young. They also taught me how to compete in a calm, analytical fashion. Other than that, I have been self-taught.
Q : What's your take on the possible ban of US players and how do you see that effecting the flow of new players onto the circuit,if any.
A : I expect that people would find a way to get around any ban. Online poker should be legalized, regulated, and taxed.
Questions : (From theprofessor)
You seem to be a very calm and collected person at the poker table. How do you feel about some of the new generation poker players who are overly flambouant?
A : The television networks tend to show goofballs rather than calm, calculating players. But that’s OK. I don’t feel I deserve any camera time unless I win.
Q : How do you deal with people like that at the table?
A :Table antics rarely get to me. If they bother other players, that probably helps me.
Questions : (From wbtczn)
Who do you find it difficult to play against, and why?
A : No one bothers me particularly. But it is obviously more profitable to play against weaker opponents.
Q : My understanding on the Big Stakes Poker on GSN was that you were gambling with your own money. I heard Antonio Esfandiari make a comment in a podcast that it "didn't cost him anything". Did I misunderstand what he said? How did you end up for the session?
A :He might have been staked, or maybe he meant that he won overall.
I won more than 100k for the three days I played, even though I lost two huge pots when my Aces got cracked.
Question:
For me, the best section in your website is the Player Analysis section (see this page) where you analyse dozens of professional players you have played against. Have any players been upset at your criticism of them on this page?
Answer :
I have had a few complaints, but many players consider it an honor to be rated. I often have people ask me to rate them. I know that they might not be asking if they knew what I think of their games.
Question:
You briefly mention on your site that some poker players are spending more time on marketing themselves instead of improving their game. Do you think this is a common problem with the new generation of players?
A : It is the current way for poker players to try to make money. I can’t really blame the players.
Q : There is no denying that some players are making more money via marketing than they are playing poker. Would you agree that that certain aspects of marketing are unavoidable to rising stars (eg. Dealing with their website, emails, poker site promotions etc)?
A : My son Joe has cashed for about 700k in tournaments in two years, but he will make a larger net profit from his poker related activities. I think he is doing the right thing, although it occasionally bothers me because he would have become a better player without all the outside distractions.
Barry With his son Joe Sebok
Question:
What do you have planned in the next 12 months? Have you set any specific goals for yourself?
Answer :
The PPL will be the big thing in 2007. I don’t have any specific goals, except to win whenever I play.
Many thanks to Barry Greenstein for taking the time to answer our questions :):)
You can comment on this interview in this thread.
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