The Poker Zoo Podcast

Yes, the Poker Zoo returns amid the poker crisis, but not the one you think. Previous guest Fernando is back, troubled by developments on the casino floor caused by the lack of top-notch dealers. That doesn't keep me, having restrained myself from much commenting during the most heated days, from getting his thoughts on the […] The post PZ 80: Fernando Talks to the Manager appeared first on Out of Position.

The poker vlogging movement is only ten years old but has probably done more for keeping poker in the public eye than any pro celebrity of the era: the vloggers matter. It all mostly started with Tim “The Trooper” and few other experimenters and click revenue hopefuls (including the unfortunate Mark Ari). Then, the number […] The post PZ 79: Fast Times with Slow Poker appeared first on Out of Position.

This week Dr. Robert Samuels returns to the Zoo to talk about the latest round of poker cheating accusations and scandals. Robert recently polished up an old solution – can the online game operators work together to fight cheats? Can there be a governing body to adjudicate poker? While I cynically don't find this sort… The post Poker Zoo 78: Scandal Therapy, with Dr. Robert Samuels appeared first on Out of Position.

We stay in the live streets this week and talk hands with Ralph B., a low-stakes cash game reg I know through Red Chip Poker. As for many players, Covid shook up Ralph's poker life, and in his case, decided it was time to turn a break-even passetemps into a winning habit. Today, we find… The post Poker Zoo 77: Tight Ralph Raises His Game appeared first on Out of Position.

Dean is unleashed this week and talks with a familiar face, east coast tournament grinder, limit player, and general smart-ass Yaser Al-Keliddar. If you're on the tournament joyride, you know Yaser or should get to know him – he's a great table presence. In today's pod, Al-Keliddar recounts his rough introduction to the game involving… The post Poker Zoo 76: Yaser Al-Keliddar Beats Captive Audience appeared first on Out of Position.

Vagabond vet DGAF called him “Tom Brady Jr.” but in reality, the story is more interesting than just always getting there at the right time. Las Vegas live pro Nate Serisky takes us through his year – well, not of living dangerously exactly, as he's on stake and decent with money management – but of… The post Poker Zoo 75: That New Pro Life, with Nate Serisky appeared first on Out of Position.

Thomas Pinnock of Zenith Poker returns to the Zoo to review his most challenging year in poker. In addition to releasing a controversial new set of exploitative ranges and taking on a six-max challenge, Thomas kicked up a series of related kerfuffles with a video mocking many preflop ranges. Trouble followed on multiple fronts, and… The post Poker Zoo 74: Thomas Against the Simps appeared first on Out of Position.

Today we go behind the scenes and talk to Shaun Yaple, General Manager of the Hustler Casino in Gardena, California. I find out what it takes to run a card room and where does poker fits in. We discuss the unusual ecosystem of L.A. Poker, including some advice for all struggling card rooms and poker… The post Poker Zoo 73: Hustler Shaun appeared first on Out of Position.

On the cusp of a new year, new ventures. One is returning guest Michael Lukich's two-pronged effort to improve your game through better solver and data study, Solver School. It's still in creation, but Michael has burned the ships: we find out that he has quit his day job and is committed to poker and… The post Poker Zoo 72: Michael Lukich's Solver School appeared first on Out of Position.

It's our holiday podcast. When we last checked in with TBR member Luka Vitasovic, he was settling into a long “coaching for profits” contract with Nick Howard's Poker Detox program. Today, in a continuation of our CFP series, we find out how that's gone. Is Luka crushing or mushing? Here's the rest of our Coaching… The post Poker Zoo 71: More Coaching, More Profits, with Luka V appeared first on Out of Position.

It's time to reach across the country and check in with Poker Zoo co-host Dean Martin, who lives and plays on the other side of the garbage heap. How did Dean (and Mrs. Dean) get through the ‘rona and what is he up to now? More from Dean and Persuadeo on learning poker. Unfortunately, we… The post Poker Zoo 70: Dean Escapes Death, Gambling Ensues appeared first on Out of Position.

It's back to what promises to be a bumpy podcast grind with Zoo favorite Jason Burge, aka JamBasket Poker, one of Michigan's big online cash winners. We hit as many topics as possible with some drive-by commentary. Burge is already kind enough to offer some valuable analysis and recap on his obscure JamBasket Youtube channel;… The post Poker Zoo 69: A Lotta Problems With You People, featuring JamBasket appeared first on Out of Position.

Poker, crypto, and the Non-Fungible Token craze are all well-met bedfellows: exciting, profitable, and a little grimey. Overnight Monster and Bluff Barbarian creator Alvin Lau took a flyer on a new NFT project this year, Hungry Ghosts, and this is his story. Listen to him on today's Zoo describe many of the truths of NFT… The post Poker Zoo 68: Tokens, Tools, and Fools, with Alvin Lau appeared first on Out of Position.

