PokerNews Life Outside Poker

Life Outside Poker is a podcast for PokerNews hosted by Connor Richards that seeks to pull back the curtain on poker players and allow viewers and listeners to get to know them on a personal level. In the 35th episode, Connor talks with No Filter Poker Series founder Mounir Tajiou about growing up in Sweden, working as a high court judge, playing professional soccer, making a deep run in the 2025 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event, and the new No Filter Poker Series, which values fun at the table over poker strategy. We also hear from 1998 Main Event champion Scotty Nguyen, reigning WSOP champ Michael Mizrachi and Finnish poker legend Juha Helppi about their involvement with the No Filter Poker tour, including their plans to play at the upcoming 2025 Nordic & Baltic Championship Open in Tallinn, Estonia from Oct. 17-22. The Life Outside Poker podcast is available on major streaming platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, SoundCloud and iHeartRadio. You can also watch the interview with Mounir Tajiou by heading to the PokerNews YouTube channel. Be sure to follow Mounir Tajiou and Connor Richards on X. Learn More About Life Outside Poker! Timestamps TIME TOPIC 0:00 Intro 0:34 Growing up in Sweden 2:00 Playing professional soccer for seven years 3:23 Working as a judge 4:38 Chasing Viktor Blom in Sweden POY 6:39 Running deep in 2025 WSOP Main Event 9:19 Main Event strategy 11:55 Will Kassouf/Playing with Michael Mizrachi 16:36 No Filter Poker Series 20:33 Nordic and Baltic Championship Open 25:47 Advice for younger self 27:08 Favorite life lesson from poker 30:00 Scotty Nguyen interview 44:40 Michael Mizrachi interview 58:30 Juha Helppi interview  

Life Outside Poker is a podcast for PokerNews hosted by Connor Richards that seeks to pull back the curtain on poker players and allow viewers and listeners to get to know them on a personal level. In the 34th episode, Connor talks with WSOP free-to-play app ambassador Sam Abernathy about growing up in Georgia, studying design, the similarities between gymnastics and poker, finishing third in the 2016 Aussie Millions Main Event, and a notorious slow roll that took place in that event. Abernathy also talks about first getting into poker through the WSOP Play app before becoming an ambassador years later, motherhood and being married to fellow poker player Lautaro Guerra, who finished 15th in this year's WSOP Main Event for $450,000. This interview was filmed at the 2025 WSOP at Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas. The Life Outside Poker podcast is available on major streaming platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, SoundCloud and iHeartRadio. You can also watch the interview with Samantha Abernathy by heading to the PokerNews YouTube channel. Be sure to follow Sam Abernathy and Connor Richards on X. Learn More About Life Outside Poker! Timestamps TIME TOPIC 0:00 Intro 0:34 Growing up in Georgia 1:12 Studying design 2:35 Finding poker through WSOP app 3:10 Gymnastics 4:56 Hollywood dream of poker 8:27 Transition from cash games to tournaments 9:44 Deep run in the 2016 Aussie Millions Main Event 11:15 Getting slow-rolled 14:04 Stepping back from poker 14:48 Being a mother 16:09 Being married to PLO crusher Lautaro Guerra 18:20 WSOP Main Event 21:08 Main Event advice 21:58 WSOP Play 24:29 Book recommendation 24:51 Advice for younger self 25:14 Favorite life lesson from poker

