ESPN

Andrew Feldman

  (3:01 PM)

Hey everyone. Craig will be here in just a second, please send in your questions and we'll get to as many as we can

Craig Marquis

  (3:03 PM)

Hey. Glad I could help everyone out and answer some questions!

Brad (Gadsden,Alabama)

Craig, What do you do before you play?

Craig Marquis

  (3:04 PM)

Usually I like playing right after I wake up. I wake up and have my first session right after that. I walk over to the cmputer, and start opening up tables. I don't usually wake up until 11:30 or noon, but I kind of wake up and zone out and start playing when I get in the mood. I don't do anything special, but I do prefer to play at home at my computer instead of live.

Enzo, St. Louis MO

Watching ESPN's wsop coverage last night, Tiffany Michele was running her mouth at you for a hand or two, were you able to brush her off throughout the tourney or did you have any desire to smack talk right back to her? I know I was rooting for you to tell to her off. Also, good luck at the final table.

Craig Marquis

  (3:06 PM)

Thank you, Enzo. I didn't like her attitude at all. I thought she had a bad attitude about things She had sort of an entitelment complex where she thought she was good because she was so deep. She was the last woman alive and all the attention she was getting inflated her ego. She was kind of annoying, but I would've much rather played against her than other people because she was one of the weaker players.

Chris, (Newington, Connecticut)

Craig, how many people do you have going to Vegas with you? You think they'll have a calming influence?

Craig Marquis

  (3:08 PM)

I have a bunch of people heading out ther with me. Some of my extended family, my dad's friends, my uncle's friends. It will be a pretty big group. It will be a really cool to see everybody there, but they all 100% expect me to win...so I'm not sure that's calming.

Joseph Dallas

Craig, do you think having such high profile friends at least in the poker community will make you more of a target at the final table? Will this change how you play at all?

Craig Marquis

  (3:10 PM)

I don't know if it will make me a bigger target, but I think that it will kind of skew people's perspective of how I play a little bit. Having friends who play sick styles like Durr and raptor and stuff, you spend a lot of time with them and it will factor into people's equations during some hands. That's good though because I don't really play like them.

Christopher (NYC)

what's the best thing you've spent your money on that you've won?

Craig Marquis

  (3:10 PM)

The most satisfying thing is a couple cars that I bought. I ordered an Audi S5 which I don't get for a couple of weeks, but I also bought my mom a truck, so she has a new ar as well. It felt good to give something back to her since she's always been supportive of me.

Pete (NC)

What's it like on the other side of the camera at the WSOP? What don't they show on TV?

Craig Marquis

  (3:12 PM)

The poker you see is so different than you actually experience. There were a ton of hands that didn't get shown and its crazy how much edited it ended up. While I was playing I was kind of zoned out, so i didn't think about the camera at all. I definitely caught some things where I was acting like myself, just being natural - especially some of the stuff with Tiffany Michelle. There was a lot of stuff that I thought I would've seen that didn't get coverage.

Kev (NYC)

How many hours a day were you playing during the tourney?

Craig Marquis

  (3:14 PM)

Too many. You go from noon until 2 a.m. You play 10 levels and it usually ends up being at 2 in the morning. you play a ton, its an unbelievably large amount. I was absolutely exhausted when I went home. Even afterwards when I finished everything, I barely got any sleep the night of the final table and I thought I was going to die I was so tired.

Tim (Athens)

How many times were you all in either as a coin flip or behind? Had to be atleast 5-10 to make it that far right?

Craig Marquis

  (3:16 PM)

No. I mean for my tournament life I got it in behind 1 time for my tournament life and that was at the 10-handed table. I got it in a coinflip with 7-7 vs K-J and I'm sure I won an A-K vs. a pair. Coinflip situations for my tournament life, I think I had 2. I was intentionally avoiding those spots because my equity against the field was worth more than trying to accumulate a huge chip stack. I really didn't get a lot of those big suckouts or coinflips.