It's the end of an era at Twoplustwo, but the conversation, especially on controversial topics, doesn't stop. Robert Samuels has been a major contributor to the gem of 2+2 media, its monthly magazine, and joins us today on the Zoo for poker psychology talk. Samuels is a double doctorate and professor at UC Santa Barbara… The post Poker Zoo 67: Bad Beat Therapy appeared first on Out of Position.

A special episode as the two co-hosts talk together for the first time in a while. Dean starts by getting all the details on the deep stack cash game I started at the Sahara Las Vegas in January. Dean brings up one of the most important questions that can be asked in the poker training… The post Poker Zoo 66: The Sahara Game, Dean's Game, the Learning Game appeared first on Out of Position.

If you play in the OOP deepstack training game, or more abstractly, in any online game, you've played a hand with Travis Moss. An increasingly reformed tight aggressive, Travis is a student of the game, with a lot of training sites and study behind him.  On reflection, Travis seems like a good example of a… The post Poker Zoo 65: Travis Gets the Grease appeared first on Out of Position.

The question of what makes for a successful casino poker room has been on my mind because it has to be: I've been running the unusual Sahara deep-stack game and trying to reseed low stakes PLO as well. Hence this series of podcasts dedicated to questions about the industry including Steven Pique, Mason Malmuth, and… The post Poker Zoo 64: Greg Raymer on the Cardrooms appeared first on Out of Position.

Twoplustwo publisher and prolific author Mason Malmuth joins the Zoo to discuss a disagreement on luck and skill and how it influences the games, but it quickly turns into a broader conversation about what makes casino poker rooms go. That's in part thanks to Mason's announcement of his new book, a work in progress tentatively… The post Poker Zoo 63: Mason Malmuth on Live Card Rooms appeared first on Out of Position.

Today we get the perspective of the people who design and run the casino poker show, thanks to guest Steven Pique. Steven has climbed the poker industry ladder in classic fashion, starting with dealing on the WSOP circuit, moving to the Aria, and now running the Sahara Poker Room. We go over the details a… The post Poker Zoo 62: Poker Room Manager Steven Pique appeared first on Out of Position.

Continuing our recent tour of contemporary poker coaches, today the Zoo welcomes Uri Peleg, formerly of Run It Once and now founder and head coach at Guerrilla Poker. Joined by online poker strategy innovator Grindcore, Guerrilla offers a very experienced and compelling take on the GTO/Exploitation paradigm that we're always working with in contemporary poker.… The post The Poker Zoo 61: Uri Peleg's Guerrilla Warfare appeared first on Out of Position.

Episode nine guest FAO returns to give us the word on the live poker market. After being a Vegasite for most of post-Black Friday, he's resettled in the suddenly popular state of Texas, where everything is growing – including the poker. Fernando describes his search for the way out of LV and the lure of… The post The Poker Zoo 60: Fernando in Texas appeared first on Out of Position.

Instagram chip pornographer Fausto Valdez returns to the Zoo; has he been following the rules? In any case, Fausto's been splashing around L.A. long enough to get into the private games and see the real action, plus play some poker. He gives us the lowdown on his run to the high stakes, including a sweet… The post The Poker Zoo 59: Fausto's Third Eye appeared first on Out of Position.

Mysterious poker training philanthropist? Imperturbable doctor who RNGs your diagnosis? Legendary Zynga shark? For our first podcast of the new year, I'm pleased to welcome Thomas Pinnock, the enigma who has created one of the most comprehensive poker learning communities on the web. Zenith Poker features every aspect of serious study, including a learning path,… The post The Poker Zoo 58: Pinnock's Zenith appeared first on Out of Position.

The year-ending edition of the Zoo. Suitably, I talk with The Back Room standby Jason Burge, author of the JamBasket series of videos. We go over his year in poker, and hit some highlights of the greater poker scene as well. (Apparently I already forgot about Phil Galfond: hey, but what have you done for… The post The Poker Zoo 57: Mind Blown appeared first on Out of Position.

Today on the Zoo I interview Dr. Brian Space, scientist and 2+2 poker writer. Dr. Space came to my attention after Matt Berkey tweeted out the article “GTO, the Value of Information, and the Nature of the Solution to No-limit Hold ‘em,” which supported Matt's long-held contention that “GTO” poker is not nearly fully explored… The post The Poker Zoo 56: Space Exploration appeared first on Out of Position.

Professional and coach Alvin Lau of Overnight Monster returns to tackle big subjects in poker. We start with an update on Alvin's successful move to much bigger games. With that fun news behind us, we advance the discussion Porter and I had on the somewhat exaggerated worries about Real Time Assistance; discuss the noted Brian… The post The Poker Zoo 55: Alvin Moves Up appeared first on Out of Position.

