In the second episode of the “doubleheader” promised this week, I interview East coast tournament grinder Greg Candido. Our focus is on his run to Day 7 of the 2019 WSOP Main Event (104th for $59,295). We start with Greg’s background and the poker club that helped prepare him, then go over each day of his main event, including four hands he picked out as crucial or troubling.
Greg’s Ugly Tuna Poker Club
WSOP ME Day 2 Hand 1
MY HAND: AQ (Ace of Hearts)
MY STACK: 25K
BLINDS: 500-1000-100
MY POSITION: BB
Preflop:
Aggressive V opens CO 2500 all fold, I Call.
V covers me by a lot.
Flop:
JJ9 (two hearts)
I check, 4500, I call
Turn:
3x
I check, V checks
River:
9x
I check and V tanks all-in.
WSOP ME Day 3 Hand 1
MY HAND: TT (Ten of Diamonds)
MY STACK: 100K
BLINDS: 1200-2400-2400
MY POSITION: UTG
Preflop:
Open 6000, V (No History) from MP calls.
Villain second largest stack on the table (450Kish)
Flop:
842 (2 Diamonds)
I bet 8500, V calls
Turn:
7d
I bet 12000, V calls
River:
5d
I bet 15000, V shoves.
WSOP ME Day 3 Hand 2
MY HAND: JT
MY STACK: 65K
BLINDS: 1200-2400-2400
MY POSITION: BB
Preflop:
The button opens to 6K, SB calls, I shove.
Button calls.
WSOP ME Day 3 Hand 3
MY HAND: 98s
MY STACK: 300K
BLINDS: 2000-4000-4000
MY POSITION: BB
Preflop:
The button opens 10K. SB folds, I 3B 33K
V Calls
Flop:
AKQ
I bet 30K, V Calls
Turn:
3x
I check, V checks
River:
9x
I bet 65K.
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Greg Candido is not a typical guest of this podcast. On the surface, he comes across as an East coast weekend warrior type who views poker through the lenses of ego, aggression, “feel”, fear equity, other emotions and so forth. Range construction, balance, and equilibrium strategies don’t figure into his mindset, at least not explicitly. Hearing him talk about studying by watching videos doesn’t convey the impression that he is a true student of the game. However, this isn’t a bad interview. With his limited language and delivery skills, he manages to convey a good deal of information about his main event experience, and Chris astutely stays out of his way and lets him roll through it, with some well timed remarks about the totally idiotic plays he made. If this is the quality of the players that make it to top 100 finishes, we all have some hope.