Poker Stories: Phil Galfond

Explicit content warning

04/06/22 • 75 min

Phil Galfond has made his mark on pretty much every part of the poker world. Not only is the Maryland native considered one of the best to ever play the game, but he's also been recognized as a prolific poker coach, and even operated his own online poker site, Run It Once.

The 37-year-old recently sold that site to Rush Street Interactive, which is planning to enter the regulated US online poker market. His training site, which shares the same name, features elite poker coaches and recently unveiled Galfond's comprehensive pot-limit Omaha strategy course.

The high-stakes pro is regarded as one of the best PLO players in the world today, and has been solidifying that reputation with his ongoing Galfond Challenge, taking on all comers while laying odds. He is currently 4-0, including a €900,000 comeback win. Although he mostly focuses on cash games, he has found success in tournaments, winning three bracelets at the World Series of Poker.

Highlights from this interview include scoring four touchdowns with a broken arm, Phil Hellmuth's alma mater, the guy who got him into poker, an eye-opening losing summer, winning notoriety with a bracelet, a desire to teach others, coming out of 'retirement,' doubting himself during the challenge, the problem with focusing on solvers, what it takes to start an online poker site, selling his company, avoiding soap operas, shooting his shot over Twitter, a $700,000 five-card draw pot, answering the phone at Domino's, and how many slices of pizza he can eat in ten minutes.

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Poker Stories: 'Miami' John Cernuto

"Miami" John Cernuto is a true ironman of the live poker tournament circuit. The longtime grinder holds the record and a sizable lead for the most cashes ever with 540 and counting. To put that into perspective, 16-time bracelet winner Phil Hellmuth has just shy of 350.

Cernuto, who has three WSOP bracelets of his own, is now 78 years old but is still out on the tournament trail recording cashes. Just last week he made two final tables in Las Vegas, before hitting the road to California and Texas to find some more action.

With more than 60 posted wins under his belt and hundreds of final tables, perhaps no one else was more suited to writing a book about the subject of deal making in tournaments. Cernuto recently teamed up with Card Player columnist Dr. Alan Schoonmaker and Jan Siroky for Make Better Poker Tournament Deals, available now on Amazon.

Highlights from this interview include getting his nickname at the Stardust, the call of the racetrack, check-raising his mother, tracking planes in the '70s, being a stress junkie, getting fired by President Reagan, winning two live tournaments at the same time, money over bracelets, getting one of the first online poker sponsorships, playing $500-$1,000 with a Prince of Arabia, repossessing Larry Csonka's car, being a professional accordion player, poker endurance, the lucky lemon bowl, the scorpion house, and the guy he thinks will breaks his cash record.

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Poker Stories: Kane Kalas

Kane Kalas grew up near Philadelphia where his father and baseball hall of famer Harry Kalas worked as the play by play commentator for the Phillies for nearly 40 years. He could have joined the family business like his brother Todd, who broadcasts for the Houston Astros, but while he was in college he got bit by the poker bug.

Kalas was particularly aggressive building his bankroll online, and only took a few months before he was playing at Rail Heaven on Full Tilt for stakes as high as $500-$1,000 no-limit. The baritone opera singer ventured into the live arena after Black Friday and found success on the tournament trail, including a runner-up finish at the WPT Borgata Poker Open for more than $500,000. Then in 2018, Kalas won the biggest cash game pot in televised poker history, banking $2.18 million in a hand against Jason Koon at the Triton Montenegro series.

Over the years the hedge fund manager has also done broadcasting work for a number of poker shows and tours including the WSOP, Triton, WPT Deepstacks, HPT, Hard Rock Poker Open, Poker Night In America, Hustler Casino Live, Live at the Bike, and PokerGO. Although he doesn't work in baseball, the 32-year-old still lends his voice to the Phillies every season on opening day to sing the Star Spangled Banner.

Highlights from this interview include performing for stadiums, an operatic voice, his movie role, battling Tom Dwan and Phil Ivey, a strategically chosen online name, winning a record-breaking pot, poker broadcasting, launching a hedge fund, comparing poker greats, saying no to dancing in Footloose, High Hopes, losing a $60,000 tennis prop bet, the noticeable absence of Nate Dogg, Rick Rolling, and challenging everyone to Final Fantasy Tactics.