Cardschat Presents: An Hour with Chris Moneymaker

[Chris Moneymaker]

Hi Chris! Ty for the inspiration, and everything you have done for poker!
As an aspiring player with a few years experience, who would like to one day play the WSOP Circuits professionally, with a modest bankroll, what is your advice on the best thing to play to build it quickest, while still being disciplined?
( Mtts, Sngs, Rings) And is Non Hold'em softer online in your opinion? Thank You!

would have to go with cash games. Less variance than the others and you can control so much more. yes other games have much better value

 

[shamanalix]

Thanks for the visit and the answers, Chris! Good luck the rest of the year!!

 

[A9ofHearts]

Thanks a bunch for answering these questions for us Chris

 

[Chris Moneymaker]

Since poker is widely recognised to have become exponentially tougher since the Moneymaker effect, do you ever think that your achievement could have been a bad thing in a long-term non results oriented world?

Following on from that, do you do well against the young kids these days who win all the money at the higher 40/80 stakes online? Or do you just want to test yourself against the best because you have the bankroll to do it?

I think my win was a good thing for many reasons. The game is advancing but if you keep up you can still win and the more people that play the more opportunity.
I am a winner in the 40-80 mix game

 

[glenn6971]

Thanks for taking time to come here Chris. I thoroughly enjoyed reading your answers. Good luck at the tables.

 

[masondub]

Thanks Chris for your time! Enjoyed reading all of your answers. Hopefully you can come back some time and finish answering the rest of the questions

 

[Chris Moneymaker]

I've seen you make many good reads against players @ the tables since 03.

Is this coming from your instinct or have you studied & learned throughout the years about tells? If so, who have you learned from?

unfortunately it is just all my instinct. But a lot of it is common sense and rationalization. An example from yesterday in scoop tourney. guy 3 bet me and I flat in postion with Q10. the flop came Q 9 5. he lead I called. turn was and A and he lead almost pot sized bet. The A was a bad card for me but I know he is bombing most of his bluffs as well as made hands in this spot. The river came an 8 and he overbet the pot. This overbet polarized his range to almost exactly 10 J or a bluff. With his actions on the other streets I felt there was a better than avg chance he had air so I called and he held K6.
reads help live but if you just watch board textures and betting patterns you will pick up a ton

 

[xdeucesx]

Not poker related, but who do you got for 2014 NFL superbowl this year Chris?

 

[fletchdad]

I think I know Snowflake. Thanks for coming in and taking time for us. No questions, just thanks.

 

[Chris Moneymaker]

Hello Chris, in your personal opinion what can be considered a successful player in the poker world?

A successful player to me is someone who does not let the game effect any other part of their lives. A losing player can be successful at poker as long as he is playing for entertainment. Its the players who get emotionally involved or don't have a life other than poker that I would consider unsuccessful.

 

[Chris Moneymaker]

hi Chris, congrats on all your wins

our league games here are said by some to be played at a 1k+ buyin level
and a win means more on these than a decent cash on bigger buyin games to many
my question...will you play in the league next season???

gl in your future

I would have to look at the time commitment to do so, but it is something I may do.

 

[Chris Moneymaker]

Chris, how do you deal with LAG players, esp the ones you can't get a good read on?

I actually enjoy playing these players more than other styles. I call lighter and value bet thinner against these players early and try to make adjustments quickly before they do. It is great to have position on them but if not then I incorporate a lot of check raising flops and trapping.

 

[Chris Moneymaker]

one more question:

hello chris,

do u think that "the first one or two level of the deep stack tournament, like WSOP main even, is not worth playing at all?"

and what is ur opinion on staring stacks become deeper an deeper during the tournament nowadays?

thank you.

The first few levels are pointless on tougher tables, however, you will sometimes find a player who will go broke with an overpair or top pair. If you are lucky enough to have a guy like this at your table then the first few levels are profitable. I would like to see shallower starting stacks, starting out tourneys with antes and slow down the structure late.

 

[Chris Moneymaker]

Hey Chris! One easy question for you...

When you started out in poker and decided to take it seriously, did you read any strategy books and if so, what were a few of your favorites that were most helpful to your game?

I never really learned much from books. Most of my learning was done in hand discussions with friends. That and always putting my opponents on ranges every hand. If you do this and are right almost all the time you will improve.

 

[Chris Moneymaker]

Hi Chris; welcome to cardschat!

What is your favorite poker game? I see you playing a fair bit of Omaha/mix cash games as opposed to hold'em cash games. In fact, I don't think I can recall you playing hold'em cash at all.

