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Garrett Adelstein has been a professional poker player for many years, honing his craft at the online tables before becoming a feared live player in some of the biggest games on the West Coast. After appearing on Poker After Dark multiple times since the game’s return in 2017, the man known as ‘Gman’ makes his debut on the Super High Roller Cash Game tonight, something the poker fan inside of him never could’ve ever dreamt of.

“I feel very fortunate to play in games like this, especially when I think back of my 18-year old self who watched every single episode of Poker After Dark on TV. To be playing these stakes in this kind of setting regularly is surreal and not something I’ll ever get used to. I still wake up every day wondering, ‘How the hell did I get here?’

Catch the Super High Roller Cash Game live on PokerGO right now and tomorrow from 6:00 pm ET onwards. Both nights of action are available on-demand for all PokerGO subscribers.

Respect for Old School Pros

Three years ago the Super High Roller Cash Game centered around legends of the game such as Doyle Brunson and Phil Ivey, and Adelstein was quick to pay respects to those that came before him.

“As someone who grew up playing a lot of internet poker and having transitioned into live poker, I have great respect for both groups, especially guys like Doyle who are my heroes that I grew up watching. I have nothing but respect for those players from back in the day, but when it comes to No Limit it’s just a fact that the game has evolved a lot. But I’m not the guy who’s ever going to say that the old school pros can’t hack it anymore. Anyone who works hard at poker stands a great chance of success.”

As a poker professional, Adelstein would love to see the best of the best compete in a high stakes cash game for him to enjoy watching and learning from, but he’s very much aware that the days of the best “throwing body blows” are in the past.

“High stakes poker players in 2018 are very savvy. All poker games need to have a good mix of players to make it both good and entertaining, but when I’m playing I’m not going to deny that I’d love the softest possible lineups. This game today though has some of the best players in the world so I’m going to have to tread lightly.”

Balancing Skill and Entertainment

With Adelstein being featured in many big live streamed games over the last few years he’s become very familiar with the ins and outs of what drives these games. The usual high stakes politics aside, Adelstein seems to have found the perfect balance of skill and entertainment to thrive in this environment.

“The biggest thing about playing in these games is that you give action, and I’m pretty sure everyone at this table is going to be playing far more hands than what the internet kids would call ‘optimal’. That’s how it should be though, it’s what makes a poker game fun for both the players and the audience and it coincides with how I’ve always played anyway. I don’t play a bunch of hands just for the cameras, I just naturally have no self-discipline when it comes to pre-flop play,” Adelstein laughed.

It’s clear that Adelstein has a good head on his shoulders, evident by the realistic views he has on his own game and how he’s being perceived by opponents and fans. Bringing on a mental game coach has helped Adelstein let go of any distracting thoughts and fears, improving his game in the process.

“If people think I’m the worst, so be it, and if they think that I’m not bad, that’s fine too. The moment you start concerning yourself with what others think of you are on a slippery slope in life, and that’s exponentially true in poker.”

The Super High Roller Cash Game got underway with some big pots right off the bat, so don’t waste another minute and get in the game on PokerGO right now. Wednesday’s game is a $3,000/$6,000 Mixed Game that features Doyle Brunson and Dan ‘Jungleman’ Cates. 

Doyle Brunson, Garrett Adelstein, Super High Roller Cash Game