Tournament Trail Q & A: Chris 'Genius28' LeeTalks About Difference Between Domestic and International Tournaments |
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At just 21 years old, Chris “Genius28” Lee has yet to make his mark in the live tournament scene, but he’s not far off the radar, given his online résumé and reputation. Despite being a six-figure winning player in both online tournaments and sit-and-gos, Chris is still first and foremost regarded by his opponents as one of the toughest cash game players in the world.
Lee is a cash game force, beating the highest limits online against the likes of Patrik Antonius, Daniel Negreanu, and Phil Ivey. Clearly, he is not one to shy away from a tough game, and his recent birthday has brought him back to the states for some live action with some of the game’s best.
Lee sat down with Card Player during one of the breaks at the 2008 WPT World Championship to discuss his recent birthday, cash games, and the tournament landscapes both domestically and abroad.
Julio Rodriguez: Chris, you just turned 21, and now you’re playing in one of the most prestigious tournaments of the year. Do you think your live game is up for the challenge?
Chris “Genius28” Lee: I’m definitely still learning. Live tournaments are way different from anything you can play online. It definitely takes a lot more discipline. You know, it’s usually a five-day contest, and what I see from a lot of the other online players is that they try to go full steam ahead for five days straight. You can’t really do that in a live setting. You have to pick your spots and slow down every once in a while, because a lot of the live players really like to take the hand to a showdown. You have got to be patient, and you can’t just be in there with nothing each and every time.
But, these are the little things I’m noticing over time. I just got back from EPT Monte Carlo and EPT San Remo. Now, I’m 21, which means you’ll be seeing a lot more from me on both the WPT circuit and in the series this summer.
JR: Do you think the tournament landscape has changed at all in the past year? The fields seem to have declined in numbers as of late.
CL: Well, I think that’s because it’s definitely harder for an amateur to come in off of the street and take one of these big ones down. The modern player has to not only get lucky, but also be fundamentally sound. As a result, the amateurs are staying away, and the poker boom has leveled off a bit.
I see all the same faces tournament after tournament, and I know they are mostly winning players. The fields are shrinking, and there are not as many satellite winners coming in to juice the prize pool.
JR: You’ve been playing overseas for the past year. Do you think the poker boom is shifting to Europe?
CL: Maybe, but not necessarily. I just think that the players are getting better in the states, whereas in Europe, the fields are still pretty soft. Players are really erratic and getting their stacks in very light, and here in the states, you really have to grind it out each and every day. I guess you can say they are feeling the “Moneymaker Effect” right now, all of a sudden.
JR: What about the cash games? Have they seen a decline, as well?
CL: Online, the high stakes cash games have dried up a little bit. There just aren’t many fish left, and the regular grinders aren’t about to play each other. But I think once the series starts we will see a bit of a resurgence in the side games. Every summer the action gets better online.
As far as live cash games go, I have yet to play here at Bellagio this trip, but I’m hearing that the action is still good. I heard about a $100-$200 game with a button ante that I think I’ll give a try. Also, if there are some half-and-half games [pot-limit Omaha and no-limit hold’em], I’ll try those, as well.
JR: How does your cash game play differ from your tournament play?
CL: I play a lot tighter in tournaments than I do in cash games. In a cash game, you can kind of run over your weaker competition. But in a tournament, the rising blinds force your opposition to play back at you. They won’t let you bleed them dry for too long and will start to defend against your raises.
I know that when I play with some of the online guys who know me, my image and reputation gives me an advantage. They think of me as somewhat of a loose cannon, so a lot of the time, I’ll try to wait them out and set some traps.
JR: Well, Chris, I can see that the tournament is starting back up, but thanks for taking the time to talk.
CL: No problem.
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