Life Outside Poker is a podcast for PokerNews hosted by Connor Richards that seeks to pull back the curtain on poker players and allow viewers and listeners to get to know them on a personal level. In the 33rd episode, Connor talks with comedian and poker commentator Joe Stapleton about growing up in Albany, New York, first seeing Rounders while visiting a college campus, working at MADtv, getting his start in the poker industry and his favorite memories from PokerStars The Big Game. Stapleton also talked about his friendship with late comedian Norm Macdonald, the European Poker Tour (EPT), doing commentary at the 2025 WSOP and making the "worst mistake I ever made in my entire life" by attempting to make a documentary about a stand-up comedy tour. This interview was filmed at the 2025 WSOP at Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas. The Life Outside Poker podcast is available on major streaming platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, SoundCloud and iHeartRadio. You can also watch the interview with Joe Stapleton by heading to the PokerNews YouTube channel. Be sure to follow Joe Stapleton and Connor Richards on X. Learn More About Life Outside Poker! Timestamps TIME TOPIC 0:00 Intro 0:23 Meeting Joe at RunGood Poker Series 2:00 Growing up in Albany, New York 3:53 Seeing Rounders & getting into poker 7:10 Early comedy influences 12:48 Moving to Los Angeles & MADtv 16:33 Comedian stories 19:45 First poker job interning at Card Player Magazine 21:29 PokerRoad 25:41 UIGEA & Black Friday 27:04 European Poker Tour 31:42 Favorite Big Game moments 34:48 Phil Hellmuth & Daniel Negreanu 37:00 PokerStars & EPT 39:18 Broadcasting & commentary 41:54 WSOP 44:12 Trapped comic book 50:39 Consulting on The Card Counter 54:02 Stand-Up Documentary Tour 57:27 Norm MacDonald 1:01:09 Steve Albini 1:04:38 Book recommendation 1:06:12 Advice for younger self 1:07:38 Favorite life lesson from poker

Life Outside Poker is a podcast for PokerNews hosted by Connor Richards that seeks to pull back the curtain on poker players and allow viewers and listeners to get to know them on a personal level. In the 32nd episode, Connor talks with Global Poker Award-winning content creator Abby Merk about growing up in Chicago, studying philosophy at Wake Forest University, leaving her corporate job to become one of poker's top creators, playing her first World Series of Poker in 2021, making a goal to post daily content and being nominated for two Global Poker Awards. Merk also talks about battling with Stephen Chidwick in the WSOP Main Event and being at the final table for a 2023 controversy over a man winning a ladies poker tournament in Florida. This interview was filmed at the 2025 WSOP at Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas. The Life Outside Poker podcast is available on major streaming platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, SoundCloud and iHeartRadio. You can also watch the interview with Abby Merk by heading to the PokerNews YouTube channel. Be sure to follow Abby Merk and Connor Richards on X. Learn More About Life Outside Poker! Timestamps TIME TOPIC 0:00 Intro 0:18 WSOP Tag Team 3:12 Growing up in Chicago & getting into poker 7:44 Studying philosophy at Wake Forest University 8:00 Working at an options trading firm 11:25 First WSOP in 2021 13:55 Content creation 15:09 Posting daily 19:48 Women in poker 21:49 Florida man wins ladies tournament controversy 25:34 Playing the Main Event 27:10 Battling Stephen Chidwick 29:20 Winning a Global Poker Award 33:16 Barcelona/Travel 38:48 Book recommendation 39:36 Advice for younger self 40:14 Favorite life lesson from poker

Life Outside Poker is a podcast for PokerNews hosted by Connor Richards that seeks to pull back the curtain on poker players and allow viewers and listeners to get to know them on a personal level. In the 31st episode, Connor talks with poker content creator Frank "Frankie C" Cucchiara about growing up in the hometown of Wild Bill Hickok, getting into poker in college, Next Gen Poker, building one of the most successful YouTube channels in poker, his 2023 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event run, how new WSOP rules will impact vloggers, and playing this year's $25,000 Heads-Up Championship. Frankie C also talked about being married to poker pro Kitty Kuo, being a dad, his new All-In Brownie challenging Daniel Negreanu to a $10,000 heads-up poker match and stepping into the ring with UFC champion Sean "Suga" O'Malley. This interview was filmed at the 2025 WSOP at Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas. The Life Outside Poker podcast is available on major streaming platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, SoundCloud and iHeartRadio. You can also watch the interview with Frank Cucchiara by heading to the PokerNews YouTube channel. Be sure to follow Frank Cucchiara and Connor Richards on X. Learn More About Life Outside Poker! Timestamps TIME TOPIC 0:00 Intro 0:53 Growing up in Wild Bill Hickock's hometown 2:02 First getting into card games 3:26 Studying engineering at Soutern Memphis University 4:56 Getting laid off/Next Gen Poker 7:55 Starting Frankie C YouTube channel 11:05 Content creator influences 13:08 Frankie's most popular videos 16:05 Meeting Kitty Kuo 18:17 Being a dad 20:27 All In Brownie 25:05 Fighting Sean O'Malley 28:30 Challenging Negreanu to heads-up match 30:25 Other heads-up matches 31:40 Playing Triton 32:52 Martin Kabrhel 35:02 2023 WSOP Main Event run 37:44 How new WSOP rules will impact poker vlogging 40:12 Playing $25k Heads-Up Championship 41:43 Book recommendation 43:20 Advice for younger self 45:34 Favorite life lesson from poker

