Generation Next: Robert Deppe

Last summer, Robert Deppe rededicated himself to improving his poker game after a disastrous 2010 World Series of Poker. Nearly broke, he decided to focus on online play and make a run at winning the PokerStars TLB (Tournament Leader Board) for the year. The top finishers would receive cash bonuses along the way, as well as buy-ins for major live events around the world.

To achieve this feat, Deppe went from playing about 700 online tournaments a month to playing nearly that many per week. This meant that at peak hours during the day, he could be playing nearly 30 events simultaneously, and 90 to 130 per day. That’s almost impossible to imagine. Yet, his results speak for themselves. Deppe eventually finished second in the PokerStars TLB race, and his game grew to a new level of insight.

“Playing so many tournaments taught me a huge lesson about variance,” said Deppe. “I learned how to control it with volume. Because of that, I didn’t have a downswing bigger than $12,000. It really taught me that if you work hard enough at this game, it’s just like anything else, it is going to pay off.”

Another secret to Deppe’s success was deciding to coach players who were reaching out to him for advice while watching his dramatic run up the TLB. “Every single guy I coach is at a different level,” said Deppe. “Coaching helps me see what other types of players are doing and how their thought processes differ from mine. That makes me a better player. You can’t stop learning in this game, because it is always evolving, as are the players.”

Card Player caught up with Deppe shortly before he took off to play in the European Poker Tour Grand Final main event in Madrid, Spain, using his PokerStars TLB rewards.

Craig Tapscott: I find it amazing that you have never had a six-figure score, yet you have more than $2 million in cashes. That says a lot about your tenacity.

Robert Deppe: Thanks. Just look at those guys who had six-figure scores two or three years ago. Where are they now? I consider myself lucky for not having a huge score.

CT: Really? How so?

RD: If I had scored big two or three years ago, I would have stopped working at my game and would now be at the point where I couldn’t be a winner at high stakes. I have the mindset that tournaments are a gray area in regard to strategy; there are so many ways to win. So, you can’t ever stop working at your game and improving. To win consistently, you have to stay ahead of the curve.

CT: What kinds of things did you do to improve your game?

RD: I started reading a lot of hand histories from all different types of players. I studied my opponents in depth. Many players, when they’re trying to improve, tend to study only their own game. I mean, there’s only so much that you can do when focusing on your own game. You have to know people’s ranges as much as possible, and to do that, you have to see as many hands from as many different types of players as possible. I try to understand why my opponents make the plays that they make, and not whether or not they are good or bad plays. I’m more concerned about what they were thinking in a particular situation. I would rather figure out why they did what they did, and counteract that.

CT: I understand that you’re a very aggressive player.

RD: I play the way that I want to, and make players adapt to me.

CT: How do you use your wild image to your advantage?

RD: I actually think I’m not as aggressive as players perceive me to be, and that’s the ultimate goal. I want people to give me action.

CT: So, the point is not to be result-oriented.

RD: Yes. I try to tell people I coach that if you make a move, you can’t ever be disappointed with it. You have to be confident that you can use whatever the outcome is to your advantage. I think a lot of players get caught up with what is good or bad. You’re playing the same guys day in and day out. There are eight other guys at the table who have seen that move you just made. You can use that knowledge to your advantage by trying to stay one step ahead of everyone.

CT: What’s your best advice for players who are just starting out?
RD: Don’t let things get to you, like bad beats or variance. Don’t let yourself swing drastically up and down with the highs and lows of the game. You have to be immune to them to succeed. ♠