Any particular reason why you play ohama/8game cash and avoid the hold'em ones?

I prefer 8 game and Omaha/8 just as a change of pace. I played so much holdem in my life I want a new challenge. Holdem cash online is probably one of the tougher games to beat

 

[Chris Moneymaker]

Pre bracelet, who was your favorite player? And why?

Who was your most helpful poker coach, post bracelet? And why?

-

didn't know but 3 players, Doyle, chan and hellmuth. didn't really have a favorite cause didn't watch poker a ton.

Elliot Roe has been a huge help on my mental side and Calvin Anderson has been a huge help in developing my situational awareness

 

[Chris Moneymaker]

Hey Chris, thanks for taking the time to answer some of our questions for you here at Cardschat.

I have a few questions about this weird hand I saw of you VS Pellegrino on YouTube. We did not get to see how the hand played out, but when the video starts you appear to be frustrated from waiting so long. You called the clock on him and he claims to have went all in, and nobody, even the dealer, appears to have heard him do so. Here is the video.

Chris Moneymaker Strangest Poker incident ever! - 100% Rake BACK at http://www.GetAllRakeBack.com - YouTube



Do you think he was trying to pull some kind of weird bluff on you by lying and saying that he went all in after you reached your breaking point, or do you think he really did go all in? He seemed pretty nervous when he started talking. I do not see any advantage to lying about going all in, if anything I see it making someone definitely call if they have anything decent.

Were you sure that your AT was good before this happened? Like I said we did not get to see how the hand played out. Do you think you may have folded if you heard him say all in?

I remember this hand well. I have played thousands of hands with him online and had a pretty good idea of his range and what he was capable of. He 3 bet me pre and cbet the flop and turn. I really felt like my AT was the nuts in this hand based on his bet sizing and physical appearance. I made a small bet on the river, hoping he would see it as a blocking bet and make a move over the top of it. After leading out he sat there for over 5 min. The whole time my read was reaffirmed with his nervousness. After 5 min I finally said something about him taking so long when he finally said he had already stated all-in. Nobody heard him but once he said that the call was pretty easy as I had made this my plan from the turn.

 

[Chris Moneymaker]

Another question as a spin off of the video masondub posted, have you ever been pushed to your boiling point at a poker table, and how?

never, nowhere even close that I can remember

 

[Chris Moneymaker]

Hi Chris, welcome to the Cardchat forum !
Was PokerStars your first online poker room ?
Did you win the WSOP ticket in one satellite with $40 or were there some steps ?

I am a big fan of you, watched the WSOP 2003 espn dvd so many times in the past and also another dvd with some tips from you !

I think paradise poker was the first site I played on but switch to pokerstars very early on. I felt more comfortable with their software. The $40 sit and go was 18 players and was a sat to a $600 mega the next weekend.

 

[Chris Moneymaker]

Do you still play online poker? Do you prefer online or live poker? I used to watch you play the 5k sng heads up games on pokerstars and you used to tear those up. I have also read your book a few times and want to thank you for all you have done to contribute to the growth of poker.

I stopped playing online for 2 years after black Friday and wasn't until Jan this year that I set up residency in canada. I like both online and live for different reasons.

 

[Chris Moneymaker]

hello Chirst,

thanks for sharing some time and experience here!

playing online tournaments, at middle or late stage of the game,
when making decisions, do u more rely on HUD or your notes?

as I watched pokerschool of your video, u kept a very good notes for player, u ever played with.

and

best luck for the coming WSOP.

I rely more on my notes than my HUD, but have learned to use my HUD better with the help of Calvin.

 

[Chris Moneymaker]

Well here is a question I would like answered if you have time for it.
Have you ever had Bankroll management issues, and if so how did you overcome them?
Thanks

I never play big or do very rarely so I never have bankroll issues. My biggest issue is post black Friday getting money from my wife. A long time ago we decided it was best if she holds all our money and I get it when I go play. It keeps me from blowing up or spewing more. Overall it has been great but does stink sometimes cause I do run short when a bigger game breaks out.

 

[Chris Moneymaker]

Not poker related, but who do you got for 2014 NFL superbowl this year Chris?

49ers

 

[Chris Moneymaker]

Thanks for having me as a guest on your site. Sorry it took alittle time to get to all the questions. I will return periodically to answer anything else someone may ask.

Chris

 

[Debi]

Thanks so much Chris and good luck in the wsop this year!