Tony Dunst, Igor Kurganov, And Brian Altman Talk About Life On The Tournament Circuit

The Pros: Tony Dunst, Igor Kurganov, and Brian Altman

Craig Tapscott: What are just a few of the primary challenges you’ve confronted previously when touring from metropolis to metropolis worldwide (pre-COVID) taking part in the poker circuit?

Tony Dunst: I’ll lead off with a easy one, which is jet lag. I discover it actually tough to play affected person over 12 plus hours of dwell poker if I’m not properly rested, and the older I’ve gotten the tougher it’s change into to rapidly modify my inside clock. Even going from the west coast to east coast for a match is difficult, as a result of abruptly occasions are beginning when our inside clock expects to nonetheless be sleeping. Naturally, this will get extra pronounced whenever you begin speaking about flying over oceans and making an attempt to shift your total schedule by a number of hours.

I discover it takes me a few week to totally modify to a change of that magnitude, and for the primary few days I’m normally barely sleeping and infrequently feeling sick to my abdomen. If I can arrive someplace early and provides myself time to harmonize I’ll, however that possibility isn’t all the time out there. It’s fairly widespread to have a serious occasion inside a day or two of touchdown. 

Another main problem is coping with the normal banking system, which I’m completely satisfied to see is slowly turning into out of date. Not solely does it normally take a piece of time to determine how and the place you’ll ship the cash, it’s regular to have to leap via hoops with your individual financial institution to ship or withdraw massive sums. Plus, you’ll possible get vig’d fairly laborious when changing forex.

It’s commonplace to have wires get refused or returned due to some small discrepancy on a kind you stuffed out, and that may go away the funds in limbo for days. I’ve even been in locations the place the native authorities doesn’t help you take cash in another country and the native forex converters don’t have the money readily available to trade with you (and I’m not speaking about enormous sums right here). Once issues reopen, I’m trying ahead to with the ability to journey the circuit with out carrying money or sending wires, and easily utilizing cryptocurrency to rearrange the mandatory funds at no matter native on line casino I’m taking part in at.

Igor Kurganov: I’m very grateful for all of the alternatives I’ve had in poker and hesitate to complain about any “challenges” I’ve skilled. Life has been excellent to me. That mentioned, one factor I’ve struggled with at occasions is how tough it’s to ascertain a routine given how typically I’m on the street. Even extra in order that as a match participant, as a result of I don’t have a lot say over the variety of hours I’ll work in a day, what meals I’ll eat and when, and so forth.

It’s laborious to ascertain good habits until you can also make them, properly, habits. Things simply don’t stick properly after they’re not a part of a routine. Generally, I’ve had a bit extra management over my mornings than different components of the day, however that solely will get you up to now.

One different factor that’s a bit difficult is that, as an expert poker participant, you’re principally working a one-person enterprise. Logistical, administrative, and accounting duties take up a good period of time on high of what you spend on the desk. In observe, that has meant that I’ve ended up triaging pressing priorities a lot of the time and have discovered it tough to get to objects on my “important, but not an emergency” record.

Brian Altman: Traveling from metropolis to metropolis taking part in poker everywhere in the world takes a toll in your physique. One of the most important challenges for me has been sustaining a wholesome routine whereas on the street. Several years in the past, I began prioritizing sleep. In my youthful years I’d keep up late and wouldn’t go away a poker sport if it was good. I’ve all the time taken a long-term method to poker, so marathon all-nighter periods simply aren’t one thing I discover sustainable. Now I’m much more disciplined in sustaining an everyday sleep schedule, not simply on the street however in my day-to-day life.

Another factor I incorporate into my routine on the street is weight/resistance coaching. Most of the time I’ve entry to a health club, but when I don’t, I’ll do body weight workouts like pushups. Even only a quick exercise within the morning units the tone for the remainder of the day.

Maintaining a nutritious diet can be actually necessary for me. Many of the poker stops on my schedule are locations I’ve already visited, so I already am accustomed to the eating choices. I’m a creature of behavior, and have a tendency to eat the identical meals on the similar locations. If I’m capable of streamline the choice of what I’m going to eat, I can concentrate on the extra necessary selections on the poker desk.

Ultimately, whenever you handle your physique it interprets into pondering extra clearly on the poker desk, which interprets to raised choice making. Poker gamers will not be considered in the identical lens as skilled athletes, however we will definitely be taught from and emulate the measures they take to organize for competitors.

Craig Tapscott: The previous yr has been very tough as a result of pandemic, with isolation and lockdowns. Can you share a bit about your challenges over the previous yr, and maybe share an expertise or relationship that has developed during the last yr due to this shift, one which has added worth to your life and maybe your sport?

