Talking to Poker Shark Pool, we have no less than the 1983 World Poker Champion Tom Mcevoy. Tom’s achievements in the poker world are too numerous to mention here. He is regarded as being one of the best and most prolific players over the past 25 years.
Without any shadow of a doubt, Mcevoy’s achievements in poker during the eighties and nineties would have awarded him superstar status in today’s poker boom had they been achieved during the past few years.
As every keen student of poker knows, Mcevoy won the coveted big one in 1983, the $10,000 buy-in World Series of Poker at the legendary Binion’s Horseshoe in Las Vegas. But Tom has also laid his hands on a further three World Series of Poker titles. In 1983, he also won the Limit Hold’em event at the World Series putting him on a selected list of players who have won more than one Gold Bracelet during the same World Series.
Mcevoy’s versatility really showed itself in 1992 when he captured the World Championship at Limit Omaha. Mcevoy has become equally famous in the literary world by writing the now almost legendary “Tournament Poker” which is one of the finest books written on how to win poker tournaments.
Mcevoy is also noted for writing the “Championship” series of poker books, some of which he co-authored with the legendary TJ Cloutier. Tom Mcevoy is now a representative of Pokerstars.com.
At what age did you first begin in poker?
Age 5
Who would you say was your greatest inspiration at the outset of your poker career?
My grandmother
At what point did you decide to become a professional?
May 11, 1978
You are famous for your tournament successes but which do you prefer and why…cash games or tournaments?
Tournaments because there is so much more thinking and strategy involved.
Are you happy about the way that poker is going at the moment?
Yes
Did winning the world championship in 1983 change your life, if so how?
It changed my life forever from that moment on, like I knew it would. I Had instant fame, some fortune, and it opened many doors for me later on In my career. It also gave me credibility in regards to the books I wrote.
Many players remember certain hands that they played years ago, what was your most famous hand of that tournament?
I had pocket Queens on the last hand of the tournament and my opponent Rod Peate had King, Jack of diamonds. He caught a Jack, but the Queens held up
The boom of online poker does not appear to be slowing down, do you play much online?
I play almost everyday online—mostly on PokerStars
What made you first decide to write a poker book?
I was asked and decided to do it.
Many people regard your book on tournament poker as a classic but my personal favourite is “Championship Hold’em” that you wrote with TJ Cloutier. Was it deliberate to write the book in a chatty conversational way or did it just happen?
We did it on purpose. Other authors who shall go unmentioned by name have the tendency To write over their audiences head. Our book may not be a literary masterpiece, but It communicates and gets the job done.
Much of what was in that book inspired me to play the game professionally, are you aware of just how inspiring that book is to limit players?
Yes, I have had many people tell me Over the years how much my various books have influenced them and helped Them to become more successful.
Does the fact that the new players of today seem to attract instant fame just by winning a tournament annoy you to some extent. The big players of the eighties would have been mega stars today?
Some of these players who gained instant fame by winning one event will completely Disappear from the scene in the next few years. I don’t resent their success, but I do very Much resent the fact that the older, established stars, who paved the way for the younger Generation get almost completely ignored by the t.v. producers. They are not as young, although Some of us are just as pretty as the younger players. T.V. wants younger or icons like Doyle.
What players if any do you most admire in poker?
Without question my writing partner T.J > I also have a very high regard for Chip, Doyle and Barry Greenstein.
Did you play in the WSOP this year….how did you do?
I played in 15 events. I finished 11th in One of the $1500 buy-in no limit events. I also finished 371st in the Championship event. I was the next to last former champion still in the hunt when I went out on Day 4. I cashed For over $34,000
If you had your time to come all over again, is there anything in your life that you would have done differently?
Many things of a more personal nature. I would also have been a lot better With my finances and not loaned out so much money to deadbeats.
What does the future hold for Tom Mcevoy?
I have found the love of my life and hope she eventually feels the same about me. If I Have her in my life, I think I will do fantastic in my poker career in the next few Years. That and some t.v. time, which I am slowly getting, will be the ultimate key To my success in the future.
If you had one piece of advice for budding poker players above anything else, what would that be?
Keep your day job. Play poker as a hobby until you can prove by your results that Pursuing poker as a profession is doable.
