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Gavin Griffin once held the record for youngest WSOP bracelet winner, and he remains one of a select few players to have won WSOP, EPT, and WPT events. Yet in 2012, he found himself writing this essay about rebuilding his bankroll and his confidence, starting at $8/$16 Omaha/8. In our interview, Gavin talks about his early success, how he stumbled, and how far he’s come in the last three years.
You can follow Gavin on Twitter @nhgg and read his column in Cardplayer Magazine.
Timestamps
:30 hello
7:57 fat harry potter
23:05 GG
Strategy
$1/$2 NLHE at MGM Grand. Hero is HJ with Kh9h. There are 2 limps in EP, Hero makes it $12 to go, BB calls, one limper calls.
Flop ($37) is 6h 7h Kd. Checks to Hero, Hero bets $25 as i know the young lad will be calling if he hit anything and doesn’t seem to be sensitive to bet size. However, he folds and the good player calls.
Turn ($87) 9c, Limper bets $60, Hero raises $125, Villain shoves, Hero calls.
Gavin did an amazing job of telling his story, candidly sharing his personal and professional triumphs and trials. You have had many great guests, but I believe Gavin has been one of the most outstanding in helping us understand the connection between his personal, emotional and family events and the impact they had on his poker career. He is perhaps the most insightful in this way. On the lighter side, great discussion around the similarities between baseball and poker. Great episode!
Ditto.
This comment is otherwise too short.
Well said. Loved Gavin’s interview, and I can’t wait to share the essay with others.
Nice to see a hand from Fat Harry Potter. I think he was at last year’s meetup in Vegas. Really interesting guy, too.
Agreed Ms. B.
Gavin didn’t mention this, but I remember Tommy Angelo talking about how studying tilt control in poker helped him to stay strong and rational when bad things happen in life. I wonder if it maybe helped Gavin in some small way as well. Same for Ed’s issues with his son’s adoption.
Maybe constantly taking beats in poker can help us a bit when we REALLY take a beat in life. And then the life beats put the poker beats in perspective to make them way less painful. Most cycles are vicious, but this one sharpens steel.
Yep, Tommy and I talked about this over lunch recently (brag).
Its stories like this that make TP unique. Im so humbled by those who are trying to be better human beings than trying to make a big score. Thank you Gavin for such an honest and inspiring insight into your soul.
Thanks for discussing the strategy hand, and appreciation for my many names – during the course of the discussion I was referred to as Fat Harry Potter, Carl, Harry, Mr Harry Potter, Fat Harry and FHP – love it!!
At some point I will share with you a picture of a 36 year old, overweight english man with a slight resemblance to the young wizard, particularly when in full fancy dress 🙂