Tony Dunst: My method of coping with touring or taking part in dwell poker throughout the pandemic was to attend till I used to be totally vaccinated. I received my second vaccine shot in early April, so I used to be excited to journey to Fort Lauderdale for our World Poker Tour occasion at Seminole Hard Rock, which was superb. I’m additionally lucky that dwelling in Las Vegas gave me entry to authorized and controlled on-line poker right here within the US, so taking part in on these websites consumed numerous my consideration throughout quarantine. I used to be already captivated with learning poker earlier than the pandemic, and the compelled isolation of that interval solely strengthened my resolve to refine my sport.

I wouldn’t say any relationship ‘developed’ during the last yr, however somebody I spent a ton of time speaking to and learning with was Andrew ‘Luckychewy’ Lichtenberger, who’s arguably been essentially the most influential particular person on my enchancment as a participant during the last 15 years. At this level I think about Chewy a good friend, mentor, and enemy no. 1, as a result of I actually suppose he’s the very best (inside our common player-pool) and you’ll’t be the very best till you beat the very best. He’s had robust outcomes for over a decade now, however I believe he’s actually going to erupt over these subsequent few years, and I really like seeing the success his work ethic brings him. 

Igor Kurganov: To be sincere, COVID didn’t transform my method to taking part in poker professionally, at the very least at first, largely as a result of I’d already diminished my journey frequency by quite a bit earlier than the pandemic hit. I believe the period of time that individuals have been compelled to remain at residence truly elevated curiosity in on-line poker, with numerous video games added in March and April of final yr, and it was simpler than standard to play a excessive quantity.

To some extent, although, I believe that COVID and the dimensions of the hardship it unleashed nudged me to form of take a step again and take a look at whether or not I felt like I used to be utilizing my time in one of the simplest ways by being a poker participant. It goes again to that “important but not an emergency” record I discussed earlier than; the angle that COVID introduced made it simpler to see that there have been issues on that record that mattered to me extra, issues I wasn’t getting round to as typically as I’d have favored.

For some time I’ve been progressively rising the period of time I spent engaged on REG (Kurganov’s charity, Raising for Effective Giving) and efficient philanthropy, however throughout COVID the query for me turned, “why am I not spending all of my time on this?” I didn’t have a superb reply. And so, I started to see that after 10 years of taking part in, the correct time to stop poker was abruptly now.

Brian Altman: Prior to the primary wave of restrictions final March, I used to be hopping across the west coast taking part in some tournaments. I had arrived in Vegas just a few weeks early for my delayed World Poker Tour remaining desk and to play just a few different tournaments. As issues began to unfold, occasions received canceled and I spotted I could also be staying in Vegas for much longer than anticipated. Luckily, I used to be in snug lodging and had every part I wanted. The unique three weeks became a five-month keep.

During this time, I made the shift to taking part in on-line. I’ve numerous expertise taking part in on-line, as that’s how I initially received concerned with poker, however for the final decade, most of my play has been in-person. The on-line panorama is far totally different now than it was pre-Black Friday. Training instruments and learning assets are plentiful. Online gamers are extra well-studied and technical than dwell gamers, so leaks in your sport get uncovered a lot sooner. I took this time as a chance to enhance myself as a participant via play and research. 

I’m a really impartial particular person, however the isolation facet throughout this time was fairly difficult. However, common contact with buddies and households by way of Facetime and Zoom helped ease this expertise. Listening to podcasts, happening every day walks, and having a constant on-line poker schedule gave some construction to my days and helped me really feel productive.

I’ve a larger appreciation for dwell poker after a year-long pause, and I’m trying ahead to taking part in extra sooner or later. As extra states inevitably undertake regulated on-line poker, I’m hopeful to discover a good steadiness between on-line and dwell. ♠

Tony Dunst is a two-time World Series of Poker bracelet winner and World Poker Tour foremost occasion champion with $4.1 million in profession dwell match earnings. The Wisconsin-native joined the WPT broadcast group in 2010 as host of the Raw Deal phase, ultimately transferring into the commentary sales space to interchange Mike Sexton alongside Vince Van Patten.

Igor Kurganov isn’t any. 1 on Russia’s all-time poker cash record with $18.5 million in dwell match earnings. The excessive curler crusher is a European Poker Tour champion, and received a WSOP bracelet alongside his girlfriend and fellow poker professional Liv Boeree. Kurganov co-founded Raising for Effective Giving, a company that educates poker gamers about altruism and fundraises for chosen charities. Since 2014, REG has raised over $14 million.

Brian Altman turned the primary participant to ever win the identical WPT foremost occasion twice, taking down the Lucky Hearts Poker Open in each 2015 and 2020. As a results of his spectacular displaying on the tour, he was topped WPT Player of the Year. The Massachusetts-native has greater than $4.5 million in profession dwell match earnings.