I Can't Complain - Q&A with Andy Bloch

The 2008 World Series of Poker main event didn't net a bracelet for veteran poker pro Andy Bloch, but that didn't stop him from being a good sport and stopping by on day six to cheer for his friends from the rail. Bloch has many accomplishments of his own, including two World Poker Tour final table appearances and over $3 million in total career earnings.

Card Player caught up with Bloch on the rail while sweating the action during the final seven tables of the 2008 World Series of Poker main event to discuss his outlook on the series.

Alex Porter: How many friends do you still have left in the main event?

Andy Bloch: Well, I got a little bit of a surprise that a friend of mine from MIT, Tony Scherer, is still in here. He's got a little over two million in chips, which is above average, but he's a relative unknown for everybody else in this tournament. Of course there's also Mike Matusow. Everybody loves to hate Phil Hellmuth, but I think it would be great if he makes the final table. It doesn't seem like his ego can possibly get any bigger, but I'm sure it will.

AP: Who do you pick as an early favorite to take the title?

AB: I guess it would be a couple of the people who have the chip lead. You have to go with whoever has the chip lead. They got it somehow! I've definitely seen some hands described on the websites, and I just can't imagine getting all that money in pre-flop with some of those hands.

AP: There's been a lot of buzz about the final table being delayed until November, giving the remaining players an opportunity to receive coaching from other professionals. Have you considered becoming a poker coach for one of the final tablists this year?

AB: Yeah, definitely for the right people, and certainly if it's a friend of mine. Actually, Tony emailed me and said, "I know it's a little premature, but are you interested in coaching anybody over the next four months?" I think he was somewhat serious.

I think it's a great idea to delay the final table. It would be a great thing for the poker world. Anybody at that final table would be a fool not to get a poker coach. I think they need coaches to work with them on their tells. I think [Joe] Navarro could probably auction himself off to the highest bidder!

AP: A lot of the pros I've talked with have said the final table delay will be good for the game.

AB: Anybody that doesn't think it's a good idea doesn't understand the industry and has no foresight. I'm very optimistic, maybe more than I've ever been about poker. I think it's going to be huge. It will move poker to the next level and make it more of a mainstream thing. I think people who have no idea about poker and don't understand it at all will want to watch. It's just like people who don't care much about dancing watch Dancing with the Stars. It's going to be that kind of thing. Everybody will get to know these nine players very closely over the next four months. Nothing like that has ever happened before. Maybe if you were the world champion you got some coverage.

AP: How were you eliminated from the main event this year?

AB: I think I've been here watching longer than I lasted! I was two hours late because I didn't feel well, and then I busted before the end of the next level. I ran into at least three sets, two of them flopped and one of them on the turn. On the fourth hand I lost I had pocket kings, and I might have made a bad laydown. I faced a big bet on the turn, and I knew I would have to face a big bet on the river. There was no ace on the board, but a flush came on the turn and I didn't have a diamond in my hand. Now I wish I would have called! On the last hand I flopped a straight against a set and he filled up on the turn. I was already down to 6,000, so it didn't matter how either of us played it. The money was going to go in. I bet the river, he raised me all in, and I was getting better than 4:1. I'm thinking that more often than not I'm beat here, but there's some chance he's got three queens or some chance he's got the straight.

AP: Well, there's always next year.

AB: Well, I've never actually cashed in the main event. The best I've done was the first year I played it. I haven't completely researched this, but I'm almost definitely the highest career money earner in the World Series of Poker that hasn't cashed in the main event or won a bracelet.

[NOTE: According to our records, Bloch is correct about being the highest career WSOP money earner without a bracelet or a cash finish in the main event. If one discounts the main event final tablists of the last five years, Bloch is the highest career WSOP money earner without a bracelet. His WSOP career earnings total is $1,972,764.]

AP: How many main events have you played?

AB: Probably about ten. The first was in '97, and I played again in '98. I couldn't play in '99 because I wouldn't be able to graduate law school if I did. I think I played the next year or two, but then I took a couple of years off from the main event. So, this might be my 10th.

AP: Maybe the 11th time's the charm.

AB: Well, I felt like I was changing things up this year! It would be nice to win a bracelet, but I'm not really too worried. The main reason is so when people ask me if I have a bracelet, or how many I have, I don't have to say, "Well, I finished second."

AP: You wouldn't prefer to be a record holder?

AB: No! (laughs) Oh yeah, so whenever people write the story about the best poker players that have never won a bracelet I can always be in that list. I think I'd prefer the story, "Andy Bloch finally wins first bracelet."

But it's not all that bad. I've done pretty in the poker world. I can't complain.

Card Player's Live Player Database: Andy Bloch