March 08 2011, Ryan Nelson

We recently sat down with Chris “gomukyaself” Sparks to find out how he got started in poker, who would be in his entourage, and much more.

Hey Chris! How’s it going? You are doing some serious work these days at the high-stakes no-limit games. Tell us what has been going on in your life lately.

Just life, grinding. Poker for me is definitely a full-time job, but I think it is very important to lead a balanced life. As far as poker goes, I feel like I have really progressed a long way and have been playing better than I ever have before the last few months. You never know how long these sort of stretches will last, so I am just trying to put in as many hands as I can without getting too burned out. The high-stakes games play pretty aggressively so it is hard to know how much of your success on any given day is positive variance. I just try to play my “A” game more often than my opponents and hope that the results follow.

How did you get started in poker? Did any books or training sites help you along the way?

I’ve always been a very competitive guy with a drive to be the best in anything from sports to card games, so my interest in poker was pretty inevitable. I’ve never really been blessed with a lot of natural ability, so in all games it was always important for me to work harder and be more prepared than the other guy. Between my involvement in student organizations and making time for power hours and house parties at Ohio State, I didn’t really have much time to dedicate to my new passion in poker – but that didn’t really stop me from trying.

After some guys I played $10 home games with deposited online and started having some success (surprisingly – I thought they were fish), I decided to give online poker a shot and started playing mid-large field multi-table tournaments in my spare time. I had no bankroll management, though, depositing $55 to play $55 MTTs and such. Luckily, I had a fairly lucrative position coordinating the advertising at our school newspaper, which sort of subsidized my early poker career [laughs]. Eventually I broke through, winning an MTT and “Moneymakering” a bankroll.

I decided to take poker a bit more seriously and made a nice side profit through sophomore and junior years. After a big heater where I won two major MTTs in the same week senior year, in my brilliance I decided that I had “mastered” tournaments and decided to play cash games for the first time. Obviously I jumped right into $1/$2 and started 24-tabling with predictable results. I was a fast learner though, and after a couple months started crushing the games and never really looked back. That was a little over two years ago, and it is crazy to think about how far I have come in such a short time. I am a big believer that information is power, and I try to get my hands on any piece of poker knowledge that I can. When I was first learning the games, I read just about every book and magazine article out there and have probably watched over 200 training videos lifetime. When you get to a certain point though, there just isn’t very much information publicly available that is beyond my current understanding, so recently most of my poker “training” has been self-taught.

You pointed out two very important things in your first answer – always bringing your “A” game and living a balanced life. First thing, how do you always bring your “A” game? Do you have certain rituals or routines before you play whether it be going to the gym before, etc.?

I think anyone that says they play their “A” game all the time is lying, but I try to play my “A” game as often as I can. When I played low/mid-stakes it was much easier, since I could play a pretty set schedule and thus have a pretty solid routine to follow to get myself mentally and physically ready to play. At high stakes I don’t have that luxury as the games can start and stop at any minute so a constant state of “readiness” is more important.

I try to keep myself well-rested and pay pretty good attention to the timing of my meals. I think overall though the most important thing is knowing yourself. There are some times where the games might be good but I just don’t think I can “bring it” for whatever reason – I’m tired, frustrated, distracted, whatever, and I wait for a better spot – I think the edges are too small these days to do otherwise.

As far as in a session, I try to isolate myself from results as much as I can and just focus on making the best decisions I can with the information I have. A lot of times I will honestly have no idea if I am winning or losing until after the session is over and I review the hands. I think the “quit decision” is very important too, a lot of guys will play too long and I think they are costing themselves money. If I am on the verge of tilt or things just aren’t going my way for whatever reason, I won’t hesitate to walk away – there’s always another game.

Obviously getting away from the computer and socializing is a big thing. Explain to the us how you balance your life and why you think it is necessary.

Poker obviously won’t go the way you want it to the majority of the time so that’s why I think its very important to have other aspects of your life you can fall back on – primarily your relationships with friends and family but also outside interests and pursuits. Living in the Hollywood Hills poker house (I share a place with four other poker players), it is natural that I would be semi-immersed in the poker world, so I try to make an effort to maintain relationships with more normal people [laughs] with diverse professions and interests that I can learn from. They help keep me grounded and give me some valuable perspective and insight. At the end of the day, poker is just a way to pay the bills – it’s not who I am at my core. Having a balanced life helps me remember that.

We heard you live in a sick house in Los Angeles. Do you live next to any celebrities?

The mansion we are renting in L.A. is pretty sick. We are definitely paying a lot of rent by most standards, but we look at it more like investing in life experience and in that sense, our investment has paid off more than we could have ever imagined. Personally, I’m having a blast out here – I love these guys. Poker wise, I feel like I owe a lot to being able to talk strategy with them every day. The house has opened up some doors to us, too. We have met so many cool and interesting people we might not have come across otherwise. For example, a reality show producer heard about our story and convinced us to do some filming for a potential reality show series (working title is Young Guns, check out the trailer on YouTube and feel free to troll away). Being in a reality show is something I never would have considered before, but why not? Just trying to keep an open mind and enjoy the experience.

