Running Deep In The Main

Andreas “Rayo” Kniep provided the Red Chip Poker community with a sweat in this year’s WSOP Main Event, running deep into Day 5 and a 173rd place finish. Rayo, a student of RCP coach Luke Haward, has been playing poker for less than two years. His introduction to poker came when his marathon-running hobby was interrupted by a hip injury. Rayo reveals how that starting point eventually saw him at the TV table in the Rio.

Guest: Andreas Rayo Kniep

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3:10

“I’m a very goal-driven guy and I set the goal to play the Main Event.”

7:20

“I just went out there to my local casino and played $50 tournaments, then $80 tournaments… I realized that the more money you spend on tournaments correlates with how good the players are. So then I set myself these goals. I have to be able to play $600 tournaments, I have to be able to play $1000 tournaments, $3000 tournaments to see how it is to play a $10,000 tournament. And that’s what I did.”

9:15

“I definitely have a feeling on the table pretty quickly, wherever I sit down, if I’m able to compete on this table. If I feel I’m able to compete I play somewhat loose, and if I feel I am outmatched I play very tight.”

12:30

“I recommend this to everybody. I take notes of all the hands where I was not sure if I made good decisions, and then look at them later.”

13:45

“My coach is Luke Haward, he’s one of your guys… I realized after some time my strategy of learning from books, playing tournaments, and discussing hands with friends was great, but I wanted someone closer to ‘the truth’ who I could bombard with questions. And I realized I was ready for coaching.”

• Luke Haward Coaching (external website)

16:00

“Without a doubt this [the WSOP ME] was the greatest poker experience of my life by far… Particularly on the later days, all the spectators, the journalists, the television, the famous people, this is like… unreal.”

• Red Chip Poker WSOP Guide

21:20.

“It’s such a marathon that in the end patience and discipline will win. It’s not easy to keep patience and discipline in a five-plus day event.”

29:40

“I think it’s really important to take time off from the poker table so you can play your A-game when you’re at the poker table. I realized on Day 5 of the Main Event I was not playing my best poker… The reason is I didn’t get time to rest my brain.”

• Playing your A-game by Tricia Cardner

34:15

“Don’t bluff bigger stacks… You could be out of the tournament, but they don’t risk their tournament life. And don’t bluff out of position.”

• Bluffing Mistakes by Andrew Brokos (PRO membership required)