Gil Nowell beat out 127 players this season to earn the title “APC Grand Champion”. He joins an elite group of APC players who have won the prestigious end of season event. Gil has really come a long way since his start with the APC back in season 3. He will make a great champion and I am confident that this is just the first.
I had a chance to interview Gil after his win and to try and see what was going through his mind during the day. Here is what he had to say…….
How long have you been playing poker?
I have been playing for about 6 years. I think like a lot of players, I
am a product of the Moneymaker Effect.
How did you feel when you first sat down to play? Did you think you had
a realistic shot at winning?
I was first assigned to deal table 16, which was set to break down
first. I got in the mindset that I would be at many different tables
during the day and would play many different people. It turned out that
the outer tables were not needed and I redrew table 1. I had to quickly
get in the frame of mind that there was a chance I would be playing with
many of the same players all day. I knew maybe 6 of the 10 players
pretty well so I thought I could get by on reputation with most of them.
Even though they are all tough players it actually made me pretty calm.
Even though I’m pretty reserved at the poker table, I always expect to win.
Everybody has their own style of play, especially when they play the
same people week after week. Did you find yourself having to adjust your
style of play being that you had to more than likely had to play people
you never had before?
I adjusted my style a little. I felt I was opening with a larger range
than normal for me, but at the same time I told myself not to gamble
preflop with players that I don’t know. I was more than willing to play
big pots with unknowns post flop. With the people that I normally play
with the strategy doesn’t really work for me. I guess they just know I
have it. During the Grand Championship it allowed me to build a decent
stack pretty earlier on.
Was there one person(s) in particular today that you feel gave you the
most trouble and why?
My initial seat draw had Kirk Chin on the button when I was the big
blind. For anyone knows Kirk, if it folds to him he will be relentless
on your blinds. Secondly there was heads up with Randy. I know that
Randy and I have similar styles and for the most part there would not be
too much preflop gambling. He was holding a 2:1 chip advantage when we
started so I knew I needed to settle in for a long battle.
Was there a point in the tournament when you were worried that today
might not be the day? Please explain why.
I had built a decent stack of about 9700 at 200/400 and was feeling
really good. That was when I got in a blind on blind hand. I was in the
big with Q8 and bet out on an Q55 board. I was check raised and was
priced in to call. I was fine with the small’s hand of Q9 as almost half
the deck was a chop. That was until the turn brought the dreaded 9. I
lost about 1/3 of my stack and for a moment started thinking about how
the steady work of building a stack could be ruined in one hand.
When did you realize that today was going to be the day, that unless
disaster happened you were taking the trophy home?
I actually had three places in the tournament that I got that feeling
that things were going to come together. With two tables left I was down
to a little more than three big blinds. A timely triple up with a
flopped straight really peaked my spirits. When we made it down to 9 or
10 players something just clicked. I don’t know how to explain it, but a
calm came over me. There was so much money in the pot from the blinds
and antes the only way to win was to be relentless going after it. It
was cool to know the right thing to do and then to actually follow
through on that strategy.
I really got the feeling that today was the day about half way into
heads up. I know it sounds like an easy spot to talk about winning, but
I can tell you the specific hand. I was still down in chips when I look
down at pocket aces on the small. In a split second I devised a plan to
get the chip lead. I limped and what happened next was most likely the
most important part of my plan and that was for Randy to RAISE. I just
flat called the and the flop came out 4,5,7. This is pretty scary, but
at this point if he had it he had it. I checked and he continuation bet
as expected. The next part was easy… ALL-IN!!! Randy folded and I was
“nice” enough to show him the goods. I now had the chip lead and there
was no looking back.
Now that you have won, you get to go play for some serious cash. Have
you ever played in a casino before? Do you feel playing with the APC has
helped you feel more confident about going to a casino and playing in a
real money tournament?
I have played a couple of times in a casino. Mostly just small buy-in
tournaments and a couple of satellites. I know 100% that The Atlanta Poker Club has
helped me be more comfortable playing for real.
Thanks Gil for the interview. Anything else you wish to say?
I need to give a shout out to Rachel. Thanks for keeping my spirits
high at times when the results were not always the best.
