We're giving away two copies of Tommy Angelo Interview
Tommy Angelo is the writer of the recently reviewed book Elements of Poker and one of the notable personalities of the industry. Following our review of his book Mr. Angelo was gracious enough to answer some questions for us in this exclusive Gaming Illustrated interview. Be sure to visit his website.
Q.
When you wrote Elements of Poker, you had been playing about 2/3 Limit and 1/3 No-limit for ten years in the Bay Area. How do you see today’s mostly online No Limit culture affecting other games of poker?
A.
The current trend is that almost all new players play No Limit Hold’em. If that trend continues, then Limit Hold’em is destined to go extinct when all living Limit players are dead. But then, for all we know, Pot Limit Omaha, or even some other game that hasn’t been invented yet, could bring the same fate upon No Limit Hold’em. And then there’s the rise in HORSE games, which are all limit games, which could keep limit around for a long time if HORSE attracts fresh riders. If there’s one thing I know about poker, it’s that it always changes, and that I never know where it’s going.
Q.
DeucesCracked is one of the top online poker schools and you’re listed as a poker coach there, but you don’t have any videos. Do you have plans to make any videos?
A.
Yes! I am working on an 8-episode video series for DeucesCracked.com called “The Eightfold Path to Poker Enlightenment.” As my partner on this project, Wayne Lively, says: “This series is not about how to play poker. It’s about how to become a poker player.” The visual part of this series does not have any poker tables, or hands being played. The audio is eight hours of Wayne and I going over a huge amount of material and topics, almost none of it having to do with betting strategy, and much of it stemming from my coaching program. We are having a blast putting this thing together. Just don’t ask me when it will be done! I’m terrible at handicapping the completion of my projects. Like I tell my wife, “It’ll be finished when it’s finished.”
Q.
What advice can you give to medium and lower stakes players that are looking to improve their mental game but can’t afford your personal coaching?
A.
Buy my book and find the parts in there that speak to you, and mark those pages, and keep coming back to them. Improving your mental game is about putting out diligent, relentless effort toward knowing yourself and your own mind, and it’s about learning about how to focus, and then doing the daily work required to build mental strength. I gave the best advice I have on how to do that in my book.
Q.
I was somewhat surprised that Elements of Poker is a self-published title. Whenever I speak to top players they all seem to recommend it and it usually sits at the top of a lot of people’s top poker book lists. Why is it self published?
A.
I self-published because I knew that if I had total control over everything, I could keep the project fun and interesting. I did outsource many pieces of the project. But I made all the final decisions, right down to the margin widths. Another reason I self-published is because I make way more money per copy than if I hadn’t. Also, I can keep the book in print forever if I want, whereas with traditionally published books, the writer is not in on that decision. Also, for all I know, I would not have been able to get a normal publishing deal. Also, the modern world of self-publishing is quite a bit different than it used to be, much more user friendly, and print-on-demand technology, by keeping inventories low, is good on the environment. Also, I might have more books and other things for sale as the years roll on, and now I’ve done a lot of the work and learning that I’ll only have to do once.
Q.
Are there any plans for a follow up book to Elements of Poker?
A.
No, I mean, I won’t be writing a book that is somehow related to or a continuation of EOP. EOP has a very definite theme that’s in the last two pages, and I doubt that I will ever feel a need to add on to it. As to other projects, the video series project is going to take at least a year altogether. (I started on it approximately some number of months ago – who’s counting!) My life plan is to have one major project going and not look past that. Right now, it’s the video series. Some things I’d like to maybe do eventually are 1) write a screenplay 2) write the music for a movie 3) write a book based on the video series.
Q.
In the book you stress the importance of proper breathing for particular situations. It seems like this is something that poker players should be doing whether they are going through a heater or a cooler. Your insight?
A.
The centerpiece of my teaching, which comes straight from ancient teachings, is increasing happiness by way of non-resistance and awareness, with awareness of breathing being the go-to tool. I do think that poker players would be better off with more concentration on breathing. But not because they play poker. It’s because they play life. I think everyone would be happier if they followed their breathing. Anywhere, anytime.
Q.
When you coach a player, how much time do you spend on mental topics compared to gameplay specific topics?
A.
That depends totally on the client. Before we start a program, we spend quite a bit of time communicating, and I put together a curriculum based on those discussions, and emails, and hands they send me, and posts they write, and whatever else I collect as I profile them. With some clients, we spend almost all the time on betting strategy. With some, almost none on strategy. And everywhere in between. On average, it’s about half and half.
Q.
You’ve developed a lot of fans because they’ve fell in love with Elements of Poker. Do you have any words to these people?
A.
Yes. Elements of Poker took me 47 years and 18 months to write. I loved writing it, and I love it that somebody loves it. It’s been the win-win fantasy of a lifetime, come true. Thanks for letting me in.
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