I turn to none other than our co-host and production magic man Dean Martin to get the scoop on the Covid pandemic's effect on the home game/private game scene. Poker has always been in a grey area legally, but with new wrinkles come new opportunities. Dean takes us through all of it, down to competing… The post The Poker Zoo 54: Local Private Game, Corona Style appeared first on Out of Position.

Today's guest is Martin Harris, author of Poker & Pop Culture: Telling the Story of America's Favorite Card Game. Martin is a top-tier poker writer, responsible for possibly the most informative and researched poker blog ever, a decade of poker journalism, two novels, and as of 2019, what is likely the most complete history of… The post The Poker Zoo, Ep. 53: Poker & Pop Culture appeared first on Out of Position.

Scientific Poker Strategy creator Greg Porter, who has been grinding hard throughout the Covid lockdown, returns to the Zoo today. It's a packed episode as we not only go over playing on Ignition, Bros, and the OOP training game, I get back to some strategy with two hand reviews. Porter reports on successfully getting a… The post The Poker Zoo, Ep. 52: Porter Goes Bananas appeared first on Out of Position.

Today I speak with mental game proselytizer, new author, Poker Detox advisor, and suspiciously even-keeled guest Jason Su on the pod. While Daniel and Doug swordfight for your clicks, Jason has made a more useful splash in poker 2020 with his book, blog, and appearances all over poker training media. I grill him on the… The post The Poker Zoo, Ep. 51: Jason Su is Present appeared first on Out of Position.

The Zoo returns with TBR member “BFSkinner”, a grinder on WSOP.com and in the Las Vegas live games. While I was focused on hearing about the state of poker in gambling central, we also ended up covering Skinner's poker path from Moneymaker to the Covid-19 boom online he's enjoyed. We also get back to talking… The post The Poker Zoo, Ep. 50: “BFSkinner” appeared first on Out of Position.

This week on the Zoo Jerry Monaco, once the popular Imperator on the Red Chip Poker forum, emerges from radio silence. Back in the day on RCP when not only their founders posted but we were joined by Matt Berkey, Christian Soto, and other names in poker, Jerry gave us some of our most thoughtful… The post The Poker Zoo, Ep. 49: Jerry aka Imperator appeared first on Out of Position.

The Zoo continues to talk to poker coaches, with this week's guest being Doug Hull of the popular Red Chip Poker low-stakes training site. Doug was one of four original founders, which also include James “Splitsuit” Sweeney, Solve 4 Why's Christian Soto, and of course the “noted poker authority” himself, Ed Miller. Doug tells us… The post The Poker Zoo, Ep. 48: Doug Hull and the Easy Life appeared first on Out of Position.

Alvin Lau returns to the Zoo to talk poker industry and to continue our series covering the coaching for profits scene. We go over both coaching successes and failures, and investigate their causes. Yes, Alvin gets in some direct thoughts about other training sites, but his attitude has clearly changed as he settles into a… The post The Poker Zoo, Ep. 47: Alvin Teaches Poker Coaching appeared first on Out of Position.

A remarkable guest on today's Zoo – Andrew Seidman (aka Baluga Whale for the true old schoolers), author of Easy Game. One of poker's finest texts, TBR members are especially familiar with the book, and really, most poker players should be. Part strategy document, part coaching journal, it can be read in a very light… The post The Poker Zoo, Ep. 46: Andrew Seidman & Easy Game appeared first on Out of Position.

Today on the Zoo we speak with long time sports betting and poker writer Paul Hewson. He's an avid tournament player who shares with us how he got into the game and became a winner. (For the curious, here's some Hewson pieces on Bodog.) We talk Corona, how to learn poker, tournament strategy, and try… The post The Poker Zoo, Ep. 45: Paul Hewson & Poker Writing appeared first on Out of Position.

Micheal Lukich returns to the Zoo, and a lot has changed for him. Michael is playing bigger, winning more, and has come into his own as a participant in the poker community. For the student of the game, he has created a poker learning website worth looking at. He's made public appearances on the controversial… The post The Poker Zoo, Ep. 44: Lukich Out Loud appeared first on Out of Position.

It's great to be back talking to a TBR member, in this case Luka V. from Episode 2. Luka's life has changed significantly since we last talked. In the midst of personal and financial upheaval, Luka turned to Poker Detox for a Coaching for Profits opportunity in order to rebuild his roll and continue his… The post The Poker Zoo, Ep. 43: Luka Turns to CFP and Nick H appeared first on Out of Position.