If you’re not grinding out the high stakes, what would you be doing?

I’m pretty easy going. I like just about everything, so I have pretty diverse interests, which vary from day to day. I live in a city where there are a ton of great concerts and events all the time, so I try to get to as many of them as I can. I love meeting new people, especially people with different backgrounds so I guess I just hang out and chat with friends a lot. I guess I probably read a ton for someone my age. The topic will vary from day-to-day, and I rarely actually finish a book. Anything from finance to psychology to documentaries (crime and mobster stuff is my favorite). I am a pretty big movie buff too, I am running out of good movies to watch so if anyone has some must-see recommendations let me know [laughs].

What are your top three movies of all time?

Godfather Part II, City of God, and The Prestige.

You’re at Supperclub in L.A. Who are the five people in your entourage?

Mark Cuban, Guy Laliberte, and Richard Branson because they all define what it means to be a boss and represent the level that I am aiming for [laughs]. The contenders for the female spots are wide open – let’s go with Kristen Bell and Mila Kunis. Beauty is a dime a dozen here in L.A., but those two seem like they would be a blast to party with.

If you weren’t a poker a poker player what would you be doing?

My professional poker career somewhat happened by accident. I studied marketing and psychology at Ohio State and it is still somewhat a passion of mine. I actually accepted a job in advertising after graduation and if it wasn’t for a strange turn of events, it’s probably what I would be doing for a living right now. Poker was just an afterthought for me at the time. I was making some decent money from it, but had always had it drilled into my head that the only option was the corporate route – work hard, network and try to work your way up the ladder – so going pro never really crossed my mind. This company, for lack of a better way of putting it, screwed me over. Basically kept me waiting with various promises for over six months and completely shattered the corporate dream for me. It was a blessing in disguise, though, being in a new city with infinitely more free time than I was used to having in college was a great opportunity to dedicate myself to taking my poker game to the next level and made me realize what ridiculous earning potential poker had to offer.

We have one more $15,000 Sunday Million Freeroll with PokerStars left to qualify for, with $1,000 to the winner and 260 tournament tickets, including 45 Sunday Million Tickets on offer.

March 20 2011, Elaine Chaivarlis

If you’re looking for the top news stories of the week, you’ve come to the right place. What did you miss? Well, the World Poker Tour is planning a big buy-in event, a bill was introduced at the federal level that could legalize online poker in the United States, and more.

Add Another One (hundred k) to the List

Earlier today, PokerNews received confirmation from the World Poker Tour that it was in fact planning a $100,000 buy-in event for this season of the tour. Not all of the specifics are nailed down yet, but we can expect the tournament sometime around the World Poker Tour World Championship in May.

Bills, Bills, Bills

Rep. John Campbell (R-Calif.), and Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) have co-authored a bill that would federally license and regulate online wagering, specifically poker.

“Given that millions of Americans currently play online poker, states across the country are recognizing the value in licensing and regulating the game and many are introducing their own laws … while collecting millions in tax revenue,” Poker Player Alliance chairman and former senator Alfonse D’Amato (R-N.Y.) said.

Provisions in this bill include creating a list of illegal operators and mandatory implementation of technology to prevent underage gambling, as well as establishing daily, weekly, or monthly limits on deposits and losses.

The Las Vegas Review Journal has more.

Prahlad Not Avoiding Drama

Over the weekend, Prahlad Friedman took to his Twitter account to express his concerns about a player he was playing against recently online. Friedman alleged that he told Issac Haxton he didn’t want to play him online. Soon thereafter, Friedman started playing a random player online and after looking up that player’s stats, found out they were identical to those of Issac Haxton. Friedman goes on to say, that the radom player, “xxtrmsk8rx,” had a different style of play on the first day the two played. Friedman believes two different people were playing on that account. He alleges that it is Haxton and Justin Bonomo.

Friedman was then bombarded with tweets from various poker players voicing their opinion on the situation. As of now, Haxton hasn’t responded to the allegations.

TwoPlusTwo has a thread going about the situation.*

*Not “THE Situation”

Stormy Sunday

For those of you who are averse to change, you might want to sit down and take a deep breath before continuing to read.

What you used to know as the PokerStars Sunday 1/4 Million is no longer that. The Sunday staple has been renamed to the Sunday Storm. It’s the same event, just with a different name. To celebrate the new name, PokerStars is guaranteeing a $1 million prize pool in the first Sunday Storm.

The Sunday Storm kicks off on March 27 at 15:30 EST. You can buy in directly for $11 or you can try to win your way in by playing in any one of the number of freerolls running now through March 27.

To get your Sunday Storm on, you’ll need a PokerStars account. To find out more about the freerolls and the rebranding, check out the PokerStars Blog.

I’m Old Beaten Up Rocky

Jesse May was joined by Daniel Negreanu for the latest episode of The Poker Show and the two discussed the upcoming SuperStar Showdown, where Negreanu will take on Victor “Isildur1″ Blom in a two part match.

Negreanu discussed his strategy going into the match and how he prepared for the match. According to the PartyPoker Blog, Negreanu is an 11/8 underdog.

