Robbie Strazynski

As my first ever World Series of Poker looms on the horizon, I feel the need to express to all of you what it means to finally be able to attend. I tell you about growing up, visiting Las Vegas; how gambling and poker got into my blood in the first place.

My Dad plays a big role – and it’s poignant to publish this on Father’s Day, as he’ll be joining me in Las Vegas.

Buckle your seat belts, everyone. Join me as I take you on a 13-year-long journey to the WSOP.

Even some poker writers who’ve been in the industry for more than a decade can have some fascinating stories to tell about their time prior to entering the business. One such poker writer is David Huber.

In our latest installment of the “Get to Know the Poker Media” series, David tells us what he loves so much about poker, speaks with passion about his desire for the game to keep growing, and tells us about a storied life prior to getting into the business of poker writing.

I hope you enjoy the interview.

James Guill’s poker witticisms and playful, good-natured ribbing always make me smile. His unique writing style is immensely enjoyable, and can be found on numerous websites, including right here at Cardplayer Lifestyle.

A great poker industry friend of mine, it was through wanting to interview James that the idea of doing this “Get to Know the Poker Media” series came to me. I hope you all enjoy this interview as much as I have.

It’s estimated that the ratio of male to female professional poker players is approximately 19:1. The same could perhaps be said of the field of poker writing, where relatively few women choose to make a career. One such woman is Jennifer Newell, who has stood out as a top poker writer for over a decade.

Known for being vocal on numerous subjects, we invite you to read more about Jennifer in this interview, and perhaps discover quite a few things you may not have known about her.

We hope you enjoy this next installment in our ongoing Get to Know the Poker Media series, featuring our first female interviewee.

Up next in our series of interviews entitled “Get to Know the Poker Media”, is Matthew Pitt. There’s a lot more to the UK Editor of PokerNews than meets the eye. Learn how “YorkyPuds” got into the poker industry, what his favorite poker subjects are to write about, and what it is that keeps him so interested in poker after almost a decade in the business.

Next up in our series of interviews entitled “Get to Know the Poker Media”, is Earl Burton. A longtime veteran of the poker media, Earl reveals some fascinating information about his military career, tells us about some of his hobbies, and makes some strong statements regarding misconceptions about poker writers. We know you’ll enjoy learning more about Earl and reading what he has to say, so we invite you to check out this interview.

This is the first in a new series of interviews called “Get to Know the Poker Writer”. Giovanni Angioni volunteered to be the first subject in our series. Whether you’re familiar with his work as the European Editor of PokerNews, know his writing from work he did for other poker outlets, or are completely unfamiliar with him, we know you’ll be interested to discover more about one of poker’s many great writers.

Enjoy, and stay tuned for more installments in the series.

Whether you know him as “Sharkslayerr” or recognize him as the buff dude with the backwards baseball cap, Todd Breyfogle is a force to be reckoned with at the poker tables. He dropped by for a nice interview where we got to learn more about him, as well as some of the keys to his success at the felt over the years. Go on and have a read-through!

If someone offered you a free all-expenses paid international flight + hotel package to attend one of your favorite poker events, would you ever consider turning him down? This is a question I faced heading into Passover 2016. Read on for a better understanding of the situation as well as why I made a decision that may remind you of what baseball’s Sandy Koufax did over 50 years ago.

Along with my Top Pair Home Game Poker Podcast co-host Bruce Briggs, I recently interviewed Ray Kondler, a longtime tax advisor and accountant for poker players. You don’t have to be a professional poker player to appreciate the importance of correctly filing tax returns on poker wins. Also, if you are a professional poker player, you need to know what expenses can be deducted from your tax return. Whatever your poker status, this is an interview that’s important to check out. Listen to the entirety of Episode 259 of the podcast, which includes the interview with Poker CPA Ray Kondler starting at the 13:10-minute mark. You can also read the summarized transcript. Enjoy!

In poker, losers have a budget while winners have a bankroll. Proper bankroll management is a key skill in poker, but above all you must ensure you don’t go busto in the first place. If you do, you’ll be doomed to having to cope with a poker budget. From personal experience, I can tell you that playing your A-game in that situation (with a budget instead of a bankroll) is far more difficult.

I enjoy listening to poker podcasts, so it always excites me when a new one debuts. One of the most recent to hit the airwaves is the PokerNews Canada podcast and within five minutes of tuning in to their first episode, I became a fan. In this post, I give a full review of what you can expect from the PokerNews Canada crew each month. In short, I highly recommend that you give the show a listen!