Games were a big part of growing up in my house and were a huge part of socializing both in and outside of the family. It was very common for my mom and dad to invite 20 or so friends over to play Scrabble. My parents took gaming very seriously. Dad didn’t just play Scrabble; they organized and directed tournaments, he studied its history and delved into its strategy. They started Club3 in Toronto and it is now the longest running Scrabble Club in North America. Their passion for the game was an amazing example for me. This is why I love learning about the game of poker, getting to know its history and the stories behind it, both on and off the felt.

For me, writing is a great way to stay close to the gaming culture I love without having to immerse myself in the day-to-day competitive aspects of it.

I got into Magic while I was still in college and it gave me the competitive outlet I needed. I played it professionally for 8 years, won one of the major tournaments and was a well-known pro on the tour. By the time I retired in 2004 I had pretty much lost my competitive desire for the game. It was draining to see the guy across from me as the enemy and needing to be better than him.

When I moved into poker around 2000, I spent some time grinding it out on the $5/$10 limit tables online. I was making a good living but I missed the writing I did while playing Magic and quite frankly I wasn’t enjoying the poker lifestyle, playing twelve hours a day. I went to the WSOP for the first time in 2004 looking for something to write about and saw that there was a niche for a writer that wrote about the players, away from the table.

What are your favorite stories to write?

I like to write stories about the history of the game and the darker more mischievous elements of it. I like hearing about all the schemes and things that the players back in the day needed to do just to survive. Poker is often about one-upmanship and the camaraderie between the players is probably better than in most sports. Players respect that aspect of the game and it makes for some rich stories. My only regret is that most of the old stories have already been told; I wish there were more. Poker’s is an incredibly colorful history and in a way it is the story of America as well.

I think I bring a unique approach to poker writing because I know what it is like to be a player near the top echelon of a game and I often draw from my experience playing Magic. In 2004 it seemed like everyone writing about the game of poker was doing so to get closer to the felt to make money. I made a conscious decision not to play poker. In fact I didn’t play a hand for 3 years so that I could dedicate the time to concentrate on the game and the players. I feel like I was one of the first writers to write about poker rather than being a poker player that was also a writer.

I like to think of myself as a columnist; someone who tells a story rather than report on one. Most of what I write has a specific beginning, middle and end in with the hope being to keep the reader engaged throughout. Reporting on an event or a hand is one thing, but telling someone’s story is very different, very personal. I think this is a key reason why I have good relationships with most of the top players. If I write something about a player they usually remember it and it opens up a relationship with them.

What are some of your pet peeves with PR people?

Generally speaking, PR people are very valuable. I have always enjoyed working with Lotus PR because your team is professional, you follow through and you make my job and my life easier! From my vantage point, the PR person is the face of the company they represent and how they do their job reflects negatively or positively on the company. When a PR person doesn’t follow up or deliver things when they say they are going to, it makes me feel like a pest having to chase after them for information. Ultimately, while I have to try to maintain a balance, it affects who and what I write about.

I am in an enviable position when it comes to poker writing because I work for ESPN. At the same time I have a desire to continue to grow as a writer and as a member of the poker industry. I am about to start writing about a passion of mine, Mixed Martial Arts, in a new blog called “100(ish) weekdays, 100(ish) UFCs” at http://www.online-mma.com. I am looking forward to the challenge of writing

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