Garry Gates says “I did it my way!” in response to Matusow “bad coaching” dig
By the time Garry Gates scooped up $3,000,000 for his 4th place finish in the WSOP Main Event he was already the most-liked player of the tournament – and he scored his massive win without ‘professional help’, as Mike Matusow found out after claiming Gates received ‘bad coaching’…
I received several offers from world-class pros who volunteered knowledge on my opponents, hand reviews, situational strategies, etc., but it’s important to remember the days are long and demanding. I wasn’t trying to reinvent the wheel overnight. In the end, we thought (1/3) https://t.co/seH0Cao7Mw
— Garry Gates (@GarryGates) July 23, 2019
Garry Gates was A Man with a Plan
Mike “The Mouth” Matusow was playing the Main Event Hangover cash game when he commented on Gates’ approach to the final table.
What Mike didn’t know, however, was that the PokerStars Live ‘Senior Consultant of Player Affairs’ had a plan all of his own making.
but guys were playing so snug on Day 8, I wanted to use my image to open things up a bit and apply more pressure. I was playing to win and for that I have no regrets. If/when I decide to play more tournaments, we’ll revisit coaching options, but until then, we good, Mikey pic.twitter.com/JjNvcSitVA
— Garry Gates (@GarryGates) July 23, 2019
Turning Down a free lunch
The highly interesting Twitter exchange and revelations led to questions about ‘how much’ it would have cost Gates to receive some last-minute advice and tips. The answer? Zero!
In this case, none. I’m fortunate in that I’ve developed friendships with some of the best players in the world, and many reached out offering help, expecting nothing in return. Not to mention, I had @JasonMercier on standby as needed, but he gave me the space to do my thing.
— Garry Gates (@GarryGates) July 23, 2019
Of course, as a non-pro battling for the biggest prize in the game – $10million, the ultimate gold bracelet and a place in poker history – turning down offers of help might seem strange.
Mike “The Mouth” Matusow apologizes
Mike “The Mouth” Matusow’s assumptions, and subsequent apologies, were all part of a thread that was ‘insider gold’ to poker fans – most of whom dream of that Main Event run.
I was rooting hard for him! He’s good friends with my editor and was sad to see him go out 4th! No disrespect at all didn’t mean for it to come out that way! #apologize https://t.co/dJPemNYIT7
— Mike Matusow (@themouthmatusow) July 23, 2019
Hey Mikey, no need to apologize – I know you weren’t intending to be disrespectful in the slightest. I felt compelled to shed more light on my thought process and approach when I saw Johnnie’s Tweet. It’s a question that’s come up often as people digest the final table, so (1/2)
— Garry Gates (@GarryGates) July 23, 2019
Others were quick to chime in on how they would have approached the life-changing experience, ranging from the humorous…
if I’m on day 5 of the main, I’m not changing a thing, probably not even my underwear
— Matt Kiefer (@2littlemice) July 23, 2019
…to the down-to-earth realism of what making the final table involves…
To me, it’s really only if u win the damn thing u can’t be second guessed. Actually, in Poker even if u win u will be criticized. After playing so many hours for so many days, even with 1 day off, how much coaching can someone’s brain actually absorb at that point? Not much imo
— Jeff Dime (@JeffreyDime) July 23, 2019
Watch JohnnieVibes Inside the Poker Dream Vlog from the WSOP Main Event Final Table here
If you simply can’t get enough of the Main Event buzz and what it means to ‘the little guy’ in poker, there’s every chance you’ll love JohnnieVibes’ “Living the Poker Dream” Vlog.
Johnnie Moreno, to give him his Sunday name (though perhaps that’s the reverse for online poker players at least!) is a close friend of Gates – and here he shares the nerve-wracking ups and downs of the Main Event deep run.
As we all now know, Germany’s Hossein Ensan would go on to lift the title and the $10,000,000 first prize, but Gates and his merry band of followers will certainly be remembered for their 2019 tilt at the title.
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