Life Outside Poker is a podcast for PokerNews hosted by Connor Richards that seeks to pull back the curtain on poker players and allow viewers and listeners to get to know them on a personal level. In the 30th episode, Connor talks with 2024 WSOP Main Event champion Jonathan Tamayo about growing up in Humble, Texas, studying hotel management at Cornell University, graduating during the 2008 recession, running deep in the 2009 and 2015 Main Events, his friendship with fellow Main Event champion Joe McKeehen, winning the biggest-ever WSOP Main Event for $10 million, and his first purchase as world champion. Tamayo also spoke about his infamous fold with pocket queens late in the 2024 Main Event, which he says cost him $120,000 in equity, and gave his thoughts on new rules implemented at the 2025 WSOP in the wake of "LaptopGate." The Life Outside Poker podcast is available on major streaming platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, SoundCloud and iHeartRadio. You can also watch the interview with Jonathan Tamayo by heading to the PokerNews YouTube channel. Be sure to follow Jonathan Tamayo and Connor Richards on X. Learn More About Life Outside Poker! Timestamps Time Topic 0:00 Intro 0:45 Growing up in Humble, Texas 1:45 Getting into poker 3:15 Studying hotel management at Cornell University 5:46 Pursuing poker full-time 10:13 Deep run in 2009 Main Event 13:29 Learning how to handle the Main Event 17:26 Phil Hellmuth Main Event boycott 22:22 2015 Main Event run/Joe McKeehen victory 25:08 2024 Main Event 29:43 Final table lineup 32:02 Folding pocket queens/ lighting $120k of equity on fire 38:41 Should you ever fold aces 41:33 Laptopgate/WSOP rule changes 45:37 Last three tables of Employees Event 46:54 First purchase after winning $10 million 48:11 How did winning Main Event change your life? 50:27 Next person in friend group to win Main Event? 55:14 Advice for younger self 56:33 Favorite life lesson from poker

Life Outside Poker is a podcast for PokerNews hosted by Connor Richards that seeks to pull back the curtain on poker players and allow viewers and listeners to get to know them on a personal level. In the 29th episode, Connor talks with actress and high-stakes poker player Jennifer Tilly about the 20th anniversary of her World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet win, high-stakes cash games, the recent cancellation of Chucky, Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, voicing Bonnie Swanson on Family Guy, dating poker pro Phil Laak, and her goal of getting into the Poker Hall of Fame. Tilly also revealed that she tried to stop her ex-husband, Sam Simon, from creating The Simpsons and told the story of how she was nearly the voice of Marge Simpson. This interview was filmed inside PokerGO Studio in Las Vegas ahead of the One Step Closer Foundation All In for CP Charity Event on April 26. The Life Outside Poker podcast is available on major streaming platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, SoundCloud and iHeartRadio. You can also watch the interview with Jennifer Tilly by heading to the PokerNews YouTube channel. Be sure to follow Jennifer Tilly and Connor Richards on X. Learn More About Life Outside Poker! Timestamps Time Topic 0:00 Intro 0:34 One Step Closer Foundation 2:43 Celebrity poker 6:57 20th anniversary of bracelet win 10:00 WSOP video game 11:17 Getting seriously into poker 14:15 High-stakes cash games 16:41 First learning poker 21:08 Meeting Phil Laak 25:19 Playing Phil heads-up 30:33 Chucky canceled 32:52 Real Housewives 37:21 Family Guy 38:07 Almost playing Marge on The Simpsons 44:31 TV recommendation 45:00 Favorite life lesson from poker 47:43 Poker Hall of Fame

