Alex talks about his two deep Main Event runs, including finishing 13th in 2013 and 3rd in 2019 for $4 million. He explains why the Main Event has its own skill set, how table talk helps him read players, and why he believes cash game experience can translate so well to poker’s biggest tournament.
We also get into the story of how missing a flight in Amsterdam changed his life, choosing poker over school and a possible day trading career, his love for stud and mixed games, Phil Ivey, Benny Glaser, Josh Arieh, Adrian Mateos, the difference between technical study and feel, and what it takes to perform when the stakes are highest.
Alex also shares what life is like in Nova Scotia after winning millions, how he thinks about family and poker today, his work as a commentator, and a few wild stories from his early poker years, including losing $40K playing beer pong and shoving 56 big blinds with ten-five in the WSOP Main Event.
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00:00 – Intro: Alex Livingston And The WSOP Main Event
03:07 – Table Talk, Player Reads, And Main Event Image
06:10 – Africa, Barcelona, And The Road To Poker
08:07 – The Missed Amsterdam Flight That Changed Everything
12:11 – Choosing Poker Over School And Day Trading
15:39 – Why The Main Event Is A Unicorn Tournament
19:21 – Mixed Games, Stud, And The Appeal Of Partial Information
22:28 – Benny Glaser, Josh Arieh, Phil Ivey, And Mixed Game Legends
26:01 – Poker Feel, Instinct, And The Limits Of Study
29:10 – Commentary, Execution, And Finding Leaks In Real Time
31:41 – Adrenaline, Pressure, And The Crash After A Deep Run
36:30 – The 2019 Main Event Final Table And Life After $4 Million
38:39 – Poker Commentary And What Fans Want To Watch
42:58 – PLO, Private Games, Bobby’s Room, And Shot Taking
45:57 – Nova Scotia, Family, Recovery, And Life Away From Vegas
52:40 – Wild Poker Stories: $40K Beer Pong And Ten-Five In The Main
56:33 – Closing Thoughts
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