Antonio Esfandiari who has won the biggest ever cash jackpot hosted a private game at his family home simply to help me learn, Former WSOP Champion
answer was ‘yes,’ it would happen, if not I would pass.
l
The same was the case ahead of Goliath, my schedule would be planned around key tournaments and I surrounded myself by the best players in the world. To be the best you have to learn from the best. No stone was left unturned! I even turned my gym car park into a poker lounge just to ensure I could play enough – you wouldn’t recognise it!
How did the relationship with Audley – a previous nemesis – help you during your time learning poker? Can you speak about of the other people that helped you on your way?
l
Audley and I go a long way back, first meeting as amateur boxers working our way up the rankings. He was a little older than me, but we always got on really well.
l
Whilst as professional’s we fought each other in my second world title defence, I always had a lot of respect for Audley and how he managed his own career.
l
Scott Blumstein was always on the end of the phone to help me analyse my hands and Jeff Gross who has won over $5million in his career making it to an incredible five WSOP final tables helped with extra workshops in Las Vegas
He was an amazing mentor during this poker journey and I really do credit him with the success I had. He spoke my language, was incredibly patient and worked in a way that meant I fell in love with the game.
l
I was very fortunate to meet and learn from some of the world’s greatest poker players. I was incredibly fortunate when they heard of
my challenge they were keen to help in anyway they could.
l
Antonio Esfandiari who has won the biggest ever cash jackpot hosted a private game at his family home simply to help me learn; Former WSOP Champion Scott Blumstein was always on the end of the phone to help me analyse my hands and Jeff Gross, who has won over US$5m in his career making it to an incredible five WSOP final tables, helped with extra workshops in Vegas, and came to London for a strategy workshop before I went into day two of Goliath short staked!
What is the goal for this year’s Goliath poker tournament?
l I’d never aim for anything but to win.
Do you have any advice for poker players looking to take on Goliath for the first time? l
Immerse yourself in the game. Play, make mistakes, learn from them. Speak to professionals and start thinking like them.
NEWSWIRE / INTERACTIVE / MARKET DATA P43
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