Life Outside Poker is a podcast for PokerNews hosted by Connor Richards that seeks to pull back the curtain on poker players and allow viewers and listeners to get to know them on a personal level. In the 28th episode, Connor talks with Canadian high-stakes pro Sam Greenwood about getting into poker with his two brothers Lucas Greenwood and Max Greenwood, running up a bankroll in high school, traveling the world playing high-stakes tournaments, climbing Canada's all-time money list and battling with Vladimir "Gambledore" Korzinin at Triton. Greenwood also talked about the state of online poker, how to deal with cheaters, being a dad and his new "Punt of the Day" blog where he breaks down key hands from high-stakes tournaments. The Life Outside Poker podcast is available on major streaming platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, SoundCloud and iHeartRadio. You can also watch the interview with Sam Greenwood by heading to the PokerNews YouTube channel. Be sure to follow Sam Greenwood and Connor Richards on X. Learn More About Life Outside Poker! Timestamps Time Topic 0:00 Intro 1:07 Early online poker days 4:14 Brothers Luke & Max Greenwood 6:55 Running up a bankroll in high school 11:26 College & professional poker 16:25 Transition to high stakes 21:27 High-stakes tournament scene 27:35 Jean Noel-Thorel 30:10 Gambledore 34:05 Traveling the high-stakes circuit 38:05 Canada all-time money rankings 40:13 Online results 41:32 RTA & cheating in online poker 48:20 Punt of the Day 1:01:10 Being a dad 1:04:12 Movie recommendation 1:06:47 Advice for younger self 1:08:05 Favorite life lesson from poker

Life Outside Poker is a podcast for PokerNews hosted by Connor Richards that seeks to pull back the curtain on poker players and allow viewers and listeners to get to know them on a personal level. In the 27th episode, Connor talks with World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet winner and venture capitalist David Daneshgar, who used poker winnings to launch a successful start-up that raised tens of millions. The Californian with $2.5 million in Hendon Mob earnings talks about his companies BloomNation and Whippy AI, teaching a college poker class, quitting his finance job to play poker, and getting Los Angeles Lakers owner Jerry Buss to write his letter of recommendation to business school. Daneshgar also spoke about getting cheated in private LA games, AI in poker, and why entrepreneurs should play in poker games. This interview was filmed in March in the new Venetian Poker Studio at Venetian Las Vegas. The Life Outside Poker podcast is available on major streaming platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, SoundCloud and iHeartRadio. You can also watch the interview with David Daneshgar by heading to the PokerNews YouTube channel. Be sure to follow David Daneshgar and Connor Richards on X. Learn More About Life Outside Poker! Timestamps Time Topic 0:00 Intro 1:15 Memories at the Venetian 1:50 Growing up in LA 5:30 Teaching a poker class at UC Berkeley 10:38 Quitting finance job to play poker 14:34 2008 WSOP bracelet win 17:44 Jerry Buss letter of recommendation 22:29 Starting BloomNation w/ poker winnings 26:37 Whippy AI 30:09 AI and poker 33:04 Private LA games 33:47 Getting cheating in home game 34:49 Business and poker 37:21 Return to poker 38:36 Book recommendation 39:54 Advice for younger self 41:01 Favorite life lesson from poker

Life Outside Poker is a podcast for PokerNews hosted by Connor Richards that seeks to pull back the curtain on poker players and allow viewers and listeners to get to know them on a personal level. In the 26th episode, Connor speaks with chess streamer and GGPoker ambassador Alexandra Botez about learning chess and poker from her dad, getting into streaming at Stanford, dealing with online trolls, creating content with her sister Andrea Botez and the similarities between chess and poker. Botez also talked about winning $456,900 in the legendary 2022 Hustler Casino Live Creator Game that included Phil Hellmuth, Mr. Beast and Ninja, as well as signing on as a GGPoker ambassador and securing a career-high cash at World Series of Poker (WSOP) Paradise. This interview was filmed at WSOP Paradise in the Bahamas in December 2024. The Life Outside Poker podcast is available on major streaming platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, SoundCloud and iHeartRadio. You can also watch the interview with Alexandra Botez by heading to the PokerNews YouTube channel. Be sure to follow Alexandra Botez and Connor Richards on X. Learn More About Life Outside Poker! Timestamps TIME TOPIC 0:00 Intro 0:43 Learning chess from her dad 2:52 Studying international relations at Stanford 3:08 Chess streaming 5:50 Similarities between chess and poker 7:17 Getting into poker 8:34 Winning half a million in HCL creator game 9:39 Different poker experiences 11:22 Playing chess at WSOP Paradise 12:32 Queen's Gambit 13:57 Women in chess 16:33 Dealing with trolls 16:54 WSOP Paradise 19:18 Book recommendation 19:46 Advice for younger self 20:01 Favorite life lesson from poker