A FORMER Late Night Poker champion who finished third in the 1999 World Series, he is among the strongest and most popular Irish players on the international circuit
Age: Fortysomething.
Profession (before turning pro): Insurance inspector.
Years playing poker: 30.
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First experience: I spent four happy years at Trinity College majoring in poker.
Biggest win: $500,000 for third in the 1999 WSOP main event. Out of six Irish who entered the event, we finished first, third and seventh in a field of 400.
Proudest poker moment: When the tournament director introduced me at the last table in 1999 with the words “From Dublin, Ireland”.
One tip for a beginner: If you think the king has no clothes, you may be right. In poker, the majority opinion is often the wrong one because it’s the easy option. It’s better to be wrong sometimes than smug all the time.
What are the key skills for the successful tournament player? Being able to analyse changing situations and having the courage to act accordingly. If you’re afraid to be wrong, you’re playing the wrong game.
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Why are the Irish so good at poker? The Irish have a sense of humour, which involves winding one another up by exaggerating or inventing situations. The constant questioning of what’s really going down is pretty good preparation for a poker game. Throw in the romance of the underdog winning by bluffing and you’d be surprised they are not even better players.
Should poker players also be entertainers? It’s obviously in our interest to keep people entertained, so, yes, poker players should be conscious of their responsibilities to the game and its sponsors.