Berk Brown has spent decades in the world of poker and seen it from the perspective of a floorperson, a dealer, and a professional player. He’s full of great anecdotes and insights about staking, longevity (of games, rooms, and professional … Read more…
Bryan is a long-time professional poker player who, like many, has expanded into daily fantasy sports and cryptocurrencies, but unlike many, has also expanded into river guiding. He works for AVA Colorado Rafting, and he recommends Dam Nation, Cadillac Desert, and Down … Read more…
Josh Nixon was a student in the Boston Debate League when Andrew was the director. In the years since then, he’s been a serious Magic: The Gathering player is now taking an interest in poker. In this interview, he talks … Read more…
Helen Ellis is a proud housewise and poker player and the author of the novels Eating the Cheshire Cat and The Turning Book, the short fiction collection American Housewife, and the What I Do All Day Twitter account. Her poker … Read more…
This is the conclusion of our epic three-hour interview with living legend Dick Carson (Part 1, Part 2), featuring stories from his pool hustling days and memories of Frank Rosenthal. Timestamps 0:30 Hello 4:07 Strategy 29:45 Dick pt iii Strategy … Read more…
This is a continuation of our massive interview with Dick Carson (Part 1 here). In this episode, you’ll hear stories about the Binions, Bobby Baldwin, Chip Reese, Anthony Spilotro, and more. Thanks to John the Lawyer for all his help … Read more…
Dick Carson is an old-school gambler, pool hustler, bookie, and poker player. He’s also a hulluva storyteller and a helluva nice guy. Nate, Andrew, and John the Lawyer sit down with him to talk about the best poker players you … Read more…
Maria Konnikova is a best-selling author turned semi-pro tournament poker player. She is a contributing writer for the New Yorker and the author of The Confidence Game and Mastermind: How to Think Like Sherlock Holmes.
It’s one strategy segment… followed by another strategy segment, after an interview needs to be rescheduled. Nate and Andrew discuss playing from the Small Blind and playing tricky hands like top pair with a bad kicker. Timestamps 0:30 hello 9:35 … Read more…
Carlos Welch is back to talk about his decision to get coaching from Ryan “Protential” LaPlante and the new, looser style of play with which he’s been experimenting as a result. Timestamps 0:30 – hello 34:19 – strat Strategy Hand … Read more…
Ryan Click is a former professional poker player who now works in sales in the space/aerospace industry (and still plays a lot of poker!). We talk about the future – and present – of space exploration, the importance of a … Read more…
Jamal Hanson introduces us to a high-stakes poker game we knew nothing about… because it’s played behind bars. Jamal, who graduated college at 16 but ultimately landed him in prison for selling crack cocaine, talks about learning to play, landing … Read more…
Nate and Andrew enjoy some “alone time” and answer listeners’ strategy questions (and a programming question) from the mailbag. Here’s the online MIT Computer Science Course that Nate recommended. Strategy Hand 1 100 BB effective stacks Dealt to Hero: Ks … Read more…
Jordan Young has been a professional poker player for well over a decade, but only somewhat recently has he hit a stride that seems attainable. We talk about bankroll management, painkiller addiction, the Solve for Why Academy, and how to … Read more…
Cory Mikesell is a professional poker player, a chess master, a writer, and the author of 3Bet Pots Game Theory and Practice. We talk about his struggles, his successes, and how thoroughly he’s thrown himself into everything he’s done. Run … Read more…
Brad Willis is the head of blogging for PokerStars and the author of the excellent Rapid Eye Reality blog. We talk to him about politics at the poker table, raising sons, and living as a progressive in the American South. … Read more…
Douglas Stewart is an avid amateur poker player who plays in live tournaments whenever his schedule allows, but makes his living as a literary agent in New York City where he focuses on working with novelists as well as with … Read more…
“Tapi” was born in Zimbabwe and lived in Scotland and Canada for several years before ultimately coming to the United States. Professional poker player may not have been the career that his parents envisioned for him, but after a few … Read more…
Matt Glassman is back with a new job (senior fellow at the Government Affairs Institute), a new podcast (Congress, Two Beers In), and as usual some refreshingly wonky insight into what’s really going on in Washington. Plus when is it … Read more…
Carlos Welch has a new home (hotel), a new (used) van, and a new three-barreling range. We talk to him about living in Laughlin and driving across the country, and in our strategy segment, we get some insight into his … Read more…
Andrew Therriault is the Chief Data Officer for the City of Boston. He’s also an enthusiastic poker player and the former Director of Data Science for the Democratic National Committee. We talk to him about how big data and artificial … Read more…
Carlos Chadha has been a professional poker player for nearly 15 years, and in that time he’s mastered everything from Seven Card Stud to Heads Up No Limit Hold ‘Em to Multi-Table Tournaments. He’s also had to master his own … Read more…
