Chad Flood 'Takes Five'
College poker champ deals out advice
Posted: June 10, 2005
Chad Flood, 24, of Fond du Lac reached the apex of his college poker career last month when he won the second annual College Poker Championship, a worldwide online Texas Hold 'Em tournament with more than 25,000 players competing. Flood, an economics major at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, took home a $41,000 scholarship, had a $1,000 donation made in his name to the American Diabetes Association, and earned the title of best college poker player in the world. After his win, he spoke with the Journal Sentinel's Chase Davis.
Chad Flood
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Q.How did you get started playing poker?
A. I started playing all forms of
poker games throughout junior high and high school as a fun way to gamble and hang out with friends. Once all the popularity of Texas Hold 'Em picked up during my senior year, I started to play that a lot more. I really like the pressure. When you're "all in" for a lot of money, it can be a bit of a rush.
Q.You've obviously played against a lot of opponents. What differences do you see between recreational players and more serious tournament players?
A. Some recreational players might play a little too loose; they get carried away on hands. They aren't the ones who can make big lay-downs. They think a hand is pretty good so they bet, but then someone re-raises and they don't think that maybe the other person has a better hand than them. A good poker player knows when they're beat, knows when to make a good fold and knows when to make a good call. It's about reading your opponent.
Q.Good poker players use a mix of math and instincts to gain an advantage. Which do you rely on more?
A. For me, I think instincts are more dominant. I play more no limit, where people go "all in" and bluff more. Limit poker is more mathematical. When you're using math in poker, you have to calculate the odds of you catching the hand and the amount people are betting. If the pot's small and you don't have good odds of winning, you usually don't play the hand. After that, you have to trust your instincts.
Q.What advice do you have for players looking to break into the tournament scene?
A. Basically, keep your cool when you're playing. It can be a little intense sometimes. When you get on a losing streak - that's called being on tilt - maybe you just need a break from the game. Some people have a hard time doing that. I'd say just know your limits, and if you're on a bad run you might need a break. Try not to get too emotional.
Q. Some people call poker a sport, others say it's not. What do you think?
A. I could really care less if they call it a sport or whatever. It depends on how you define a sport. I'm really not sure what to think about it. Whatever they want to call it, it's fun to me. I don't really care.
all forms of poker games
Chad Flood 'Takes Five'
College poker champ deals out advice
Posted: June 10, 2005
Chad Flood, 24, of Fond du Lac reached the apex of his college poker career last month when he won the second annual College Poker Championship, a worldwide online Texas Hold 'Em tournament with more than 25,000 players competing. Flood, an economics major at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, took home a $41,000 scholarship, had a $1,000 donation made in his name to the American Diabetes Association, and earned the title of best college poker player in the world. After his win, he spoke with the Journal Sentinel's Chase Davis.
Chad Flood
Advertisement
Q.How did you get started playing poker?
A. I started playing all forms of
poker games throughout junior high and high school as a fun way to gamble and hang out with friends. Once all the popularity of Texas Hold 'Em picked up during my senior year, I started to play that a lot more. I really like the pressure. When you're "all in" for a lot of money, it can be a bit of a rush.
Q.You've obviously played against a lot of opponents. What differences do you see between recreational players and more serious tournament players?
A. Some recreational players might play a little too loose; they get carried away on hands. They aren't the ones who can make big lay-downs. They think a hand is pretty good so they bet, but then someone re-raises and they don't think that maybe the other person has a better hand than them. A good poker player knows when they're beat, knows when to make a good fold and knows when to make a good call. It's about reading your opponent.
Q.Good poker players use a mix of math and instincts to gain an advantage. Which do you rely on more?
A. For me, I think instincts are more dominant. I play more no limit, where people go "all in" and bluff more. Lim
poker games 1:55 PM 12821424111852340833335480 admin-224903969 pid-1734537795">12821424111852340833335480
