Has anyone met a poker pro? (2 Viewers)

The most interesting encounter I’ve had with a pro was completely unexpected during my time with a local softball team. After playing several games, I struck up a conversation about poker with a guy on the team named Gavin. Without delving into specifics, he mentioned his preference for casino play.

A few days later, while at a local event, I ran into another softball teammate and asked for Gavin's contact details to invite him to a home game. To my surprise, he ssys, "Gavin Griffin, the poker pro? He's usually into casino games and tournaments, but give it a shot; he might join." Confused, I went straight to Google, only to find out that Gavin had played professionally, not to mention winning a bracelet.

Amazing thing is, he had never disclosed this during our conversations, and only hinted at his casino game interests. Our ace third baseman who fielded every missile hit his way was a damn good poker pro and I didn’t even have a clue!

IMG_9256.jpeg


https://www.pokerlistings.com/gavin-griffin-a-matter-of-pride-and-necessity-82604
 
I met some pros one year. We were having dinner with the Behnen’s and she knew I was into poker back in 2007. She introduced me to Doyle in the Rio and he gave me a personalized autographed copy of SS2 as a birthday gift. Then we went to some swanky restaurant that doubled as a night club, where she insisted on introducing me to Ivey, Sexton and Laak. After standing up to go with her to their table, she insisted I sit down and went and grabbed them. Later on during the meal she did the same thing with Chazz Palminterri after asking if I had ever seen A Bronx Tale.
 
ngmcs8203 said:
I met some pros one year. We were having dinner with the Behnen’s and she knew I was into poker back in 2007. She introduced me to Doyle in the Rio and he gave me a personalized autographed copy of SS2 as a birthday gift. Then we went to some swanky restaurant that doubled as a night club, where she insisted on introducing me to Ivey, Sexton and Laak. After standing up to go with her to their table, she insisted I sit down and went and grabbed them. Later on during the meal she did the same thing with Chazz Palminterri after asking if I had ever seen A Bronx Tale.
Click to expand...
She who?
 
SJFCPK18 said:
Last January I headed to Austin TX for a conference and stopped down to the Lodge and ran into poker Vlogger Andrew Neeme. I saw him playing some 2/5 and before I left I was able to chat with him for a bit. Cool guy!

View attachment 1240376
Click to expand...

Nice, yeah I've met Neeme at the Lodge a couple of times and seemed like an easy to approach guy. Haven't run into Brad Owen yet, see Doug plenty.
 
I met Al Krux quite a few times, and Ike Haxton as well. Both of them were locals and played at the small nearby poker room way back in the day when I was HS/College age (It was an 18+ casino). I remember after meeting Al the first time, I was thinking how insane it was to regularly be sitting a table away from a guy who won a bracelet and made it to the main event final table 3 times. And then Ike just blew up and had absolutely massive success, so it was great to see a local boy make it big.

I miss the good ole days of poker, such a blast. I can't believe that was 15-20 years ago...feels like remembering a distant dream.
 
JDPoker said:
I met Doyle and got an autographed copy of Super System 2 at the 2005 WSOP. Met many other pros there, but he was the only one I cared to get an autograph from.
Click to expand...
Very cool, If you are going to meet anyone in the poker world....Dolly is a pretty big win haha
 
Was pretty good friends in college with a guy who eventually became one of the best PLO players in the world. He was roommates with two of my best friends and we would hang out a fair amount.

What always strikes me about him is how focused he was at being the best poker player when working his way up through the ranks, despite all the distractions of college. He'd go out and do normal college stuff at times, but for the most part he just worked out, played poker, and did enough schoolwork to get his degree.

As college kids we thought he was just kind of different, maybe a bit lame. Looking back on it now, that MF was just relentless and calculated. He kind of dropped off the face of the earth to our group, but is a great guy. Deserves all of his success. Guy is sharp on an entirely different level.

Don't want to post the name, he wouldnt want me talking about him lest it come up in googles, but shouldn't be hard to figure out.
 
I met a few over the years, but here are a couple that were memorable to me:

Played in a NLHE tourney at Caesars Palace many years ago with Oklahoma Johnny Hale at my table. Great guy and very friendly. Hard to miss who he was because he wore this shirt that had his name on it. I did win a pot off him so that was cool.

Met Barry Greenstein at the Bike or Commerce outside of one of the restaurants. He was also nice. I told him I loved his book which came out recently. I think it was during one of the larger LA tourneys.

Played low stakes PLO at the Wynn with Jack Dempsey, who was sitting to the right of me. Didn't realize who he was till after. I think he and his friends were all waiting for a high stakes table to start and were messing around at this table. Jack and his friends were all potting blind preflop. I must have been all-in 5 times preflop (with good starting hands btw) and kept losing to his friend who had terrible hands but just kept hitting the flop. That guy had a massive chip mound. I was getting up to leave and he told his friend to give me a chip stack so i can play one more hand, which he did and he won back with rags vs my 9TJQ double suited. It was crazy and a lot of fun. Haven't been following poker too closely, so don't know what happened to him.

