Daily Archives: May 9, 2021

Sung Joo Hyun has only 16 recorded tournament cashes to his name. However, what Hyuns rsum may lack in quantity, is more than made up for in quality.

The 30-year-old South Korean has put together an impressive list of accomplishments, including winning a World Series of Poker gold bracelet and accumulating more than seven figures in tournament earnings with several large titles won along the way.

Hyun was born and raised in Seoul, and after graduating from the Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, he completed the compulsory military service required of young South Korean males, serving for two years.

In recent years, he has grown more serious about poker, making his way to major tournaments around the world. His first recorded cash came at the 2015 WSOP. Just three years later, he made the final table of the $1,111 buy-in Little One For One Drop event at the summer series, finishing fourth for his first six-figure live score of $189,098.

During last years live poker shutdown, Hyun overcame a field of 2,307 entries in a 2020 WSOP Online $500 buy-in no-limit holdem event to earn his dream of winning a bracelet. He took home $161,898 as the champion, and became just the third South Korean player ever to capture a bracelet, joining Sejin Park who won the 2019 Colossus event, and Jiyoung Kim who took down the Ladies event title that same year.

After live tournament poker made its return, Hyun made a lengthy trip to Las Vegas to play in several major events. He walked away with two titles and more than half a million dollars in earnings.

Hyuns first title run of 2021 came in the February World Poker Tour DeepStacks $1,600 buy-in no-limit holdem main event held at The Venetian Resort Las Vegas. The event attracted 812 entries, and after four days of action Hyun was the last player standing. He was awarded $208,335 as the champion, which was the largest score of his career at the time.

That personal record only stood for around six weeks, though. In the middle of March, Hyun overcame a field of 614 entries to emerge victorious in the Wynn Spring Classic $3,500 buy-in main event. Hyun struck a heads-up deal to secure the title and the top payday of $323,409. The career-best score increased his lifetime earnings to $1,033,602.

Hyun was awarded a total of 2,172 Card Player Player of the Year points for those two title runs, enough to see him climb into second place on the 2021 POY race leaderboard. We recently caught up with Hyun to discuss how he found the game, the poker scene in South Korea, and his hot start to the 2021 POY race.

Card Player: Can you talk about how you found poker?

Sung Joo Hyun: My first encounter with poker was during a high school festival. The English majors were doing something to represent Las Vegas, and thats where I first saw the game being played and tried it out myself. It was done with fake money, but I really fell into it.

CP: What about the game did you find interesting?

SJH: I felt like it was a small version of the world that forces us to make decisions in every hand and choose our destiny ourselves.

CP: Do you think you have any particular skills or personality traits that helped you excel at poker?

SJH: I tend to be interested in how people think psychologically about certain stuff. It makes me tired sometimes, but that habit did help me in my game in the past. Nowadays, though, I am focusing more on the theoretical approach.

CP: Do you have a background playing other strategy games or sports?

SJH: Yes. I loved playing soccer and Starcraft. I was pretty competitive, and I couldnt focus on anything after losing.

CP: How did you transition from playing for fun to taking it more seriously? Was the decision to play larger events supported by your family, or was it difficult for them to understand?

SJH: Watching videos from tournaments like the World Series of Poker and World Poker Tour always make me want to fly to Vegas. I kept it a secret until my first trip to the U.S. in order to play. I cashed my first event, and was able to explain every detail about how fun and special poker is to me. Luckily, my parents were supportive.

CP: What is the perception of poker and poker players in Korea?

SJH: The funny thing is that we have poker rooms in the major casinos around our country, but only foreigners are allowed to play. On the other hand, a lot of live tournaments are held at a places called holdem pubs. Overall, the poker scene is growing, but I really wish that our government would open poker rooms to Koreans as well as the foreign players.

As we know, poker is a game of skill. Just because people can lose money at poker doesnt justify the game being banned for Koreans. There are many ways that are legal for people to burn their money away if they are irresponsible.

CP: What is the poker community like in Korea?