“I’ve got a feeling there’s going to be some late money coming in on me,” Negreanu said, “My friends say they’ve never seen me so motivated. I want it a lot more than him!”

Listen to the show on the PartyPoker Blog to find out more on what Negreanu has to say about the SuperStar Showdown.

There’s an App for That

Wouldn’t it be nice to lounge back while you’re playing poker online and use a remote control to make your bets instead of being tied down to a computer keyboard? Yes, we know you’re thinking – but that invention is already out – the Poker Controller.

Well, if you’ve got an iPad, iPod Touch, or an iPhone, there’s no reason to add an extra piece of technology to your bag. Poker Controls, the U.K. developer of the Poker Controller, has developed an app that will turn your iPad, iPod Touch, or iPhone into a poker controller.

The app comes with bet, check, and fold buttons, a plus/minus bet slider, x2, x3, x5, pot, and all-in buttons as well. You can also switch tables from the app, and sit in and sit out. There’s also a mouse touchpad that is configured to the app, so you can play across different sites at the same time.

You can find the app on the iTunes store and read the press release on ResponseSource.com.

Hitting the Nuts on DVD

If you’re a frequent reader of the Nightly Turbo, you probably remember that we told you about the poker-themed comedy Hitting the Nuts. (If you’re not a frequent reader, we could tell you a thing or two, but we don’t have time for that right now.)

Hitting the Nuts has won numerous awards at film festivals all over the U.S., and if you didn’t get a chance to attend one of them and see it, you can soon watch it in the comfort of your home. The movie will be released on April 15.

“We made a ridiculous movie on purpose,” director Joe Boyd said. “The poker community has been burnt by a series of unpopular, terrible movies over the last five years. I think people like this movie so much because it takes nothing seriously. It’s a complete silly farce. It’s like the movie Airplane…if Airplane was a fake documentary about poker.”

The production company, Rebel Pilgrim Productions, has decided to self-distribute the DVDs and there is a limited number available. Pre-orders start March 16.

You can find out more about purchasing the DVD in the press release on the Rebel Pilgrim Productions website.

You can find out more on the Las Vegas Review Journal website.

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March 22 2011, Matthew Kredell, PokerNews Staff

Michael Gaughan, owner of the South Point Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, has become the first owner of a Las Vegas casino to publicly support a bill that would legalize Internet poker in Nevada. Assembly Bill 258 would allow the Nevada Gaming Commission to regulate and license online gaming. The bill, introduced by Assemblyman William Horne, is the most player-friendly bill ever proposed in the U.S., and is supported by online poker giant, PokerStars.

When the bill was introduced, optimism was quickly stymied by opposition to the bill from casino giant Caesars Entertainment. It figured that other brick-and-mortar casinos would follow Caesars’ lead, providing a huge roadblock for the legislation. However, Gaughan’s public support for the bill provides a ray of hope that the legislation may yet have a chance.

“There is no doubt in my mind that online poker and other games are coming,” Gaughan said. “AB 258 would make us a pioneer in the nationwide movement and the leader for the rest of the country to emulate.”

Nevada is facing over a $1 billion deficit and a 13.5 percent unemployment rate. Gaughan believes that legalizing Internet poker could add employment opportunities and could bring over $500 million into the state budget.

Most bills that have been discussed in the federal or state governments have included wording that’s frustrating even to poker players who long to have legitimacy for their game. The proposal from Sen. Harry Reid last year had a 15-month blackout during which no one in the country would be able to play online. The bill recently introduced in Congress by Rep. John Campbell includes wording that accuses existing operators of illegal activity.

The Nevada bill specifies that it would not discriminate against existing operators like PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker, and that it would authorize the Nevada Gaming Commission to enter into compacts with other jurisdictions where interactive gaming is not prohibited. Initially, this means Nevada could partner with foreign countries that allow online poker. Over time, other states could pass legislation to join the Nevada network and Nevada could become the center of online gaming, just as it is for brick-and-mortar casinos.

Gaughan said he doesn’t mind PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker being allowed to participate in a Nevada system.

“I don’t think you should eliminate any one group of people,” Gaughan said. “If you have an open bill, you have an open bill. I hate to see a monopoly on anything.”

Caesars, formerly known as Harrah’s, and MGM are in favor of online poker legislation but want it to be passed at the federal level. Gaughan said he supports a state bill because he believes it would be better for the smaller casinos in Nevada.

“The federal bill was pro Harrah’s and MGM, and wanted to keep everyone else out,” Gaughan said. “I don’t want the big places to wind up with it, and the little guys can’t get it. Pass the bill and let the chips fall where they may. I think a state bill opens it up for everybody.”

Gaughan said he doesn’t know if other casino owners will follow in his footsteps, and that he will not lead a lobbying charge in favor of the bill.

“I think it’s good for the state,” Gaughan said. “I don’t know how good it will be for me, but I think it will benefit the state. That’s why I’m not opposing it. I think others may be mad about it, but I don’t care. It won’t be the first time I’m at odds with Harrah’s.”

PokerNews is monitoring this issue closely and will keep you updated with further developments, so stay tuned for more, and as always, follow us on Twitter for up-to-the-minute news.