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Location of Interview Thread : here
Date of Interview : Interview was posted on 21st December 2005.
Official Site : here
these questions are in no particular order :)
Question : (From Kikilo)
Hello Mr. Gordon. Being a great tournament player, what would you emphasize mostly to someone wanting to improve their tournament skills, or wanting to move from cash games to being successful tournament players. What would you suggest for players to work on the most to improve their tournament game?
Does writing books and doing other things, such as being a commentator, help improve your poker skill? What sort of aspects of the game might this improve better than just playing?
Also, do you think your large stature intimidates any players, and do you ever try to use that as an intimidation factor? Thank you very much Mr. Gordon.
Answer :
Play in sit and go tournaments on line to become a better tournament player. You experience the whole range of tournament situations in a very short period of time.
Writing definitely helps my game. The statistical analyses that I did to write the Little Green Book taught me things about the game that I don’t think anyone has ever discovered (or at least written about).
I’m not sure about my height intimidating people, but being a commanding presence at and away from the table will definitely help your game.
Question : (From Teedough)
I am wondering what kind of direction you and other fellow poker pros think your career is gonna go within the next 5 years considering how much the whole poker world is growing ?
Answer :
No idea, I’m just hoping to continue my winning ways and improve. I have some leaks in my game right now that need plugging, and over the course of the next few years I hope to become better.
I do think that internet poker will continue to grow and that the opportunities for great players to win enormous amounts of money by playing online will dwarf the real world games.
Question : (From Barron40)
As one of the hosts of Celebrity Poker Showdown I notice alot of the celebrities seem to have only a basic knowledge of the game if even that much and make bets and calls that are not typical. I hear some of the celebrities commenting as they play that you are questioning their play.
Do you spend time with each celebrity before the show watching them play and giving advice to each individually or as a group? Or do you give no tips at all?
What would you say is this first thing you try to instruct the celebrities, or any individual, that has the basic concept of poker but has never played in a tournament before?
Answer :
I try to spend time with them before the show. Some are interested in learning, some are not. The skills displayed on the show are very representative of the skills that people have in the general public – the celebs are no better or worse, on average, than non-celebs playing the game.
The basic concept I give them in the first two minutes: play tight, aggressive poker. Be the person that bets and raises instead of the person that checks and calls. Betting and raising gives you two ways to win: you can have the best hand or get your opponent to fold. If you play passive poker, the only way to win is to have the best hand.
Question : (From CRAPSHOOT)
My question is more just asking you, your opinion on some or all of my views and which one you think is the most important for the NLHE tournament game. My view and rules are follows:
(1) NLHE is a 80-90 % mind game and only a 10-20% card game
Answer : True
(2) I like to use the phrase NLHE is about everything except the cards.
Answer : Yes
(3) I feel that the most important aspect of the game is timing followed very closely by position.
Answer : Yes
(4) The pre-flop bet is a very tricky bet…on the one hand, you want to drive out opposition and on the other hand you do not want to be too committed to the pot, because you might have a very ugly flop.
Answer : I never limp in NL Hold’em. If I’m the first to commit chips to the pot before the flop, I always raise. I’m always looking to get HEADS UP, IN POSITION. That’s my goal with just about every hand.
(5) The turn bet is probably the most critical bet.
Answer : Flop bet is most critical. You have 5/7ths of your hand after the flop and that is only increased by 1/7th after the turn.
(6) Starting hands are critical and nice…but they are only nice, if the flop likes them.
Answer : Hand selection before the flop is one of the most important skills.
(7) Any pocket cards and almost any hand can be beat with just one more card hitting the board…therefore getting a good read on your opponent is essential and taking down the hand now is most important.
Answer : No, no, no. Getting your opponent to make the biggest mistake possible is the most important thing. If you have the best hand, you WANT YOUR OPPONENT to put as many chips into the pot as possible.
(8) Anyone can beat your great hand but no one can beat the uncontested hand that you just took down….they may be able to hand you a bad beat or they may suck-out on you…but they can do neither with an uncontested hand.
Answer : You’re playing scared if you’re worried about the second best hand sucking out on you. Make a bet that is a mistake for them to call, and you’ve done the right thing.
(9) Playing your opponents hand instead of your own hand is essential to winning pots.
Answer : Yes.
(10) I am not interested in getting monster pockets or monster flops…they can
deplete your bank you are willing to risk more and then you find that your
opponents hand is slightly better however J8 will take down 62 in a flash.