SJH: Its growing for sure, with some online tournament apps and live tournaments as well as some YouTube content, like my ArtePokerTV channel. There are communities enjoying poker and rooting for players who run deep in big tournaments. But, studywise, Id say the community is fairly weak.

CP: How would you hope the poker scene in Korea changes moving forward?

SJH: Allowing domestic people to play tournaments in the casinos would be my hope, primarily, but I would also like it if our people knew more about the game in general.

CP: How did you move up the ranks?

SJH: I played mostly live games, from $500 up to $10,000 tournaments, moving up and down many times. I began to take online more seriously in 2020, playing mid- to high-stakes with buy-ins from $100 to $1,000.

I played mostly in the WSOP events, as my first goal was to get a WSOP title. But I think nothing just happens like that. I got that bracelet after I started crushing mid-stakes tournaments. Now I want to prepare myself and be ready to play higher stakes. Im sure that I need more improvement.

CP: Have there been any setbacks on your road to improvement?

SJH: Yes. I was doing okay in both live cash games and tournaments up until 2018. Once I started taking poker training courses, which was 2019, I struggled in both. I guess I needed more time to adjust myself to what I had learned.

CP: Can you tell me about the experience of winning a WSOP Online bracelet in 2020? Was it exciting to win a bracelet, even if it was not at the Rio with fans and a rail and all that?

SJH: It was my second time at a WSOP final table, and I knew that this opportunity doesnt come often. I kept on saying to myself that I had to win it. I had my people watching the game and cheering for me through messenger apps. I would think winning live would be more exciting, but I dont want to ask for too much. I was happy enough.

CP: I heard that you stream your tournament play and have started an online vlog.

SJH: I started in 2020, which was my turning point in online tournaments. I started because it was very hard to find winning players from my town who wanted to help each other and have fun together. Doing vlogs wasnt my plan initially, but taking down two trophies definitely made me change my mind. Overall, I would like to help make this game become more popular in Korea.

CP: What do you attribute your success on the live tournament scene to so far in 2021?

SJH: First of all, loving this game leads to everything. When I am not playing, I watch poker courses and content from coaches like bencb (online tournament star Benjamin Rolle) and Pokercode (Fedor Holzs training site). I believe that every second I spend on studying poker helps me in some way. Im a better player than before, yes, but there is still a long way to go. Playing online changed my game a lot, and watching good poker content was what really resulted in my breakthrough.

CP: Your two big wins in the early months of this year both took place in Las Vegas. What led you to travel to the U.S. for these live events?

SJH: I was simply tired of grinding online, and wanted to just fly somewhere safe. And I heard that they have some tournaments running, so why not Vegas?

CP: What do these victories mean for you moving forward? Will you continue to play more live events?

SJH: I think these results are kind of like vitamins for my whole poker journey; I am just getting started. I will continue to play wherever I can do so safely.

CP: Do you have any goals for the next few years?

SJH: I would like to make this wonderful game more popular for everyone, while at the same time trying to get my game to the highest level possible.

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Sung Joo Hyun Talks About His Breakout Year On The Poker Tournament Circuit - Poker News - CardPlayer.com

I am often asked why most players fail at poker. The answer is simple bad bankroll management.

Many novices think poker is a get-rich-quick scheme, but in reality, it is quite the opposite. You get rich in poker by taking it slowly and playing within your means. If you dont have a bankroll, you cant play. Even if you are the most skilled player in the world, if you have little to no money to your name, you wont be able to play and make money unless you get very lucky.

On the other hand, if you are smart with your money and always keep a decently large bankroll in relation to the games you are playing, you will maximize your chance to win money indefinitely while also improving your poker skills.

When I first started playing poker 18 years ago, I played 25-50 limit holdem. While I only had 100 big bets to my name ($50), I managed to grow my bankroll and slowly move up. I eventually learned the common knowledge that you need 300 big bets to play limit poker in order to have only a small chance of going broke, so I followed that guideline until I reached $15-$30.

Most people think it takes a long time to build a bankroll from scratch, but in reality, it does not take too long if you are willing to put in lots of hours at the table. Lets look at the math.

