The first WSOP champ to win his entry through an internet satellite tournament, Chris Moneymaker has tapered off his play lately to spend more time with his family. Besides the online time he clocks at PokerStars, Moneymaker has appeared in only a handful of tournaments in 2006, winning $10,000. Hell show up at the Word Series again this year, though, and he told us how it feels to return to the scene.
How did you get started playing poker?
"I started playing because I was a sports gambler and a blackjack player, and I kept losing money at both of those. I liked going to casinos but hated losing my money all the time, so I started playing poker. Then Rounders came out and Texas Holdem took hold. It just opened everybodys eyes to the game. Before that, Id never even heard of Texas Holdem."
When did you start playing online?
"I started playing online in 2001, about six months after I started playing in casinos. I probably dumped $40,000 total over a three-year period. Id jump up and play $10-$20 and $20-$40 at times, but I was mostly playing $3-$6 and $5-$10. I was losing at first, very badly; then I started winning as I was getting closer to the World Series. In retrospect, it was a lot better than it would have been if Id still been at blackjack or sports betting. Sports betting was a big leak, so I was definitely losing less playing poker. By the time I went to the World Series, I was actually making some money back. But, I was so far in the hole that it would have taken me a long time to get out."
How experienced do you think you were when you took down the World Series?
"Not very. I didnt even want to play because I didnt want to go play against the best in the world. I didnt think I had the experience - and I really didnt. I played really conservatively, and big hands came my way when they needed to. And, I made some big bluffs when I needed to. As far as experience goes, I was probably one of the least experienced in the field. But, things were just working right for me, and I was playing my cards the right way for that tournament."
What do you think the normal luck-to-skill ratio is in the World Series?
"Early on in a tournament, the skill factors about 90 percent. And, as the tournament goes on, the luck factor increases every time they raise the blinds. By the end of the tournament, the luck factors probably closer to 75 percent and the skill factors really diminished. I hate it. Whenever I play in tournaments, I really get frustrated when we get down deep. You play perfect for X amount of hours, then all the sudden it turns into a straight crapshoot, where youre pushing all in with a pair of eights or nines, which you were laying down earlier to play the correct way. Youre constantly running races - its gone from out-playing people to winning 50-50 races."
What was that week right after you won the World Series like?
"I went home Sunday and had a big party with all my friends. Monday morning, I was back at work. I didnt even throw the party - it was at the restaurant where I worked in the upstairs catering room. There was no money spent out of the ordinary."
Originally, you sort of ducked the publicity. What changed your mind?
"It wasnt that I wanted to duck the publicity, its just that public speaking was one of my biggest fears. So, when they asked me to go on David Letterman, I said, No. I just didnt want to get on TV. Basically, my friends and family were saying it was a good thing that would be so cool to do, so I decided to give it a shot. It wasnt that bad, so after I did that one, I didnt mind doing anything else."
What effect did the money have on the people around you when you won the Series?
"It had a big effect. I lost my wife. I lost some friends. Money has a strange effect on people. I had people rob from me; everybody wanted to borrow money. I had a couple friends who thought they won the World Series, too. It really destroyed their lives more than anything else - it was tough on a lot of people. I played it pretty tight. I knew Id won a big score, and I didnt want to chew it all away. Id heard of lottery winners who were broke two years later, and I didnt want to be one of those guys. So, I played it pretty close to the vest; I probably gave $40,000 or $50,000 away to friends and family, but I kept pretty much everything else."
You lived out the start-up players dream, what advice do you have for guys going for the gold this year?
"Be patient. Youve got time. Its not like any tournament youve played in before, where you have to make decisions and run races. If you get A-K or pocket Aces, and the flop comes down and you dont have much money committed, Ill lay down pocket Aces early going. The only way Im going bust is if I get a bad beat. A lot of people will go broke trying to defend top pair. When youre playing the World Series of Poker, not many people are going to get their money in the pot with worse than two pair. You see it more now than you used to. When I won, you never saw that. With as many bad players as there are now, you see it some."
Do you think of people feel like they have to go for the glory?
"In the World Series, yes. In normal tournaments, youre dealing with 500 people who all know what theyre doing. In the World Series, youll have 8,000 people: 200 world-class players, 2,000 real good players and 5,000 complete morons who watch it on TV and think they know what theyre doing. So, you address that quite a bit in the World Series. Its happened to me in the past two years - people go all-in for random, unknown reasons. In one case, he should have folded. In the other case, he would have gotten all my money anyway, just the way the hand played out. But, the fact that he moved it all in pre-flop made no sense."
A lot of players get angry with dead-money players kicking them out of tournaments, but having won as a beginner yourself, how do you feel about it?
"Of course youre upset when you get beat by someone you think youre better than. It still stings me when I get beat. I had a guy who shakes my hand and says hes a big fan of mine when Im leading a tournament. He has a one-outer to beat me on the river and catches his fourth six. I would love that to be a cash game, where I could continue to play with the guys. In a tournament, it sucks, because you have to get up and leave. You gotta realize breaks fall either way. Ive had some rough breaks, but I had good breaks in 2003. And, I want all the bad players there. Thats why the World Series is so great to play in - because the prize pool is so big."
Are there any pros who have helped you along the way?
"No ones taught me anything. Ive pretty much learned it all on my own. I always go back and look at my hand history and everybody elses and how they played. I look to see how I played a hand and whether I could have gotten more money off a guy or lost less. How would I play it differently when the situation comes up again? I continuously try to do that. You just learn more as you go, whether its pot odds, situations, position. You just learn more."
What poker projects are you working on?
"Basically, right now, Im just working on Moneymaker Gaming, which is high-end poker chips, tables and accessories. Were also working on slot machines going into casinos. Weve partnered up with Playboy, Nascar, Jesse James and West Coast Choppers and the WWE as well."
Do you feel pressure to win the World Series again?
"I feel no pressure. None at all. I know the realistics of trying to win it twice is almost impossible."
Do you think its sad that were not going to have these big, multi-championship players like Doyle Brunson and Phil Hellmuth Jr. anymore?
"Its not sad. I prefer it that way. You can get fourth place now and get more money than you could ever have dreamed of for first place back five years ago. First place is obviously a big thing, but as big as the prize pool is, fourth place is tons of cash."
What about the mythology of the game?
"Im not a big "revere the game" type guy. I play poker because I make money and support my family. I could really care less about the history of poker or the future of poker as far as the game goes. I dont sit there and read poker history. I couldnt tell you whos won the World Series of Poker more times - I dont even know how many World Series tournaments there have been. Thats just not me. When you sit down at a poker table, youre not there to show off a great game; youre there to kill off everybody else at the table. Thats the simple truth of it. I could sit here and tell you I love the game and the money isnt that big of an issue for me, but thats not the truth. I play for money."
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