Peter Chi is an Assistant Professor of Statistics at Ursinus College teaching an undergraduate statistics course revolving around poker. He’s using this textbook and documenting the experience on his blog. You can also follow him on Twitter @PeterBChi. Timestamps 0:30 – hello 3:49 – … Read more…
Christian Soto and Andrew meet in-person in Baltimore, hours after playing together in the World Poker Tour main event at Maryland Live!, to commiserate and talk about some key hands. This interview was tremendous fun to record and hopefully will … Read more…
Phil Galfond needs as little introduction as any guest we’ve ever had. He’s crushed at virtually all forms of poker at the highest stakes, he’s crushed in the poker training market, and now he’s preparing to crush in the real … Read more…
Jose Pachon is a professional poker player based out of Providence, Rhode Island, but his story begins in the 1970s in Pablo Escobar’s Colombia. We discuss his childhood in the turbulent country, how he came to America, and how he … Read more…
Talal Shakerchi just might be the best amateur poker player in the world. Playing as “raidalot” on PokerStars, he’s won, among other things, the $10,000 Spring Championship of Online Poker Main Event. The hedge fund manager discusses what may be driving … Read more…
Nipun Java made history when, along with Aditya Sushant, he won India’s first ever WSOP bracelet, in the $1500 NLHE Tag Team event. He capped off his summer with a second bracelet in the $1000 Online event. Nipun and Andrew … Read more…
Michael Bowling and Dustin Morrill of the University of Alberta Computer Poker Research Group return to the show to discuss the results of DeepStackAI‘s heads up matches against human players including Nate and Andrew! They also introduce AIVAT, their tool … Read more…
KL Cleeton was born with Spinal Muscular Atrophy, but that hasn’t kept him from playing poker both live and online. In 2017, he won a contest sponsored by Daniel Negreanu and lived his dream of playing in the WSOP Main … Read more…
Esther Taylor, better known as E-Tay, is a mixed game player who also knows how to kick ass in no-limit hold ’em tournaments. Andrew talks to her about learning new games, being a poker-playing mom, and more. Plus Carlos Welch … Read more…
Andrew tackles the mailbox alone this week, reviewing three no-limit hands played in small stakes games. Strategy Hand 1 I’m in MP with 9c9d, a stack of $5.56 and raise to 15c, it folds around to the SB with a stack … Read more…
Benny Glaser is a mixed games specialist from the United Kingdom. With three WSOP bracelets to his name, he is finally getting some recognition as a world-class mixed games expert. We talk to him about why he chose to focus … Read more…
Tommy Angelo invites Andrew and Carlos into his suite at the Rio while Nate joins by Skype to discuss Tommy’s history at the WSOP (dating back to 1987!) and some rare card-playing strategy with a man known primarily for his … Read more…
Carlos Welch and Andrew are rooming together in Las Vegas, and Nate joins by Skype to discuss the WSOP and Carlos’ $600 phone bill. Timestamps 0:30 – hello and welcome 34:43 – strategy
Andrew and Dara O’Kearney are roommates for the WSOP this summer. They talk with Nate about the start of their series, their plans for the summer, and Andrew’s hopes for Day 2 of the Colossus and the Tag Team event … Read more…
Matt Glassman and Nate Meyvis discuss spectating the World Series of Poker, executive privilege, the political consequences of impeachment, and how to exploit recreational players. Andrew makes a brief cameo to discuss his WSOP so far and how to have fun … Read more…
Clayton Fletcher fills in for Nate Meyvis this week, and he and Andrew discuss plans and preparation for the World Series of Poker. Clayton previously discussed his deep run in the WSOP Main Event on this show. Follow Clayton on Twitter@claytoncomic … Read more…
Gareth Chantler, who first appeared on Episode 6, once again graces us with his presence. This time around, we discuss James Joyce, Syria, SCOOP, and, begrudgingly, a bit of Limit Hold ‘Em strategy. Timestamps 0:30 Hello and welcome 52:44 Strategy … Read more…
Daniel Wolf AKA Clarence AKA Baby Dick is a professional poker player. Originally from Pittsburgh, he now lives and plays in Maryland. We talk to him about having fun at the table, jumping back and forth between 2/5 and 25/50 … Read more…
Don’t bet the under! Nate and Andrew manage to review three hand histories in barely an hour. There’s a four-barrel bluff from a NLHE tournament, a turn donk bet from a NLHE cash game, and even a spread-limit Omaha 8-or-better … Read more…
Matt Bodnar is an investor, the host of The Science of Success podcast, and an avid poker player. We talk to him about his experiences in poker inform his work in investing and vice versa, and how what he’s learned … Read more…
Tommy Angelo returns to the podcast to discuss his new book, Painless Poker, as well as his writing process, his daily meditation practice, his new goals, and his sordid past. In our strategy segment, we discuss why it matters how … Read more…
The Computer Poker Research Group’s Michael Johanson and Dustin Morrill discuss Andrew and Nate’s recent battle with their heads-up no-limit hold ’em AI, DeepStack. Johanson has previously been our guest on Episode 79 and Episode 110. Before the match, we discussed DeepStack … Read more…
