The conversation quickly shifts from poker to self-reflection, with Galfond sharing his own struggles with putting himself out there.
They discuss how technical knowledge is often a shield for people uncomfortable with self-promotion, and how vulnerability is at the heart of effective coaching. One question keeps coming up:
If you became wildly successful at this, would you actually want the life it creates?
According to Galfond, the hardest part of coaching is not the teaching, but the self-doubt that comes with marketing yourself.
Ireland’s Gambling Regulatory Authority is rolling out new rules and, for once, actually asking poker players what they think. As Anuj writes on pokerfuse, a public consultation is open until August 20, giving players and operators a window to weigh in on regulations that would cap online poker bets at €10 and maximum winnings at €3,000.
“If poker remains subject to these limits, the consequences could be substantial.”
These proposed limits could make anything more exciting than a micro-stakes game difficult to run, with popular tournament formats and even some cash games effectively ruled out. The new rules are part of the wider Gambling Regulation Act 2024, which also brings in fresh licensing for operators and new advertising bans.
If you’ve got something to say about the future of Irish poker, time is running out to fill out the survey.
Instead of the usual bubble drama, players just had to build their stack to 180,000 chips to lock up a Day 2 seat and a guaranteed cash. That meant no sweating over the last few eliminations, just a clear target to shoot for.
Demand was high. The event quickly blew past its original 300-player cap, ending up with 572 entries and a €274,560 prize pool.
As PokerStars ambassador David Lappin explained, the idea came straight from player feedback.
“Players said they wanted another lower buy-in on the PokerStars schedule”
So PokerStars delivered. Whether this no-bubble format catches on elsewhere remains to be seen, but it certainly found fans in Barcelona.
This year he barely featured in any coverage (Martin Kabrhel replaced him) but when he did pop up during the WSOP Main Event, he was muted, respectful and almost a different person.
Did you miss the OG Kassouf antics?
President Donald Trump reached for a poker analogy while discussing Iran on Monday, calling its leaders “good poker players” before adding, “but they’re dying.”
The comment came during a Fox News interview as Trump discussed his administration’s backchannel with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Not the first time poker has found its way into presidential conversations, but certainly one of the more direct comparisons.
I came into day 2 with a huge stack, and in this video I look to build off that momentum and continue crushing the field.
Being wrong for one day costs you nothing.
Being too stubborn to change your mind can cost you years.
I mean he’s not wrong, and hopefully that means one day he will change his mind on promoting Coin Poker 🤐 🤣
🇮🇪 Let’s gooooooo!
PokerStars EPT Barcelona runs to August 31 with a packed schedule of events.
Highlights include the €5,300 Main Event, €100k Super High Roller, and Spin & Go Championship Live.
He shares how he prepared for the final table and what it felt like to be under the lights with millions at stake.
According to Lucas:
“You try to stay calm, but every hand feels like the biggest of your life.”
He discusses what the win means for his career and what comes next.
Over 10 days, they hosted 106 events, handed out their iconic Lion trophies, and set new entry records, all while trying to create the most player-friendly experience around.
Leung credits their success to careful planning but admits that competition is at an all-time high. “I’ve never seen so much competition and so many countries and tours active,” he says. Despite this, the APT is thriving, with their Main Event recently becoming the largest international poker tournament ever held in Incheon.
For players, the APT promises variety and a welcoming atmosphere, whether you’re in it for the $10K High Roller or a low-stakes home game. According to Leung, the boom is already here, but keeping ahead of the pack is harder than ever.
The series will feature 287 tournaments over three weeks, with 44 Championship events split across two buy-in tiers. Players can look forward to a total of 400,000 SC in guaranteed prizes.
Each day during the series, there will be two Championship events, one in each tier, with buy-ins ranging from 11 SC up to 110 SC. The Main Event, set for September 6, will guarantee 10,000 SC to the winner. Champions will also receive a unique set of Bounty Brawl Gloves.
The series runs from August 16 to 31, and boasts a $2 million prize pool with buy-ins from $1.10 to $22.
The highlight is a $22 Main Event on August 30, guaranteeing $250,000, plus regular $75k Sunday Storm and High Roller events. The series is positioned neatly between PokerStars’ WCOOP Boot Camp and the WCOOP proper, making it a warm-up for serious grinders and a bankroll builder for new players.