Assuming you can play four tables at a time online, which is the minimum I suggest, you will be able to play around 250 hands per hour. If you win two big bets per 100 hands at limit holdem, you will win five big bets per hour. If you have 300 big bets in your current game, that means you have 150 big bets at the next level. So, it will only take you around 30 hours to double your bankroll and move up. You can easily do that in a week if you are playing full time and remain disciplined.

When it comes to no-limit holdem, which is by far the most popular poker variant, I suggest keeping at least 30 buy-ins for your current game, and ideally more. This assumes you are buying in for 100 big blinds. If you buy in for less than that, which I only recommend if you realize you are outmatched (which usually means you should not be playing in the first place), you will actually need a larger number of buy-ins because you will get all-in more often with a smaller advantage on average.

In no-limit holdem, a good player can win around 10 big blinds per 100 hands when playing online. So, assuming you can play 250 hands per hour, you will win 25 big blinds per hour. Every four hours, you will win a buy-in, meaning it will take you around 100 hours to double your bankroll. If you play full-time, you could potentially double your bankroll in less than three weeks.

For multi-table tournaments, you should keep at least 100 buy-ins for your current level. There is much more variance in multi-table tournaments than most other forms of poker because you only win a significant amount when you cash in the top one percent of the field, which is tough to do. For sit-n-go tournaments, you should also keep at least 50 buy-ins.

Remember, the listed numbers are the minimum amount required! If you lose a few buy-ins playing no-limit holdem, and no longer have 30 in your bankroll, then you have to drop down in stakes until you can afford to take another shot.

Ideally, if you plan on playing professionally, you should keep around two times the numbers suggested. If youre playing in tough games where your win rate will be lower, you also should keep a larger bankroll. If you are playing in extremely high variance games, like 1,000-player tournaments or a volatile game like pot-limit Omaha, you will need an even larger bankroll.

To learn even more about bankroll management, check out my free Bankroll Bible at PokerCoaching.com. As long as you make a point to play a lot in games where you have an edge while keeping a proper bankroll, the money will flow in your direction. If you dont, you are gambling.

Jonathan Little is a two-time WPT champion with more than $7 million in live tournament earnings, best-selling author of 15 educational poker books, and 2019 GPI Poker Personality of the Year. If you want to increase your poker skills and learn to crush the games, check out his training site at PokerCoaching.com/cardplayer.

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How To Double Your Poker Bankroll In Less Than Three Weeks - Poker News - CardPlayer.com

When Marilyn Caton started her MBA studies, she never imagined learning to bluff her way to big pots at the poker table.

Yet that is exactly what the second-year student at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management has been studying every week.

In a free pilot program offered with the educational site Poker Powher, Caton and 98 other female students have been learning from university faculty about negotiation, decision-making and emotional intelligence.

They test those strategies with a few hands of Texas Hold'Em, a popular poker variant. The aim is not to clean up at the annual World Series of Poker, but to apply these skills in corporate environments.

After all, what is a boardroom but a place where power players read each other and make high-stakes decisions with the best available information at the time?

"These skills are hugely applicable," said Caton, who on her most recent session ended up 90% in virtual chips, with the help of some stone-cold bluffing while holding nothing but two pair.

"A lot of these soft skills like negotiation, leadership, and advocating for yourself, you can put into play in the office on Day One."

Every Wednesday, 99 women gather virtually some full-time Kellogg students, some part-time, and some executive MBA candidates for a two-hour session.

The first hour is devoted to faculty insight from professors like Victoria Medvec, an expert in negotiation and decision-making. The second hour includes coaching from real-life poker champs like Melanie Weisner.

Students then break out into groups of nine to play a few hands, each table guided by a poker expert.

Kellogg and Poker Powher hope to turn the six-session extracurricular trial into a more formal offering next winter. The ultimate goal is to drive achievement in corporate America.

Instilling confidence and risk-taking in the workforce should propel careers and improve female representation in the nation's C-suites, said Medvec, who is executive director of Kellogg's Center for Executive Women.