This week's Zoo brings us to a well-known but still somewhat anonymous player who goes by the moniker DGAF. As you'll hear or have been hearing through his podcast Sessions, he actually GAF about quite a few things. He's presently in the fight of his life as he attempts to grind his through troubles, debt,… The post The Poker Zoo, Ep. 42: DGAF about the Abyss appeared first on Out of Position.

Special edition today, focused on OOP's partner coach, Greg Porter. Greg will present a webinar titled Scientific Poker Strategy: Using GTO+ to Explore and Design Robust Strategies on Saturday, March 21st. Having established himself as a successful professional player, this last year Greg has been quietly expanding his poker coaching practice: this seminar is one… The post The Poker Zoo, Ep. 41: Scientific Strategy with Porter appeared first on Out of Position.

On the pod this week is Kar Yung Tom, a serious Magic and Chess player who has recently recommitted to winning poker by joining a Coaching For Profits program. We explore what led Kar to a life completely surrounded by competitive gaming, and get opinions from him on the similarities and differences between these pursuits… The post The Poker Zoo, Ep. 40: Coaching for Profits with KYT appeared first on Out of Position.

Thank you for making us the fastest Growing Poker Podcast! Grant Denison and Jonathan Levy help me kick off 2020's Zoo podcasts. Known as the The Poker Guys, Grant and Jonathan have a voluminous profile of content, from Youtube videos which include a very fun Portland RFID game, to an extremely in-depth, hand-history focused podcast.… The post The Poker Zoo, Ep. 39: The Poker Guys appeared first on Out of Position.

Thank you for making us the fastest Growing Poker Podcast! Dean and listeners share some fun grievances for this important day. Merry Christmas and enjoy the holidays. The post The Poker Zoo, Ep. 38: Festivus appeared first on Out of Position.

Thank you for making us the fastest Growing Poker Podcast! Merry Christmas to all Zoo listeners! I close the year appropriately by interviewing the true hero of the Poker Zoo podcast, co-host and “announcer guy” Dean Martin. I kick things off with some overdue ranting about the blinkered poker community, then Dean coaxes out some… The post The Poker Zoo, Ep. 37: Dean appeared first on Out of Position.

On this week's Poker Zoo we take a look at the world of Coaching for Profits through an interview with Francois N., a content creator, trusted TBR poster, and microstakes grinder I have known for many years. Francois has gone by several different screen names, including Adam Wheeler – a name and story you should look… The post The Poker Zoo, Ep. 36: Odb_Blackbaron/DLF on Coaching for Profits appeared first on Out of Position.

This week on the Zoo, a busy poster in the TBR forums joins us, the one and only Joe Offsuit. Completely dedicated to playing in our deepstack practice game, Joey records all the action and often posts up to ten hands from the game for discussion. Joe isn't just a poker player, but a true… The post The Poker Zoo, Ep. 35: Joe Offsuit and PPPoker appeared first on Out of Position.

This week Dean interviews Pat Bourke, successful businessman, entrepreneur and poker player. Pat was generous enough to share some of his memorable life lessons, how he leveraged risk and opportunities to create financial success, and a few fun poker stories. Have something interesting to share? Call 410 775 6224 and leave a message or record… The post The Poker Zoo, Ep. 34: Pat Bourke, Lessons in Life, Business and Poker appeared first on Out of Position.

New pro alert. Today on the podcast we talk to Solve For Why and Fausto acolyte Gerard Sukhram, who is making poker his full time work in Florida. Gerard tells us about his new blog, Gerard Plays Poker, and how his life in education continues to influence his current and future plans. We discuss tournaments,… The post The Poker Zoo, Ep. 33: Gerard appeared first on Out of Position.

Back after a brief hiatus, I speak with one of the latest TBR members, Greg, who just completed Construction 1 and 2. Greg lives and plays in the PNW with another TBR mainstay, Luka who appeared on episode two. After years of not going anywhere in one-two games, Greg is now applying himself and is,… The post The Poker Zoo, Ep. 32: Greg & OOP Club Games appeared first on Out of Position.

This week Persuadeo is away so Dean interviews east coast pro Chase Bianchi. Chase has almost a million dollars in live tournament winnings, at least one WSOP bracelet that I know of, plays quite a few tournaments as well as live cash, while also keeping a great work/life balance. We discuss life in Boston, his… The post The Poker Zoo, Ep. 31: Chase Bianchi on East Coast Poker appeared first on Out of Position.

Today I speak with Ken Kohl, a long, long-time mid-stakes Las Vegas cash game pro. Kenny went through something of a rejuvenation last year after attending the liberating Solve For Why Academy, and has entered the second half of his career with a fresh perspective on how he and Vegas plays (and should play) poker.… The post The Poker Zoo, Ep. 30: Ken Kohl on Vegas Cash appeared first on Out of Position.