Why did you play in the WSOP main event?
   I wanted to see what it would be like to play in an event with so many good players and professionals and to say that I played in the big one.

What were your expectations for the WSOP main event?
   My first goal was to get to the second day. I figured with the amount of chips and the blinds being 1 hour and 40 minutes long that if I only played top premium hands that I could probably get to the 2nd day with a little luck. My second goal was to get on television some how and that occurred the 3rd day when my table was chosen to play at the feature table that morning with Howard Lederer.

How much of the $4.25 million did you keep?
   I had a partner that paid $5000 of the $10,000 entry fee and he got half. After taxes we both cleared about $1.3 million each.

How long have you been playing Texas Hold’em?
   I have been playing for the last 1 ½ years with friends, tournament style. This was my first tournament over $300 that I ever played.

Do you play online and how much?
   I played online the first six months mainly in small tournaments. Then I got a bunch of friends together to start playing 10-12 man tournaments for the next year. I do play online in tournaments now on PokerStars under the name of thetaxman1 about 3-4 tournaments per week.

What type of preparations did you make for the tournament to be successful?
   I read Dan Harrington’s volume 2 book a week before the tournament and developed a plan based upon that book and the other 15 or so other books that I read and card playing experiences that I had.

What things helped you the most during the tournament?
   I reviewed my plan before each level of play and stayed focused the entire tournament. If you make one mistake you could lose a lot of chips that could cost you the tournament. Also being a financial advisor helped me manage my chips financially throughout the tournament.

Did you quit your job when you came in second place?
   No I did not quit my job. I am a CPA and financial advisor and spent over 16 years building my accounting practice. I enjoy my job too much and look forward going to work everyday having built over 2000 working relationships with my tax and financial clients.

What things did you buy with the money or plans do you have for the future?
   Seriously, nothing other than a new pair of sneakers. I do plan on finishing my basement but that project already started before I went to Vegas.

How has your life changed since the WSOP?
   Other than strangers coming up to me to get an occasional autograph my life has not really changed much. I do get more respect at the poker table and can occasionally win an extra pot on a bluff. I now do get the opportunity to play in some large tournaments and most of the professionals know me now. That’s pretty cool.

What tips would you give to a new poker player to become successful at the game?
   Read all the books you can find on poker and develop a style of your own constantly tweaking your plan. Talk to other poker players about hands and how they would play that hand and why. Try to play low dollar single table tournaments online. Once you consistently finish in the money than you can play in more expensive tournaments. I would write down all the hands that you get in the tournament and the hands you played and won. This allows you to analyze how many hands you have played and what type of hands you are playing.

How long did you play in the tournament?
   The tournament lasted 7 straight days, playing 12-14 hour days with the final table lasting 15 hours.

Do you have another question? If so, email me at steve@financialace.com