The Moneymaker Effect
I am a product of the Moneymaker boom. Back in 2003, an unknown accountant named Chris Moneymaker won the World Series of Poker Main Event and changed the poker ecosystem forever. Like thousands of others watching ESPN that year, I was instantly hooked. Since then, I’ve played poker on and off for more than twenty years—live rooms, online client software, casual home games, and tournaments. I’ve stayed around long enough to experience the exact variance the game promises: the euphoric highs, the crushing lows, and everything in between. So, why am I not a millionaire? Why am I not a professional poker player? Because poker has always been part of my life—not my entire life. I built a career. I bought a home. I raised a family. And while I love the strategic depth of this game, I never had the luxury to dedicate 60 hours a week to it the way some pros do. That reality hasn't changed. I still don't have a professional's schedule. What has changed is how I'm willing to p...