Patrick McKenzie, known as “patio11” on Hacker News and elsewhere, is a blogger, consultant, and all-around public intellectual on subjects related to software and business. He’s also, as it happens, an avid if occasional poker player. We talk to him about why … Read more…
Michael Bowling of the University of Alberta Computer Poker Research Group, who has previously appeared on Episode 79 and on Episode 110 after “essentially” solving Heads Up Limit Hold ‘Em, returns to discuss the group’s latest work creating an AI … Read more…
Nikolai Yakovenko, poker player and computer scientist, returns to the podcast (he first appeared on Episode 155) to talk about recent advances in Artificial Intelligence, particularly with regard to poker. Links Tournament Poker Edge NYC Live Event with Just Hands … Read more…
It’s all strategy this week, as Nate and Andrew review two hands in which the Hero flops a strong pair plus the nut flush draw. Links Tournament Poker Edge NYC Live Event with Just Hands Poker Timestamps 0:30 hello 12:36 … Read more…
Ronnie Bardah has been a poker pro since before “The Boom”, and though he’s perhaps most famous for his five consecutive cashes in the WSOP Main Event, he’s a Fixed Limit Hold ‘Em player first and foremost. He shares his … Read more…
Angela Bassa is the director of data science at iRobot and an occasional poker player with more than a passing interest in Libratus and its implications for artificial intelligence. In this interview, we talk about poker’s intersections with data science … Read more…
Carlos Welch is no longer homeless! At least for the moment, he’s living with Alexander Fitzgerald in Bullhead City, AZ, and Andrew is paying him a visit! We catch on Andrew’s travels, Carlos’ new digs, and strategy! Timestamps 0:30 = … Read more…
Christian Harder is a long-standing pro whose history with Nate and Andrew dates back to the early days of the 2+2 MTT forum. His most recent claim to fame is victory in the $5000 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure Main Event. We … Read more…
Kyle Loman plays $1/$3 no-limit for a living, but it hasn’t always been that way. Years ago, he was grinding high-stakes with a six-figure bankroll. In this revealing interview, he talks about shot-taking, staking, bad loans, and coming to terms … Read more…
Wow! Two hundred episodes! In this special episode, we invite our most frequents guests as well as several of our most active community members to reminisce about the show’s past and help us dream about its future. 0:30 – Nate & … Read more…
Matt Sienkiewicz, a professor at Boston College and Episode 103 guest, co-hosts with Nate. They compare the poker movie MISSISSIPPI GRIND with Nate’s recent trip to Biloxi. They also discuss a strategy hand and some colorful opponents from Nate’s victory in … Read more…
Tim Bishop came to poker via the unconventional route of Motocross. We talk about how he got started in racing, why he got out, and how he’s dreaming of getting back in. Of course we also talk about his life … Read more…
Patrick Leonard (pads1161 on PokerStars, plenopads on Twitter) is one of the most respected MTT players in the world and one of the head coaches at bitB staking. It’s too bad we lost some of the audio from our interview with … Read more…
Chase Bianchi’s career as a professional poker player came in fits and starts, as we went back and forth between playing for a living and working as a dealer and supervisor. That all changed when he won a bracelet in … Read more…
Eileen Sutton discovered poker later in her life, but that only heightened her passion for the game. In this interview, Eileen beautifully describes her love affair with poker and the strange set of coincidences that resulted in her learning from … Read more…
Jamie Kerstetter, who first joined us on Episode 136, is back to talk about the latest poker Twitter drama, her new role as ambassador for the Borgata poker room, her dog Crouton, and the Humane Society of Atlantic County. You … Read more…
Political scientist and Congressional Research Service analyst Matt Glassman helped us put the 2016 Presidential Campaign into context a few weeks ago. Now that the election is over, we need him more than ever! We’ve got a great strategy segment, … Read more…
Danny Sprung is a trader and a long-time games player. He was a serious poker player even before the boom, and he’s also a world class bridge player. In this interview, we discuss how he relates poker to bridge and to … Read more…
Ryan LaPlante, who joined us on Episode 95, won his first WSOP bracelet this summer in the $565 Pot-Limit Omaha event. In this interview, he talks about his emotional victory speech, why winning matters so much to him, and the … Read more…
Tommy Angelo is back to talk about “speech play”, stalling, and other ways your opponents can annoy you at the table, if you let them. Plus we’ll get an update on his latest book, Painless Poker, and his meeting with … Read more…
Matt Glassman is a Congressional Research Service analyst, Political Science PhD, and perhaps most importantly, one of Nate’s college buddies. We talk about how poker can help us to understand politics (including the 2016 presidential election, of course!), how horse … Read more…
Is Carlos Welch settling down? Not quite. He’s still got the van, but he’s also got himself a new routine in Las Vegas that involves more live poker than ever before! Join us as we catch up with all-time favorite … Read more…