Another great question VT.

Any more 1's like these to come?

You got some solid answers from Dwan to these questions VT. Great job. Usually his interviews feel like he isn't putting any effort into his answers but this felt like a good interview. I guess part of that is that he usually gets asked strategy questions or questions about things he obv shouldn't and won't talk about like details about the macau games.

Gus looks coked-up on the pix.

Last question, imagine a closed arena, much like a basketball court, where there will be X amount of five years old running at you, basically swarming you. They are ****ing determined five year olds; they are there to take you down. No weapons or equiment allowed. What is the X you think you could manage?

Dwan: Oh wow, five year olds... I mean, five year olds are really small right, you could just take them down one by one or a few at a time and then run for a new position... Am I allowed to you use the five year olds as weapons?

Yes.

Okay, so I'd obviously use a kid as a weapon than... Or actually, come to think of it, I'd run to a corner, knock a few of them out and then build a fort for protection. The corner's walls obviously has my back so I'd only need to get proctection for my left and right. I'd leave a space in the front where I could see and reach the alive ones with my fist.

I got a very explicit answer here, Dwan was very active with his entire body showing what he meant. I did my best to illistrate it for you guys.



Haha, so you are saying you would make a fort out of dead five year olds?

Well not dead, lets go with incapable of moving.

Using that strategy I think I could knock out... 340, 340 five year olds.

Someone listening Dwan's answer asks him if he hasn't read the original thread whereupon he goes:

I've read the thread itself however, I've never asked myself the question. I'm glad I did though, it's a pretty awesome and - actually - really good question.

As neither me, Dwan or the third person, who was someone working with PokerStars, knew the exact conditions, we pulled up the thread to check out the correct and absolute rules.

Oh, I'm not allowed to touch a wall? Well that obviously ****s up my entire strategy. Considering that, I'd probably go with 50. I'd use one kid to knockout the other ones lol.

Oh, I forgot, the kids get a few hours of both martial art's training as well as strategy training going into it this as well. Does it change your answer?

**** me. Well, I guess I'm saying 30 then.

Dwan also had a a pretty elaborate thought process regarding the importance of what kind of shoes were allowed for both himself and the kids (prior to us checking the actual rules). Apparently there would be a pretty decent difference between sneakers and boots.

hahaha seriously genius work VT, well well done. might be the best interview Mr.Dwan has ever given

'Okay, so I'd obviously use a kid as a weapon then'

hilarious

anyone get there bonus for predicting the matches etc yet?

I'm not even sure that using a kid as a weapon would be feasible. It would be really awkward to swing a living (or formerly living) creature in that way. Grabbing kids and yanking their necks or kicking them in the face would probably be the most efficient killing/disabling method.

That is an exemplary analysis of How Many Five-Year-Olds.

Could just grab one by the arms and just swing in a circle, spinning around whirlwind style. Think that would be pretty effective assuming the kid isn't so heavy that you can't grip it.

Yeah, definitely Nobel Prize-quality.

I'd imagine Tom kind of appreciated he wasn't asked lame questions about the future of poker/full tilt/durrr challenges etc.

yep, he should write a paper on his theory. Would be up there with Nash and von Neumann.

Oh, and Turner Prize for VTs picture imo.

If you want to spin it at sufficient speed to knock out lots of kids and still keep momentum, I would imagine the whole kid will be pretty vertical at the height of your shoulders. Most five year olds would just run under it.

No, you definitely should grab the kid's legs. Much better that way.

Overall thought on the future of poker? Do you think another "boom" could happen?

Haxton: I think it will be very hard to match the first one, that's for sure, but i don't think it's impossible.

I believe steps in the right direction would be legalizing online poker in the US and to integrate the player pools of countries like France, Italy and Spain that currently only are allowed to play inside their own country. And both of these issues are presently being discussed so I definitely don't think it's impossible.

Do you also think it could go the other direction as well?

Yes, it could go the other direction, but if you're asking if I think poker is dying, I don't.

Grospellier: Oh no, it definitely isn't dying!

Katchalov: You just have to work a little harder now.

The three names that contributed the most to your poker success?

Haxton: Scott Seiver, Justin Bonomo and someone that no one in the poker world has ever heard of; Alex Melnikov.

I met Alex in high school and he was the one that pretty much introduced me to poker back in 2004. He doesn't play anymore but he was really good back then. Scott was the one who conviced me to start playing heads up No Limit Hold'em. And Justin and I hang out a bunch when I first moved to Vegas back in 2008. We talked a lot of strategy and we learned a lot from each other. He mostly taught me about tournaments and I him about heads up NLHE.

Would you move back to the USA if poker were to be legalized there again?

Haxton: Maybe, but not definitely. I mean, there are things I like about the US, there are things I dislike. I don't like the American culture, for example.

If you were offered a 70/30 flip, how big % of your networth would you put up at 1:1 odds?

Haxton: Not very much. Probably 10% or so.

How big of and advantage would you need to be comfortable to put up 90% of your networth?

I mean, it would basically have to be a lock. I'd say above 95%.

Who do you think have slept with the most women, Gus or the other five of you guys combined?

Ike takes a few moments and then goes:

Haxton: Gus for sure. I don't think it's close.

We should Daniel that question though!

Ike turns around and asks Negreanu the same question. Daniel thinks for a few seconds and says:

Negreanu: I think it's the other five, but I think it's really close actually.

Haxton: You must know something about Viktor that I don't...

So, that's all the questions I got to ask the players and actually wrote down answers to. I believe at least most of your questions were included (except for the ones directed to Viktor, ofc), I apologize if I missed your question (I actually don't, becuase if it wasn't in there, it probably sucked). I actually got to ask Ike a lot more questions than the ones posted here (all of your questions were actually posted though) but since I got the answers during lunch I didn't actually get to writing them down. I could wing it from my memory but I think I'll just keep them to myself, that way I'll feel more special as well.

I'd like to thank PokerStars for giving me this oppurtunity and really amazing experience, I really do appreciate it. Chris Jonat, working for PokerStars, PokerStars Steve (whose surname I actually don't know) and of course the players, who all were very cooperative and kind.

I hope you enjoyed the interviews, I'm sorry I couldn't cover the games. I'll definitely blog some more about the trip tomorrow (blog), feel free to check that out and keep following it in the future.

loool nh mr. haxton!

always enjoy reading your posts here.

big thanks vanilla for the coverage and the awesome interwiews.

Ike do you have more info on this?? Playing on stars.es sucks balls

So, PS pros win in pokers ans Gus win in life?

I am still waiting for the 100$ for correctly guessing the 3 winners.
Anyone else?
It's been a loooong wait...