Mike (Atlanta)

Whats your online name?

Craig Marquis

  (3:17 PM)

Craig Marquis on full tilt. Before it was just craigmarq, but now I'm a red pro on Full Tilt.

Joseph (Dallas)

What do you feel is going to be your hardest challenge at the final table? Do you feel having so many amatures at the table will hurt or help your chances in taking this down. You are my pick to win FWIW!

Craig Marquis

  (3:19 PM)

The more support I have the better! The biggest challenge is going to double up early on. If I do I can take advantage of the weaker players so that I can play more pots instead of just hands that play themselves out. I'm going to try to get some chips early. I'd rather have this table than an Ivey, raptor, Durr final table. My main concern with poker is making money. The only thing with amateurs is trying to see how they are thinking about the game. It makes putting them on hands harder.

Pocket Aces (Houston)

How long does it take someone to reach the level your at?

Craig Marquis

  (3:22 PM)

It depends how committed you are to learning. The reason that I learned the game so quickly is that when I started I played a bajillion hands. Even while going to school and working I put in over a 100,000 hands. That's a ton of hands, so I mean playing a bunch is the most important thing you can do to get better. Really think about your hands -- think about the ones that you've won and lost and think about how you coud play them better. That's how I learned to understand the game so quickly. When I had problems I asked friends what they would do and find a better way to handle the situations. I find that all this combined is the best way to learned.

Rohan (Brooklyn, NY)

do you like the fact that there's a lot of young guys at the table?

Craig Marquis

  (3:23 PM)

It's cool. I'd rather have a bunch of old players at the table. I feel like they're easier to play against because they are less aggressive. Over the last few years poker has trended younger and younger and most players play online and learn how to play there. It's cool to see so many young poeple, but I'd rather play against old guys, personally.

Katie, RI

I read you bought a kegerator, what kind of beer is on tap? MBL for good luck?

Craig Marquis

  (3:24 PM)

Right now I have Stella Artois on tap. I have a problem getting my favorite beer on tap, its brewed in Oregon and is a smaller brewery, but its tough to get a keg out here, but I'm still working on it. It makes going to a bar and drinking a beer out of a bottle unsatisfying because it's not as cold as when you can get it at your house.

Chris (Chicago)

Best player still left other than you?

Craig Marquis

  (3:25 PM)

Peter Eastgate and Ivan are both really good. They are probably the biggest threats to me at the table and the ones I would least like to play heads up.

Rohan (Brooklyn, NY)

sounds like you've already spent a lot of money....ever heard of some same investments? oh wait, nevermind

Craig Marquis

  (3:25 PM)

Yea, I haven't actually spent too much, but I'm happy that I kept most of my money liquid. I didn't put anything in the markets and was pretty fortunate -- still running good I guess.

Justin (Denver)

How important is it to be able to lay down top pair? Seems a lot of people have trouble with that at the WSOP.

Craig Marquis

  (3:27 PM)

I mean it all depends who you are playing against. The most important thing you need to know while playing is who you can lay down top pair against. Against a guy like Brandon Cantu I would never lay down top pair. Recognize the types of players you are playing against and you can make those types of reads with no problem. You'll be at the same table with them for hours so you'll get a good feel for the guy's playing style. I have a lot of trouble laying down top pair too...

Lucas (Indianapolis)

Have you read many books on poker? If so, which ones were most helpful to you.

Craig Marquis

  (3:28 PM)

The only book that I really read was David Skalansky's NL hold 'em theory and practice. i haven't really read a whole lot of poker books. You're really better served after understanding the math of the game by getting involved in every sitiuation possible by playing as many hands as you can. Read a book and then understand how it works. After playing a lot all that stuff becomes subconcious.

Dave (CT)

What did you think of Demidov's run at the WSOP Europe Main Event? Did you watch any of it?

