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Rob Black is originally from New England but has lived in Atlanta for 20 years. He is married and has a teenage daughter. Rob started playing Texas Hold’em in 2007 with friends, and was immediately hooked and felt that he had gotten into something that he was meant to participate in.
How long have you played with the APC?
About two to three years. I’ve been most active during the last year and a half playing first at Loco’s and then Gino’s.
How much have you been playing lately?
In order to balance poker with home and work I only play once a week, so, my Lifetime Statistics with the APC aren’t impressive with 4000 points and four wins. I have managed to be in the Venue Top 10, four times in the last year or so.
Who is your favorite poker player?
Here I would probably go with some of the lower key, old school players like Eric Seidel and Carlos Mortensen. It’s more their style. I’m less social at the poker table as I concentrate more on the game and I’m drawn to players with similar characteristics.
What are your goals in the APC?
My short-term goal is always to place in the Venue Top 10 in order to achieve my long-term goals of winning a Venue Championship, and less realistically, a Grand Championship. Outside of the APC my goals are to make it to the final table of a World Series of Poker (WSOP) Ring Event.
Advice for new players?
1) First read up on basic poker principles; 2) Pay attention to constructive criticism from players you respect; and 3) Learn from your mistakes. The last suggestion is perhaps the most important. After I bust out of a tournament I am always thinking about what I could have done differently or better.
Who has influenced your play most?
Indirectly I would have to say Dan Harrington, who has great introductory books on both Hold’em tournaments and cash games. In the APC, I try to pay attention to the methods of the consistently successful players. For example, I’ve had the chance to play alongside Steve Quach quite a bit both in the APC as well as in WSOP Circuit events, and respect his game a lot.
How did it feel to win the prestigious AllStars Tournament?
It was pretty awesome as I was up against a ton of really good APC players! I am also quite proud of making it to the final table in the last Tournament of Champions, the APC cream of the crop.
Do you have any other comments?
I really enjoy playing in the APC as we all take our poker quite seriously and there are some excellent players (many much better than me). This challenges me to become a better player. It’s really the next best thing to having a casino nearby!
I now return to the quiet introvert that normally resides at the poker table.
Rob Black is a very talented Texas Hold’em player, who has cashed three times in the Ring Events at the World Series Of Poker. He is always a gentleman at the tables and a pleasure to play against. It will be no surprise when we see him make the final table at a World Series Of Poker Ring Event!