"A lot of women in their careers tend to be risk-averse. What we're telling them, and what poker teaches them, is that inaction can lead to regret."

EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE

Poker also teaches future leaders to be aware of emotional intelligence, Medvec said.

"Read others' reactions, and be careful about the messages you are giving out. How can I be aggressive, but not be perceived as aggressive? There are so many great lessons that we want our students to get."

Guest speakers include author and poker pro Maria Konnikova. The longtime New Yorker magazine writer embarked on her own poker journey under the tutelage of famed player Erik Seidel, ended up winning hundreds of thousands of dollars at professional tournaments, and then wrote a book about her experiences, "The Biggest Bluff."

While Kellogg faculty handle the academic and research-oriented aspects, the gaming know-how is spearheaded by Poker Powher, founded by Jenny Just of investment firm PEAK6 with the goal of teaching a million women how to play the game.

Poker's strategic savvy could come in especially handy given the rise in female employment during the pandemic. More than 2.5 million women have left the workforce over the last year, according to U.S. employment data, often because of the competing responsibilities of work, family and schooling.

Successful re-entry into the workforce as the nation gets through this crisis will take aggression, some calculated moves, and a willingness to bet big on oneself.

"COVID-19 has been very bad for women, as we have paid the biggest price," said Medvec. "I'm focused on helping women come back into the workforce, to take risks, to move ahead and this program could help give women the confidence to apply for that next role."

Participants will not suddenly turn into poker champs, but students develop skills they can use in their careers.

"After one or two lessons, I can get you to overcome your hesitations," said Erin Lydon, Poker Powher's managing director and general manager. "After enough lessons, I can make you fearless. That's what I want to do."

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All In: Teaching women to use poker skills in the boardroom - Japan Today

Canelo Alvarez returns to the ring on Saturday as the Mexican pound-for-pound king takes on Billy Joe Saunders in Dallas, Texas.

Canelo is hoping to collect yet another world title at super-middleweight as he attempts to prise Saunders WBO strap from his waist and place it alongside his WBA and WBC trinkets.

Having boxed as a professional since the age of 15, the 30-year-old has understandably amassed a huge fortune during his glittering career, but nothing matters more to him than championship gold.

That is not to say he does not enjoy the spoils of war, with his sprawling mansion in his hometown of Guadalajara a perfect example of just how well the four-weight world champion lives.

In an interview and guided tour with Graham Bensinger, Canelo showcased the million-dollar mansion and just some of the valuable items which are scattered all over.

However, this was not for show, as the notoriously private boxer was keen to point out what hard work can bring you.

I sold ice cream on buses and now look at this, he said, pointing out a Ferrari Testarossa parked in his garage that he doesnt drive.

I saw a Testarossa in the movies when I was a kid and I have it, he said proudly.

And it his impressive car collection doesnt end with the 1984 classic featuring, among others, a Shelby, Rolls-Royce and a Tesla.

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Graham Bensinger (YouTube)

When he is not in the ring, he regularly plays poker and has a table set up in his house as well as a two-storey wardrobe containing more than 600 pairs of shoes.

There are also the 38 horses he keeps on his ranch as well as the off-road buggies which he regularly uses to hit speeds of 100mph whilst driving around the area.

Despite his incredible taste in cars, houses and hobbies, Canelo told Bensigner he still wants to become a businessman after boxing and become a billionaire.

Graham Bensinger (YouTube)

I didnt study, I come from very modest beginnings. But I like to learn, I like to learn many things.

And I have a lot of things right now. I could retire and I could live, you know, peacefully.

But I like what I do, boxing in my life. As long as I can, Ill be here. Ive always wanted boxing to be something that I love doing, something that I love, and not just for the money.

So boxing, I always do it because I like it, because I enjoy it, not because its going to make me money. I like real estate a lot. And it comes from watching friends.

Graham Bensinger (YouTube)

As I said, I already have enough to retire right now, thank God. From everything that I have invested, I haveevery three months I have between 4 and 5 million dollars that I receive, every three months.

