Generation Next: Machou Ghaouti

Machou Ghaouti is a reasonably new face on the international circuit. The thirty-year old Frenchman’s game however is something that should not slip under the radar. Primarily a cash game player, and extremely succesful as such, Ghaouti makes all the moves of a future champion. All he needs now is the luck to go his way.

Rebecca McAdam: Tell me a bit about your background?

Machou Ghaouti: I’m French. I grew up and I live in Strasbourg. Before I got into poker, I was a basketball player. I was playing in a basketball pro team, and eventually I preferred being a part of the “SlamNation” team — it’s a team of basketball players who specialise in entertainment (dunk, slam dunk, etc.) and we took part in a lot of exhibitions all around the world. I switched to this team because I was attracted to the “exibition” thing, and I love to travel. That job was a good way to have fun practising my favorite sport and traveling.

RM: How did you get interested in poker?

MG: During an exhibition in Las Vegas (with my basketball team), I went to a casino like all people do in Vegas! And that was my first step into gambling. I played blackjack, roulette, and poker. When I started to play, my first goal was to put the “luck factor” out of the game. Since then I’ve been interested in poker.

RM: Why did you start playing online?

MG: I was used to playing poker in casinos (in France). But one day, the weather was so bad that I couldn’t go and play. Finally, one of my friends told me that we could play online, and he showed me how to do it. I created my poker account online during a rainy day!

RM: Was there a moment when you realized you could play poker professionally for a living?

MG: Obviously! It was when I saw that my gain began to be daily. And I saw that I could win as much as my monthly pay in one week.

RM: How did you get your sponsorship with Everest?

MG: Everest had a promotion, which sought players to become Everest professionals. There were more than 10,000 players who tried for it online, and 200 players won the chance to participate in a live tournament in Vienna. After the tournament, the 20 best players had an interview and finally, they selected 11 players to offer a professional contract. I was one of the 11 players who won!

RM: What kind of games and tournaments do you like to play?

MG: I like to play Texas hold’em no-limit, full ring, six-handed, and shootout. As far as tournaments are concerned, I like to participate in the EPTs and the WSOP.

RM: You are primarily a cash game player, why?

MG: I prefer cash games because I think that luck is less important than in a tournament. Personally, I think that if you want to play for a living, you need to play cash games (online).

RM: What was your biggest pot you can remember winning, and the biggest you lost also in a cash game?

MG: The biggest pot that I won was about €15,000. And the biggest I lost was €9,000.

RM: How would you describe your style?

MG: I have two different styles. During a tournament, I’m tight and aggressive. And playing cash games, I’m loose and aggressive. But my style depends on the players that I have in front of me — I adapt my game to the gamers.

RM: What do you think the differences are between playing online and live? Which do you prefer?

MG: The interaction between the players and the atmosphere are the biggest differences between playing live and online. I can’t say which one I prefer, both have their strengths. When you play online, you can play on several tables, you can choose your tables in order to increase the amount of money you can win, and also evolve your game, so I think that an online player will improve faster than a live player.

RM: Did you find it hard to adapt to online when you first made the transition?

MG: No, for me adapting to online was really easy. And Everest’s site is really easy to use.

RM: What levels do you play online and how did you get there?

MG: At the beginning, I started to play 10/10 no-limit. Then, one month later, I played 50/50 no-limit heads up. But I understood then that the most important thing is not the level, but the pot average. I choose my tables according to the pot average/blinds, in order to play loose aggressive with medium players and for interesting pots. Because the main goal is to win money, swings are less important.

RM: Do you read books or forums for strategy and advice?

MG: When I started to play, I didn’t read about poker at all. But, then I read books in order to put words on what I was doing at the table. I was playing, but I didn’t know any specific words about the style of game. But now, I read books and forums in order to learn more about it and to get news about what is actually going on.

RM: You come across as an astounding reader, what makes you so good?

MG: Probably my capacity to analyze and record players’ actions, moves, and decisions (bet, fold, raise).

RM: Who do you respect in French poker?

MG: “ElkY” [Bertrand Grospellier] and David Benyamine.

RM: What was your most satisfying result to date?

MG: Getting my sponsorship with Everest Poker.

RM: What is next on your poker agenda?

MG: The SPT Madrid, the_Irish Open_, the_ EPT San Remo_ and the_EPT Monte Carlo._

RM: What are your poker ambitions?

MG: My poker ambition is to win one of the international tournaments.

RM: What is the best lesson you’ve learned so far?

MG: Poker is like life — you make decisions. Sometimes they are good, and sometimes not. You have to be strong and don’t let them get you down.