Brek Schutten

In this episode of The Bernard Lee Poker Show on the Cardplayer Lifestyle Podcast Family, Bernard Lee interviews Brek Schutten, who recently captured the 2021 WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown Main Event. The event had 2,482 entries, which is the largest WPT Main Event ever.

Brek Schutten from Grands Rapids, Michigan, talks about winning the record-breaking 2021 WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown for over $1.26 million. Brek talks about playing the initial days at the Seminole Hard Rock in Florida and then the three-week break before the final table held at the PokerGO studio in Las Vegas. Brek goes through the tournament especially the final table and the heads-up battle with Steve Snyder. Finally, Brek talks about how he was greeted by his work colleagues (his works as an ICU nurse) after his historic win.

0:00	Welcome to The Bernard Lee Poker Show as this week’s guest will be 2021 WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown Main Event Champion, Brek Schutten.
1:45	Triton Poker Tables Ad
2:42	Bernard welcomes Brek Schutten to the show.
3:26	Brek joins the show and talks about how surreal it was to win the WPT main event and win $1.26 million.
7:28	Brek discusses how he was first introduced to poker in high school and progressed in college during the Moneymaker Boom. After taking some years away from poker, Brek came back to poker in 2015 playing local tournaments including WSOP Circuit and HPT.
9:41	Brek discusses how poker became a competitive outlet.
10:18	Brek talks about how he transitioned from real estate broker to ICU nurse, and how this career change actually helped his poker playing.
14:28	Brek remembers his first trip out to the WSOP in 2019, playing in a few events including WSOP Main Event.
18:07	RunGood Gear Ad
18:50	Bernard continues his interview with 2021 WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown Main Event Champion, Brek Schutten.
20:02	Brek discusses his decision to play in the 2021 WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown Main Event, considering that he lives in Grands Rapids, Michigan. He also talks about the family trip to Orlando.
22:37	Brek talks about playing the early days of the 2021 WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown Main Event, where he was among the chip leader during the last couple of days before the final table.
29:26	Brek discusses how it was to play poker under COVID pandemic restrictions such as masks and plexi-glass at the tables.
31:47	Brek talks about his preparation during the three-week hiatus before the final table, which was played at the PokerGO studio in Las Vegas.
35:10	Brek analyzes his final table seat draw.
37:42	Brek recalls his strategy entering the 2021 WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown Main Event final table. Brek and Bernard also discuss the events of the final table.
43:24	Brek talks about his heads-up battle versus Steve Snyder.
48:53	Brek talks about all of his congratulatory texts and having to go to work the next day..