So I have enough of course to retire and have absolutely no problem. But I like boxing and Im about to open 90 to 100 gas stations here in Mexico, theyre going to be called Canelo Energy.

When you go to pump gas, I want everything to be Canelos thats my biggest challenge.

You have to be smart and place some money at risk and say, This money is at risk, he added. Whatever happens, I know Im at risk and Im not counting on it.

Graham Bensinger (YouTube)

Graham Bensinger (YouTube)

When you put something at risk, you risk something to win. You risk a lot to win a lot.

So of course there has to be a certain amount that you say, Okay, Ill put this at risk to win a lot. But Im not dumb either.

You can very quickly have a lot of money, or you can very quickly have nothing. So theres no need to be dumb, you know?

I dont like watching boxing, I enjoy doing it myself and I enjoy what I am doing, but Im not someone who says, Im going to be a promoter.

No, I dont care for it.

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Inside Canelos house with super cars, bikes, horses and poker room as boxings pound-for-pound kings rev... - talkSPORT.com

SAN JOSE, Costa Rica, May 7, 2021 /PRNewswire/ --In keeping with their commitment to always putting players in control, Americas Cardroom today announced Bankroll Beneficiaries, a new feature launching June 30th that allows players to transfer their funds to loved ones if they pass away or are physically unable to access their account.

"We always want the best for our players, which is why we're implementing a feature to help players transfer their funds if an unfortunate circumstance takes place," stated Michael Harris, spokesperson for Americas Cardroom. "With Bankroll Beneficiaries, you can take comfort knowing your loved ones are taken care of."

Players can think of Bankroll Beneficiaries as a will for their poker funds. Players can set their beneficiaries' crypto addresses, the percentage of funds they want to leave to each loved one, and a timeframe for inactivity.

If the player doesn't log in to their account in that timeframe (for example, 18 months of inactivity), Americas Cardroom will transfer their poker funds to their loved ones as requested by sending the funds to the preset cryptocurrency addresses.

Americas Cardroom has also put safeguards in place. 30 days before the inactivity date, they will attempt to contact the player. Should the player not respond, Americas Cardroom will contact the player once more on the date set in the software.

If the player still fails to respond, Americas Cardroom will transfer their poker funds to the loved ones as requested.

For more information about Bankroll Beneficiaries, visit AmericasCardroom.eu.

About Americas CardroomAmericas Cardroom joined the Winning Poker Network in 2011. The Winning Poker Network has been dealing cards since 2001 and continues to be one of the most trusted names in the industry. Rated first place for payment processing and cashout reliability repeatedly over the last few years, Americas Cardroom offers outstanding customer service and a friendly environment for all poker players around the world.

Media Contact: Katherine Morera1-877-314-4195 309448@email4pr.com

View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/americas-cardroom-launching-bankroll-beneficiaries-a-poker-will-to-give-players-peace-of-mind-301286520.html

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Americas Cardroom Launching Bankroll Beneficiaries, a 'Poker Will' to Give Players Peace of Mind - StreetInsider.com

With over $139 million in prize money awarded, the 2021 PokerStars Spring Championship of Online Poker (SCOOP) crowned countless winners, including in both No-Limit Texas Hold'em and Pot-Limit Omaha Main Events.

The champion of the SCOOP 92-L: $109 NLHE 8-Max Main Event was Greece's 'Cantaloupe91', who walked away with $376,087 in prize money.

PokerNews caught up with the online MTT grinder to talk about the experience and what his future plans involve.

Want some more SCOOP action in your life? Jump into the SCOOP Afterparty!

"Before SCOOP I thought it would be crazy to win a massive title like this," he told PokerNews. But he also said that it was hard not to have "big expectations" upon entering the 38,000-player SCOOP 92-L Main Event field.

"I never miss Sundays and try to play at least twice more every week," said the MTT grinder. "But when I looked at the players remaining in this, the large part of the field were recreational. So I realised I might have a real shot."

And after a smooth final table, before he knew it he was playing heads-up having already locked up $265,000.

"We were playing heads-up for almost two hours," he said. "It was an interesting and long battle, so I just felt relieved during the last hand after seeing 100% next to my name!"

