» Greg Raymer Interview

Greg Raymer, 46, won the World Series of Poker Main Event in 2004 for $5 million.  He has become an enduring figure in the poker world as the FossilMan, as a lead PokerStars pro, and for his great work with the PPA championing the cause to fully legalize, legislate and regulate online poker.  Greg took a few minutes from his busy live tournament schedule to discuss his career in poker.

Everyone knows Greg Raymer, WSOP Champion, but who is the real Greg Raymer behind the famous Fossilman shades?

Well, I am what you see, nothing more really.  A family man and former attorney who now plays poker full-time.  If there were more to me (e.g., Dexter), I certainly couldn't just tell you, could I?

We always enjoy following your play online and at live events. Did winning the WSOP Main Event light a fire in you as opposed to feeling like you've now completed your poker goals?

Thank you.  I love poker, and I love to win at anything and everything I do.  I hate not doing my best, in poker or any competitive activity.  So I would say that winning the WSOP neither ignited a fire, nor made me feel complete in the poker world.  Instead, it just gave me the wherewithal to play even more poker, thus furthering my ability to compete and win.

You went out in the 2010 WSOP main event in unfortunate fashion with a pair and flush draw against your opponent’s set. Can you tell us a little about that hand and how it went down? What was your thought process before and after, were you a little shocked to be out so quickly? Do you think the play was a mistake?

The hand was a little strange, and the only funny thing after the fact is that my more old school poker buddies like Joe Hachem tell me I played the hand wrong, and my young gun poker buddies like Elky tell me I played the hand right.  The hand went down with a player UTG raising 3x to 300, I call in middle position with KQs, folds to big blind who raises to 1000, UTG calls, I call.  The flop is QT2 giving me top pair and 2nd nut flush draw.  Big blind checks, UTG bets about 2000, I call, big blind check-raises to 6000, UTG folds, and I shove for 30,000.  I thought that the big blind would lay down even AA in this spot, and if he didn't, I'm a small favorite to beat AA anyway.  But he had the only hand that put me in a really bad spot, a set.  His three tens held up, and I was crippled to 1000 chips.  I actually tripled up a little bit later, and lasted for about 40 minutes after this, but then ran a pair of tens into AA preflop all-in.

We've seen you do well against all types of players, from amateurs to top professionals, what is it that gives you such a widespread edge on your opponents? Do you prefer to play against reckless, unpredictable amateurs or against more thinking type players / professionals?

I prefer opponents who are as weak as possible.  Players who tell you they do better against better players are just being silly.  There is no reason any competent player should perform better against tough competition than against weak competition (whatever style of weakness it is).  My edge is definitely larger against weaker players, so that is who I prefer to find at my table.

Do you think there is a thin line between madness and genius when it comes to poker? It seems often unknown players are criticised for a particular play, though a well known pro would be revered for it.

No, I don't agree with that statement.  Genius at poker is based on sound logic supplemented with the art of reading your opponent.  Reads can be based upon things that have nothing to do with math, but once you get the read, what you do with it should be based upon the math of the situation.  The reason a pro might get accolades for a great call, while an unknown player who does the same thing might be called a lucky donk, is the thought that goes into the play.  There are generally only three decisions in poker: bet, fold, or raise.  That means that anybody should be right about 1/3 of the time.  If you call somebodies shove with K high and win, was it because of your skill and a great read, or because you're a calling station who never folds?  The first guy deserves some credit, the latter does not.

You seem to maintain a hunger and desire to continue to prove yourself in the poker world. What do you do to keep your game one step ahead of your opponents?

I've always said that if you're not getting better, then you're getting worse.  And this is clearly true in poker.  Every time I see somebody get complacent after having some great results, they go on a losing streak reasonably soon thereafter.  I feel that I'm at least 50% better at NLH than when I won the Main Event, but the problem is my average opponent is something like 300% better than they were.  So my edge is getting kind of small.

What advice could you offer to new players looking to get ahead in the poker world?

The best advise for new poker players is to stay in school or keep their job, as applicable.  I don't believe anybody should quit their regular life for full-time poker, at least not until they reach a point where there is no financial risk of any significance.  I've seen too many talented players hit a bad streak and be in a bad spot because their entire life was poker.  And I've met guys who have done a fine job making a living at poker, but who have become bored with it, and wish they could do something else.  But they're in their 30’s or beyond with no education and nothing on their resume but poker.

Having won the WSOP Main Event already, what other poker accolades would you like to be able to place on your poker resume and how do you rate your chances?

I want to win everything, just like every other poker players wants.  My chances are better than average in each event I enter, but that still makes me a long shot.