Answer : Again, I think you’re playing scared.
(10) There are very few stupid plays…instead it is stupid timing.
Answer : There are many stupid plays. But, there are more plays that are stupid in context of timing.
(11) Don’t get hooked on drawing good hands instead look for opponent error!
Answer : Yes.
(13) Bets , raises and re-raises are good aggressive offensive play.but the proper
bet , raise, re-raise and check should be used to solidify your read on your
opponent.they are much more than just an offensive tool.
Answer : Yes, every bet gets you information you can use to define an opponent’s hand.
(14) Change of play style is important within a game so that, an opponent can’t label
you with a pattern.
Answer : Yes.
(15) Slow playing is very dangerous.I would rather take the pot down now, Thank You.
Answer : I will only slow play if I am above 90 -95% sure that I will win the hand.
Very dangerous, but necessary. One important thing to note: if you bet most of the hands you miss the flop, you can bet all the hands you hit the flop. Your opponent won’t know and will have to guess.
(16) Pot odds are not as important in NLHE as they are in the limit game…taking
down the pot uncontested is what is important.
Answer : You’re out of your mind. Pot odds and implied odds are all important.
(17) Bluffing is a very important part of the NLHE game, but you want to set them
up with perfection and excellent timing you would like a table image that you
are almost incapable of making a bluff play.
Answer : You want them to wonder if you’re capable of bluffing, you’ll get paid off with your good hands more often.
(18) Most play should be done from the cutoff, button, small blind and big
blind other positions are very risky positions.
Answer : Nope. Cut-off and button. Small blind and Big Blind are very dangerous.
(19) Unless you are in a desperate situation, make your all-in bets and calls only
when your stack is larger than your opponents.
Answer : Nope. Make the all-in when you have the best hand.
(20) Look at your opponents, not your cards when they are being dealt.
Answer : Very true.
(21) Stay away from wars…instead, win small battles.
Answer : Good philosophy.
(22) Timing and mind play is more important than hand selection.
Answer : As important, but not more important.
Question : (From jhouseman)
With the obvious potential of collusion, and the inevitable poker bots potentially getting folks off of their online play, do you feel that poker as a whole could have the "bubble burst" anytime in the near future?
If not, what do you see as the potential hazards to the popularity of the game, both live, and online?
Thanks for your time, Mr. Gordon.
Answer :
Nope, I think online play will continue to be very important for the coming future. The only hazard I can think of is the US Government getting serious about shutting down the legal sites run out of the country. I just don’t think that will happen.
Question : (From THPKRPlayer)
Hi Phil, Thanks for taking the time to answer a few questions here at THF. I really liked the website. It sounds like you experienced quite a bit during your 5 year road trip around the world. I enjoyed looking at the various pics from around the world. I also enjoy watching you co-host the Celebrity Poker Showdown. I always get a few laughs watching this.
My questions center around the WSOP Main Event....The WSOP Main Event in 2005 had over 5600 entrants. Next years WSOP Main Event will probably have between 6000 & 7000...maybe even more - 8000 is my prediction.
(1) With the popularity of this event increasing over the last few years and the ever increasing number of online qualifiers, do you think a well known professional poker player will ever win this event again? If so...who do you believe has the best shot at it in a field of 6000 to 7000+ players. Mike M came close in 2005, making the final table.
Answer : Yes, someone well known will win in the near future. I think Phil Ivey has the best chance of anyone I know.
(2) Do you think the buyin for this Main event should be increased to (15k or 20k) so as to try and reduce the amount of entrants or do you think doing this would even make an impact in the total number who register, what with the increasing number of online qualifiers these days?
Answer : No, I like the 10k.
(3) Who is the friendliest Pro you have met while playing? Who is the funniest...cracks you up? The most serious? The loudest?
Friendliest: Chris Ferguson
Funniest: There aren’t many funny pros, but I get a kick out of Antonio Esfandiari
Serious: Ivey
Loudest: Matusow
Question : (From BSQUAD)
First of all, thank you for taking the time to join us here at Texas Holdem Forums.
A recent debate came up lately here at the forum and a few of our members chimed in with their thoughts. I wanted to get a proffesional players point of view. I will be asking this question to other proffessionals as well and will post the results along with the responses from our forum members. So heres the scenario:
Its the very first hand of the WSOP and your in the Big Blind and you look down to see Pocket Aces. Everyone folds except the Small Blind ( an obvious rookie ) who announces "ALL-IN"!! . The question is.. Do you call? and why or why not?