Played with a few other pros during the WSOP, but can't recall their names.
 
Seeking Alpha Social Club said:
I have never played with any, but I've met a few at the WSOP Main Event. Here's my experience over the past few years.

Negreanu is awesome and takes time to chat with everybody. He even stopped in the middle of an interview to walk over and sign hats for me and a woman that were patiently waiting for him.

View attachment 1235844View attachment 1235845

Scotty is awesome as well. I ran into him a couple of times, but was a bit pissed at myself that I didn't ask him if I could buy him a shot.

View attachment 1235843View attachment 1235846

Helmuth is a bit self absorbed and can be a prick. He was on the rail a few years ago, and a couple next to me asked him to sign their shirts. He said he would only sign one. I thought he was joking, but he signed the wife's and then blew the dude off. He signed my hat, but I didn't care to take a pic with him.

Ivey is a total dick. His super-fan elderly couple are sweet as can be. I have a hat that I had signed by Negreanu, Helmuth, and I was hoping for Ivey as well. He was along the rail and ready for break. He signed a girls hat next to me, but looked at me sideways and went to walk away. I noticed the ESPN camera on him so I yelled "PHIL" and held the hat and pen up. He was so pissed, but didn't want the cameras to catch him blowing me off, so he signed it.

View attachment 1235847
View attachment 1235841

Also ran into Raymer a couple of times. He was nice.

View attachment 1235840

Oh yeah. And me and my peeps were on the intro to the WSOP on ESPN a few years back. As it turns out, they LOVE drunk loud fans...LOL!! The year after this, we were in a Poker News article talking about how Negreanu plays short stacks different than others. I'll need to do some digging to find that one.

View attachment 1235842

I found that if you spend a couple of days at the ME, you will meet a ton of pros.
Click to expand...
Scotty is so much fun! Especially after a few Michelob Ultras. The day after he took first place for 2 million, he showed up with an assistant/floor manager and they were both holding racks to their chests full of $25 chips. He was tipping the staff with a few chips each just walking between the tables from room to room saying "Thank you baby."

Ivey is the best tipper I've ever ran into. He might come across as a dick but he knows how to tip. He gave me $100 for bringing him a beer once.
 
Old State said:
AirPods in at a casino ….but not at a home game:oops:
Click to expand...

Many years ago, one of my regulars asked if one of his work buddies could join our game. I agreed.

This kid came walking in dressed in something like all FILA stuff and had wired earbuds in. He looked like he had been studying Phil Ivey.

I told him the house rules did not allow earbuds at the table.

He pulled the cable out of his pocket and said it wasn't attached to anything.

I may or may not have yelled "GET OFF MY LAWN!!"
GIF by Giphy QA
 
tripleflatbarrel said:
Was pretty good friends in college with a guy who eventually became one of the best PLO players in the world. He was roommates with two of my best friends and we would hang out a fair amount.

What always strikes me about him is how focused he was at being the best poker player when working his way up through the ranks, despite all the distractions of college. He'd go out and do normal college stuff at times, but for the most part he just worked out, played poker, and did enough schoolwork to get his degree.

As college kids we thought he was just kind of different, maybe a bit lame. Looking back on it now, that MF was just relentless and calculated. He kind of dropped off the face of the earth to our group, but is a great guy. Deserves all of his success. Guy is sharp on an entirely different level.

Don't want to post the name, he wouldnt want me talking about him lest it come up in googles, but shouldn't be hard to figure out.
Click to expand...

Phil Galfond?
 
I was walking out of Maryland Live! and ran into Greg Merson (after he won the main event). Talked to him for a bit, and he asked if I was jumping in a game. Laughed to myself thinking .. not at the stakes you are playing at...

and that's about it for me.
 
My old roommate won the 10k HORSE event at the world series a few years ago. Being a former poker dealer I dealt to a bunch of pros. Local pros were always my favorite, we didn't get too many big names where I'm from but I dealt to Marcel Luske, and of course Minneapolis Jim Meehan.
 
DMack said:
Also spent some time with the First Lady of Poker, Linda Johnson. She was extremely kind, and I think she felt flattered that I knew who she was. She seemed very genuine.
Click to expand...
Linda runs the Cardplayer Cruise poker cruises and we interact with her frequently. There usually is a pro or two on board as well.
 

Create an account or login to comment

You must be a member in order to leave a comment

Create account

Create an account and join our community. It's easy!

Register

Log in

Already have an account? Log in here.

Similar threads

J
BR Pro Poker Ceramic Chips
2 3 4
Replies
99
Views
5K
merkong
merkong
D
Marion Pro & Lot Fancy - Two "sleepers", I'm impressed
Replies
12
Views
549
upNdown
upNdown
ngmcs8203
Any Limit Hold Em Vlogs?
Replies
6
Views
538
Eriks
Eriks
P
"The Mint" Chip Set from BBO Poker
Replies
5
Views
263
louBdub
louBdub
BaroneSanitation
Designer Help
Replies
4
Views
234
oMo
oMo
Back
Top Bottom