Craig Marquis

  (3:29 PM)

Yea, I watched a bit of it. It was pretty sweet that he made it so deep. I think someone did the math and that it was like a 15% chance that someone who made the main event in the US would make the final table in Europe. It's pretty sick. He's obviously a solid player and its pretty good for him.

gonzo (fort wort)

do you do any other gambling?

Craig Marquis

  (3:31 PM)

Not really. I occasionally play craps or roulette, but I don't play for any significant stakes at all. I don't really like gambling. It might sound weird but I don't see poker as gambling as much, but more a strategy game. The player who understands the game best will win consistently. I don't really see poker in the same boat as the casino games. While I play them for fun every once in a while, I'm not a big fan of -EV stuff. I still to what I have an edge at.

Katie, Rhode Island

Do you like watching yourself on tv?

Craig Marquis

  (3:32 PM)

Yea, it's cool. There were a couple hands I wish I got to see, but it was really interesting to watch it and see how I look. You rarely get an outside look of yourself while you're playing and I think I looked pretty good, so it worked out.

David Kraft (NY, NY)

I've travelled all over the world watching you guys. What's it like playing in other countries?

Craig Marquis

  (3:34 PM)

It was definitely an interesting experience. Playing in London was my first trip outside the US. Casinos over there are very different than over here. Everything is more closer together and smaller. It was a lot different. You go to the Rio and play in the WSOP in an enormous room. In Europe the tables are really crowded in the casino area. It was cool to be able to visit Europe a little bit.

DC (Simsbury, CT)

I don't know much about your "sport." Do you even consider it a sport? $9 million seems like a lot to do something you can do when drunk.

Craig Marquis

  (3:37 PM)

I don't know if its considered a sport or not, that's a whole other debate, but to say you can do it drunk, I don't think you can do it well drunk. I doubt you're too +EV in any of these events while wasted. There's a reason there's a $9 million dollar prize pool is because we all put up $10,000 to enter. To navigate through those 6000+ there needs to be a ton of skill to win. Yea, you can do it drunk, you can do a lot of things drunk, but it doesn't mean you can do it well.

Jamie, Newton, MA

Whats the hardest question you have been asked in an interview?

Craig Marquis

  (3:38 PM)

I don't know. I haven't really gotten any hard interview questions. Most of them that were really like were "whats your favorite moment from TV poker" and I don't watch a lot of TV poker when I'm not on it. I don't really follow stuff on TV or the tournament circuit or what not, so I didn't really know a whole lot about those types of questions.

Dan, Vegas

I heard WSOP Europe was a lot of fun. I read in the blogs that the nightlife was better than Vegas. True?

Craig Marquis

  (3:39 PM)

It's not better I wouldn't say, it's different. In a lot of ways its the same. You go to the clubs and bars, no strip clubs in London, so that might be different, but it's just different kinds of beers on tap. The women in Vegas are more attractive than those in London, for sure.

Rob (RI)

What is the most you have lost/won in one game?

Craig Marquis

  (3:40 PM)

If the WSOP counts as a session, the WSOP. The most I've won is most definitely the WSOP, it's the most I've ever played for.

Pete (NC)

Craig I have a situation my friends and I have argued a lot about. You put up 10k of your own money and get dealt AA the first hand. A guy before you goes all in the very first hand pre-flop. Do you call and try to not lose? Or do you fold and let your skill win it for you? I say fold.

Craig Marquis

  (3:41 PM)

Call. Obviously, you have aces. It's the best hand. It's always a funny question because its the easiest call ever.

Jon, NJ

Any chance we will see you on NBC Heads-Up Championship next year? Would love to see you and Hellmuth play.

Craig Marquis

  (3:42 PM)

Hahaha. I would love to see me and Hellmuth face off too. It would be really, really funny. I bet he would end up against Tom again. There's a chance, but its an invitation only event. I'd love to be there if I have the opportunity.

Mike (Dallas)

Good play so far and good luck the rest of the way...Do you find the computer to be fairly realistic, or do you prefer "real" poker?