Answer :
I’m all in baby. I have the best hand. I don’t worry about going broke, I just want to make the best decision I can on every hand. On this hand its clear the best decision is to go all-in.
Question : (From Truushot)
Dear Mr. Gordon, What seperates the great poker players from the just very good poker players?
Answer : Heart and the power to act on their observations.
Question : (From homeville)
Hey Phil, I feel I can call you Phil cause I play poker too.
Some time back I watched you play in Aruba. You were very talkative, and kind of aggressive in your playstyle.
My question is: Do you feel that talking alot or aggravating the other players is beneficial. I have done this online and live, and sometimes had good results. You don't make many freinds but you might put them on tilt. Do you agree?
Answer :
I don’t talk much at the table, really. Let your play do the talking.
Question : (From mcmatto)
Question : Hey Phil, Love watching you play, My question is How did your poker career begin when you first started out. How was the transition from playing for fun to having your entire income depend on it?
Answer : My income has never really depended on poker. I’ve never had a losing year at poker, but I had money from other sources. If I lost at poker, nothing really bad could happen to me financially.
Question : If you don't mind me asking, what was your starting bankroll and did someone stake you?
Answer : Big enough that I wasn’t worried about going broke – especially because I focus mostly on tournaments and don’t really get involved in high stakes cash games very often.
Question : What is the best advice that you can give a young teenager who loves the game, but not the bankroll to play in the big tournaments (500k weeklys etc.). I am currently playing multis under $20 and 50c $1 limit etc.
Answer : Keep playing, having fun, and don’t worry about going pro – if your hobby becomes your profession, so bet it, but give yourself an out with a good college education and a back up plan. It is a very difficult way to make an easy living.
Question : Finally, How many live tournaments do you play a month?
Answer : Depends on the month.
Question : (From theprofessor)
Hi Phil,Thank you for taking the time to answer our questions. I play in many tournaments online, and I feel that one of my biggest problems is patience and focus. Even though online tournaments only last a few hours, I find myself getting way too impatient or just not paying attention. The times I do stay focused I find that I do much better. So my question is, what kind of things do you do to maintain your focus in the game either before the game or during?
Answer :
Dedicate myself to playing the right way. If I can’t do that due to time restrictions or other bad things going on in my life, I don’t play.
Play each tournament you enter as if it is the last one you are allowed to play in for the rest of your life.
Question : (From billyboy62)
Hi Phil, i am relatively new to poker i only learned texasnolimitholdem 18 months ago and started playing for cash 6 months ago i do quiet well in mtts my main asset is my patience i will wait for a hand and not panic if my chips go down the downside is i only average about 12/15%off hands played have you got any tips on how to get this percentage up .or do you think i am ok with my style of play and should not worry about percentages
Answer :
If you’re winning with that style, you’re doing the right thing. There is no one right way to play. I play more hands than you play, but there are winning professional poker players that play less hands than you play as well. Pick a style that suits you and stick with it. Experimenting with other styles can be helpful and profitable, but not necessary.
Question : (From crazykeith)
Hi Phil, Phil love you on the T.V.How are you able to unwind and not think about poker ? Thank You Keith
Answer :
Travel do it for me. I get myself out of Las Vegas and into some strange and interesting situations. I’ve been to 50 countries on 6 continents and that number is growing.
Question : (From Jvelez)
Mr. Gordon,Thank you for spending your precious time answering our questions.
As a college student, I spent 2 hours a day playing No limit Holdem small sit and go's and Heads up games with various friends. I used to play up to 6 hours a day online. My question is, How much time and effort should I dedicate to poker in order to become a professional (I'm planning to finish my studies tho) and what extra-curricular activies should I engage to improve the comfort while being at the table for long hours at a time?
Also If should I seek for a poker-related job (card dealer) would it improve my game or it wouldn't make a difference?
Answer :
As a college student, you should be spending more time on your studies and less time on the poker table. It is far, far more important for you to get your degree and actually learn something useful. As for extra curricular activities, try eating lots of high-fat products – your ass will obviously need a lot of padding to sit that long without pain.
A Huge thank you to Phil Gordon for taking the time to answer our questions and comments :):)
You can comment on this interview in this thread.
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