35 - Matt Savage

Matt Savage, the legendary Executive Tournament Director of the WPT and co-founder of the Tournament Director’s Association, knows all things tournament poker. Matt and Jaime discuss what the WSOP was like back in the day, what he did to standardize the rules of poker, and what he predicts will change in card rooms and casinos moving forward. Listen in to hear Matt’s take on the coronavirus and its impact on the poker industry – and learn the one piece of advice he gives to all poker players. 

Time Stamped Show Notes:

00:00 – 03:30 – Online poker news, this summer’s championships and online tournaments, a new teammate of partypoker Team Online, and a podcast guest who had a big win. 04:00 – 12:00 – Introducing Matt, his pre-poker career, how he was introduced to the game, why he took the industry side, and a challenging moment in his career. 12:00 – 20:00 - Memories from before the Tournament Director’s Association, how the industry has changed, how he thinks card rooms should change, and the tough spot he’s in right now. 20:00 – 30:00 - What he enjoys about his role, memorable TV moments, how casinos and poker rooms can attract new players, some quick tips to remember names, and thoughts on re-entries. 30:00 – 35:30 - On the “poker boom”, the challenge of balancing short and long term success in poker, his golf game, and one piece of advice for all players. 35:30 – 38:00 – The JS Poker Hero challenge of the week and the winner of last week’s challenge.

3 Key Points

Stay healthy and look out for others. Make people comfortable to attract them to the game. Stay within your level.

Contact/Resources

partypoker Matt’s Twitter