Craig Marquis

  (3:45 PM)

I do consider the computer to be real poker. I've played my entire career on full tilt. 99% of my hands have been played online. That's what I learned on and that's my bread and butter. I definitely prefer that than sitting at a table. there are so many things that irritate me about live play -- some of the people you deal with, you have to go out somewhere, only play at one table, only 25 hands an hour. There's a ton of variance and I'd love to play online, blast music, have AIM going, check my fantasy teams, email whatever. I'd much rather do that than play one table.

Whit, Staten Island, NY

I heard Tom Dwan is a mentor of yours - who usually picks up the tab when you guys go out? Does Dwan have TMM (Too Much Money) syndrome?

Justin (denver)

Should you win the ME, are you going to go out of your way to be an 'ambassador of poker'?

Craig Marquis

  (3:48 PM)

Most definitely. I'd do whatever I could to further the game. It's the most important thing for the main event winner to do and I don't think it's been done well over the last few years. It's good to give back to the game since it's done so much for me and I'd definitely go out of my way to further the game.

Tim (Athens)

What about if 3 people call all-in front of you and you have AA? Have to fold if you think youre better than the field?

Craig Marquis

  (3:49 PM)

I have aces. All in! All in! If I have the best starting hand in all of Texas hold 'em, I'm all in.

Brad (Seattle, WA)

You seem to play with class, which is very refreshing, and I really respect that. Do you think that obnoxious celebrations are a problem in televised events, and, if so, what would yuo suggest to help tone things down?

Craig Marquis

  (3:52 PM)

I personally just think that it's really not classy at all to have a huge celebration when you win. I'm all about not being a dick about things. It really irritates me when I lose a pot and someone is fist pumping in my face and stuff. I realize that there is two sides to everything, the other guy may have just lost a big pot when you have won. I don't really know if there is anything you can do besides having rules -- like the Hevad Khan rule -- but the fact that it gets televised so much that it gives people the wrong impression that people are kind of rude, when a lot of them aren't.

Tim (Denver)

Did calling Clock in a 11M pot ever cross your mind? Do you agree that Tiff showed no class in making that call?

Craig Marquis

  (3:53 PM)

Yea, that wouldn't even cross my mind. Ever. It's so rude. It's unbelievably rude. I don't know went through her head. She tried to justify it saying she was short, but she had 50 bbs, no way she was short. That still just shocks me. The only person I've ever called the clock on was Phil Hellmuth and that's for obvious reasons.

Chris (Connecticut)

do you have any moment that you thought to yourself 'holy mother of God, is this actually happening?'

Craig Marquis

  (3:55 PM)

I didn't really have time for that! It just goes so quickly. When we had 81 people left I thought wow, there's 81 people left. Then we were getting down to the end of the night and I had the chip lead with my name on the leaderboard. I thought this was crazy. While its great to have a ton of chips, there adds a little extra stress to things. I didn't think of making the final table -- I just focused on playing as well as I could.

Craig Marquis

  (3:57 PM)

By the way, Tom and I credit card roulette or play rock paper scissors to determine who pays for the bill.

Tim (Denver)

Not much of Cantu's chip spewing was shown on tv. Where you at his table much, and can you give your take on how he played late in the tourney?

Craig Marquis

  (3:58 PM)

He played like super spewy. His strategy works really well against players who are amateurs -- unexperienced players. He puts pressure on everybody, he makes each decision very very hard. Against someone who understands how he plays, he just gives away a lot of chips. That's what I did on Day 6. He had a complex where he had to win every pot. I tried to give him an opportunity to make mistakes and he did, resulting in him giving me a lot of chips.

Craig Marquis

  (3:58 PM)

It was good to be able to chat with everyone. Talk to you soon.

Andrew Feldman

  (3:59 PM)

Thanks Craig for joining us and everyone for submitting questions. Over the next two weeks we'll try to have each of the 9 here at SportsNation! Hope to see each of you tomorrow when Chip Leader Dennis Phillips joins us at 4 ET.