'Cantaloupe91' says that it will take some time for his victory to sink in, and to realise just how well he ran.

"It's not just about the money, it's the title as well. I mean, how many people can claim that they won a SCOOP Main Event? Not many people get to run so pure in a massive field. It really feels like I should lose 100 flips in a row to bring variance into balance."

With coronavirus restrictions limiting any celebrations, he says that he plans to celebrate once things get better, including a trip to a fancy restaurant. He says that he wanted to thank his family and friends for their support.

"I feel that I would never have succeeded in poker without their support. Especially my girlfriend! She understood it was going to be a tough month, but she was so patient with preparing meals and helping me."

Read More: PokerStars Player 'angelovskiy' wins $152k Deal Jackpot

Although not his biggest cash, it is 'Cantaloupe91''s biggest cash on PokerStars, and he says that it will allow him to start taking some shots. That being said, he admits it can be difficult to adapt and that nothing is going to change overnight.

"It can be really tricky when you hit a big cash for moving up stakes. At the end of the day, I know I'm not 100% a better player than I was one week earlier.

"One amazing thing about poker is that sky is the limit, so you never know what's coming up next. You just need to be prepared and go for it when the opportunity comes."

The PokerStars SCOOP Afterparty is underway this month with 60 events for you to choose from.

In order to take part, you must have a PokerStars account. Sign up today through PokerNews to make sure you're ready to play!

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"Sky is the Limit" for SCOOP Main Event Winner 'Cantaloupe91' - PokerNews.com

The featured hands this week showcase correct play at a major final table with short stacks when you have a medium stack and you are in position against the chip leader.

Due to the presence of the short stack players along with the pay jumps at this final table, the big stack can exert ICM pressure on you. ICM Pressure occurs when you are highly incentivized to not bust out before the other players at the table with shorter stacks. Your preflop opening hand ranges should be significantly narrower due to this effect and a good player in the Big Blind will be defending much wider than they otherwise would be in a similar spot. They will look to exert ICM pressure postflop as well.

Typically, in situations where the chip leader can exert significant pressure on you postflop, you c-bet less frequently. However you have a significant range advantage on most flops, as you are raising significantly fewer hands than you typically would on the Button and your opponent is calling with significantly more hands than they typically would in the Big Blind. These factors directly lead frequently c-betting on the Button.

Pay close attention to the pot size and your remaining stack size on the turn and river and be cautious of betting too frequently on turns with medium strength hands. Tough players can exploit this by utilizing aggressive turn strategies to exert ICM pressure. You will want to bet with a balance of bluffs and strong hands that can withstand pressure on the turn and pay special attention to cards that significantly favor your range and key blockers.

To see more examples and test your skills, you can play through five free solved hands from this scenario.

To access the free five hands, visit this page.

Regular play on the WPT GTO Trainer will help you adjust your decisions closer and closer to GTO strategy.

You dont have to be the worlds best player to use GTO Strategy, and thanks to the WPT GTO Trainer, now you dont have to buy expensive software or have expert level knowledge to study GTO.

The WPT GTO Trainer lets you play real solved hands against a perfect opponent in a wide variety of postflop scenarios for cash game and tournament play.

If your goal is to be a tough poker player then you should try the WPT GTO Trainer today.

Register a free account here (it only takes your e-mail address to begin) to play hands and see true GTO strategy in real-time.

The WPT GTO Trainer has over 4 billion unique solved flops, turns and rivers that are fully playable.

As you make decisions in a hand, you receive instant feedback on the specific EV loss (if any) and Played Percentage for every action you take as compared to GTO strategy.

The full selection of scenarios for the WPT GTO Trainer are only available to members of LearnWPT, however were giving PokerNews Readers free access to the Trainer on a regular basis with the WPT GTO Hands of The Week.

Use this series of articles to practice the strategies you learn on LearnWPT (or at the table) and test your progress by playing a five-hand sample each week

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WPT GTO Trainer Hands of the Week: Raising The Chip Leader on The Button - PokerNews.com