Bryan Campanello: Living Every Poker Player’s Dream

In January of 2013, a 21-year-old student decided to spend his winter break playing in the World Series of Poker (WSOPC) Circuit at Choctaw Casino in Durant, Oklahoma. A true fan of poker, the junior from University of North Texas dreamed of competing against the players he had seen for years on television. After two cashes during the series, including a fourth-place finish in the $1,675 main event, Bryan Campanello earned more than $100,000. Additionally, he realized that he had accumulated significant points and could qualify for the 2013 WSOP National Championship, held in May in New Orleans.  

Although he returned to Denton, Texas to resume his studies, Campanello calculated that he would be able to play in nearby WSOP Circuit events on weekends and also during spring break to earn points for the WSOP National Championship. After a couple of cashes (one in Tunica, Mississippi and one in West Palm Beach, Florida), Campanello achieved two goals at once by capturing his first WSOP Circuit ring in Black Hawk, Colorado. This victory earned him enough points for a seat in the WSOP National Championship.

Unfortunately for Campanello, his WSOP National Championship was a short, disappointing run. After his early exit in New Orleans, he decided to head for Las Vegas for the summer. However, first he needed to tell his parents that he wanted to take the summer and fall semester off from school in order to pursue poker. Although reluctant at first, his parents agreed as long as he worked hard at the game and always put his best effort forward. Today, his parents recognize their son’s passion and talent in poker, while supporting him wholeheartedly. His father even plays in some tournaments now as well.

However, the dream run for Campanello was far from over. After a nice finish in the $3,000 no-limit shootout early in the summer, he suddenly found himself at his first WSOP final table. The dream run ended in fairytale fashion as Campanello took home the $2,500 razz bracelet along with nearly $180,000.

After the 2013 summer, Campanello rejoined the WSOP Circuit; however, although he captured another ring, this season was more challenging. Heading into the final stop of the season in New Orleans, he needed significant points to qualify for the 2014 National Championship. After blanking on the preliminary events, Campanello realized that he needed to win the main event in order to qualify and boldly announced that he would. His premonition proved to be correct as he bested 556 other entries, while taking home more than $175,000 and his third WSOP Circuit ring.

I recently sat down with this young rising superstar to talk about his meteoric rise in poker.

Bernard Lee: How did you start playing poker?

Bryan Campanello: In seventh grade, my friends and I would watch the main event on ESPN every week and then play $5 sit-n-gos.  We played for a few years, but the game faded out when I was in 10th grade. Then, during the summer before college, I realized that I could play at Winstar (in Thackerville, Oklahoma) and also started to play online.

Bernard Lee: Every time I see you at a tournament, you either have all the chips or you are quickly out.

Bryan Campanello: I play big pots. That is not to say that I haven’t played tight throughout my career.  I have done that but I don’t think that is how you win poker tournaments. I think you win poker tournaments by getting chips and then by asserting yourself. And I found that I can do that pretty well.

Bernard Lee: How do you take advantage of the table when you have a big stack?

Bryan Campanello: The nice thing about having a lot of chips is that since I look young, players just assume I’m being aggressive. If I get a lot of chips early, then I can sit back for a few levels and only play the nuts. But people always think I’m playing more hands that I am. I end up getting even more chips this way. 

Bernard Lee: How did you get comfortable being aggressive and raising light?

Bryan Campanello: I used to play a decent amount $0.50-$1 heads-up no-limit online. It doesn’t matter what you have in heads-up no-limit hold’em because it’s about aggression and playing your opponents.  Any two cards can win as long as you are willing to back them up in good spots.  Once you get comfortable playing this way, you feel comfortable raising light from the button.  Then, you feel more comfortable opening cutoff with a little wider range. And then you get more comfortable opening wider from all positions. 

Bernard Lee: You realized every poker player’s dream by winning a WSOP bracelet last summer. Did you ever believe that you would win one during your first summer in Las Vegas?

Bryan Campanello: No way. It was truly a surreal experience, especially winning the bracelet in a game that I had never played live before. You always expect to win your first bracelet in the game you played the most, which for me is no-limit hold’em.

Bernard Lee: Wait a second…you had never played razz live. Then why did you play the event?

Bryan Campanello: I had never played it live but I had played it online in mixed-cash games. I had just busted out of the $5,000 six-max and “tilt regged” into the $2,500 razz event.
 
Bernard Lee: So, as the tournament progressed, what were you goals since you were not very familiar with the nuisances of the game?

Bryan Campanello: My goal for day one was to just calm down from busting out of the six-max. I ended up playing way too tight and only bagged about 9,600 chips (starting was 7,500).  

On Day 2, I focused on watching the best players at the table and tried to emulate their play. Players that I focused on were Calvin Anderson, George Danzer, and Sebastian Pauli. Afterward, I felt like I knew what I was doing.  

Finally, on day 3, I couldn’t believe that I was at a final table, playing for a bracelet, especially during my first summer at the WSOP. In the end, it was incredible to beat David Bach heads-up and win my first bracelet.

Bernard Lee: At only 23 years old, you have already won a WSOP bracelet and three WSOP Circuit rings including the main event at the 2014 New Orleans stop. What are your future goals?

Bryan Campanello: My next goal is to surpass the $1 million mark in career earnings in live tournaments. I’d like to do this by the end of 2014. To earn more than $1 million in just two years, playing full-time, especially with relatively low buy-ins would be pretty cool and a good step forward. 

Besides that, I really don’t have any specific goals. What I want to focus on is becoming better and better every day. I want to work on my math and hand reading skills, but overall, I’m trying not to become complacent and always trying to become a better player.

Bernard Lee: Who are the players you admire and why?

Bryan Campanello: I love Daniel’s (Negreanu) ability to table talk, as he tries to get into his opponent’s head. He is truly a master at this.

Of course, Phil Ivey is incredible. He has done it all in the world of poker: winning 10 bracelets, mastered live and online cash and tournaments. Overall, he can adjust to any situation and game. At first, he may not have been the best online player, but he went from the prey to the predator. Also, I love the fact that he is great at all the games, which is something I aspire to be. ♠  

Bernard Lee is a poker columnist for ESPN.com, author of “The Final Table, Volume I and II” and radio host of “The Bernard Lee Poker Show,” which can be found onRoundersRadio.com or via podcast on iTunes.  Lee has over $2 million in career earnings and is also a team member of RunGoodGear.com.  Follow Bernard Lee on Twitter: @BernardLeePoker or visit him at www.BernardLeePoker.com.