Tell us about the FossilMan image you've created; the glasses and the fossil gifts for when you are knocked out.  What's it all about?

Well, I was the FossilMan years before I won the Main Event.  I started selling fossils as card protectors in about 1996, and the nickname soon followed.  The image just kind of fell into my lap, so to speak, and was not an intentional design.  However, in hindsight, having the nickname and the glasses was a great thing, as it makes me much more memorable to the fans.  If I hadn't already had this image before winning the Main Event, I doubt I would have tried to create anything specific.

Do you think it's true that every poker player secretly considers themselves to be the best but they just haven't had their chance to prove it yet?

I agree with the comment that (almost) every poker player thinks they are the best.  Or even if they would admit that they are not the absolute best player, they think they are way ahead of the pack.  Funny thing is, I've met thousands of players throughout the years who think they are great, when in reality they're quite lacking in almost all poker skill.  So, I try to keep my opinion of myself to myself, in case I've also got a bad case of the missperceptions.

We'd like to thank and commend you for all the work you've put into the PPA and its ambition to legalize, regulate and create the best possible playing environment for poker in the USA. Can you tell us a little about your work with the PPA, visits to Capital Hill and poker’s future in the US?

I'm glad to be involved with the PPA, and proud of what we're accomplishing.  I've been to DC now many times to meet with PPA members, lobbyists, and most importantly the politicians and their staff members.  We are working hard to lobby these politicians, and get them to see that they should legalize online poker at the Federal level for a variety of important reasons, or at least not work against us.  Many of them are on our side, or converting to our side, and we honestly believe the only question is when.  The best thing that each of us can do to help is to join the PPA at www.thePPA.org, and support us when we call our members to write their representatives.

What can players do to maximise the skill side of their games?

The luck element is fixed, and there is little you can do to reduce it.  But with your skill you can increase your edge so that the amount you win before the luck factor is larger.  For example, it is appropriate, if you have a large enough sample size, to state something like you are winning an average of $50/hour when you play a certain game.  But given your data, you could also say that you're winning that $50/hour plus or minus $500/hour.  This means that most of your hourly results fall within the window of -$450 to +$550.  There is only so much you can do to reduce the $500/hour fluctuation, but there is a lot you can do to increase the $50/hour win rate.

I have a list of books I recommend on my website www.fossilmanpoker.com.  I also teach at the WSOP Academy, both our live camps and our new online Academy.  You can find out more at www.wsopacademy.com.  If you think you need private personal lessons, I do that too.

What advice would you give for handling rough periods of losing, be it due to bad luck, bad bankroll management or something else?

If you play long enough, you will certainly hit a sustained losing streak at some point.  The higher your skill, the less often it will happen, but it happens to all of us.  The best thing to do is to stick to proper bankroll management, meaning as your bankroll drops, you must drop down to smaller games.  You also need to re-evaluate your game, and make sure the losing streak is due to variance, and not to bad play on your part.

Aside from poker what else is important in your life and also what other interests and hobbies do you have?

My family is the most important, and really there isn't much else beyond them and poker.  I enjoy plenty of activities, but most of them are ways to spend time with my family and/or friends.  Golf was a serious passion, and I still love the game, but hardly find time to play anymore.

If you could be world champion of anything other than a poker discipline what would it be and why?

Probably golf.  Tiger is at or approaching one billion in lifetime earnings, much more than anybody else.  And golf is a lot more fun, and lasts your whole lifetime, as compared to basketball or football or baseball.

What do you think is the key to finding happiness and success in life?

Happiness is almost entirely internal.  There are happy people who live in near poverty, and unhappy billionaires.  You're happy because you want to be happy, unless life is throwing you complete hell.

How do you see poker evolving over the next couple of years and is there anything you are doing yourself to prepare to stay on top of the poker world, in terms of the game?

Poker will continue to get more competitive, as there are more and more good and great players every year as compared to the prior year.  And this trend will continue, especially for NLH.  I'm just trying to improve my own game, so I can keep up, at least.

What does the future hold for Greg Raymer?

I wish I knew.  Hopefully only good stuff for me and my family.

What is the greatest piece of advice you've received or lived by during your life?

Try to make great decisions, and try not to sweat the results.  You only have power over what you do, not what else happens.

What is your favorite fun poker phrase/slang/acronym?

lol donkaments?

If the poker industry disappeared completely, what other career would you most like to attempt?

I would like to be a golf pro, but that is never happening.  Realistically, I would go back to being a patent attorney.

If you were on death row, what would be your last meal?

Korean.

When your poker career is over, what would you most like to be remembered for?

For being a great ambassador of the game.  And a pretty darn good player.

 

Come play with Greg Raymer at PokerStars