So excited to announce that I’ve joined @888poker as their newest ambassador! #888poker
Chris Moorman is online poker’s All-Time Tournament Money Leader with over $13.38 million. No other player in history has yet to even crack the $10 million mark in earnings, thus making his achievement all the more spectacular.
Last month, 888poker announced that Moorman was their newest Brand Ambassador He joins Kara Scott, Dominik Nitsche and Sofia Lövgren as members of Team 888poker. Moorman will now play on the site with the handle 888moorman and will also be streaming final tables on Twitch.
We recently caught up with Chris between tournaments at the 2016 World Series of Poker and discussed his new deal with 888poker. In addition, we talked about the Global Poker League, the importance of winning a WSOP bracelet and whether the criteria for the Poker Hall of Fame should be changed to include online poker players.
PokerUpdate: Seeing that you’re atop the online poker tournament All-Time Money List, one would assume that you would have your choice of sites that you could represent. Tell us why you chose 888 Poker and tell us a bit about how this sponsorship materialized.
Chris: A good friend of mine brought the idea of 888poker to my attention a couple months ago and I jumped at the opportunity to talk to them and realized it was a great fit. I think 888poker is such an up and coming poker site and I am excited to help grow the brand along with them.
PokerUpdate: You mentioned to PokerNews that you were looking forward to working with 888 Poker because they were bringing about positive changes for poker. Can you share with us what some of the changes we can expect in the future? Is there anything specifically that you would like to work with them on, like a pet project?
Chris: I am really excited to attend my first 888poker festival in my home country at Aspers Casino representing the site. The event begins October 10th and I will be there along with my 888poker team members Kara, Sofia and Dominik. There will be tons of tournaments with all different buy ins so anyone can play. They are also going to offer packages to some of the events as well so it will be a great series!
PokerUpdate: We pulled up some of your stats on PocketFives and it is clear that you’ve had a long history playing on 888poker and this is more than just a “sponsorship gig” for you. How important for a sponsor to be an active history with the site they represent?
Chris: I really enjoy playing on 888poker and it’s now one of the biggest poker sites online. They have worked really hard on improvements and developing the brand so I am excited to be a part of it. I have turned down numerous sponsorship opportunities from different brands in the past because I didn’t think it was a fit. After discussing the different opportunities with the site, it was a no-brainer for me.
**Play Along with Chris Moorman and Other 888Poker Pros Today!**
PokerUpdate: As part of your sponsorship, you said you will now be streaming 888poker events on Twitch. What’s your level of comfort with Twitch or are you still learning? Also, what is your overall impression of the medium?
Chris: I’m definitely a beginner. Really, my online streaming experience has come from GPL and I actually enjoyed it and felt more comfortable than I expected so I am looking forward to doing it now with 888poker. I think it’s a great thing for poker and I watch other player’s streams quite often. For any aspiring players, I can’t recommend watching Twitch enough as you can pick things up even quicker in comparison to the more traditional ways of learning like books and training videos.
PokerUpdate: Let’s talk a bit about the Global Poker League. You’re a member of the London Royals and are currently in a tight battle with the Moscow Wolverines and the Hong Kong Stars for the top spot in the Eurasia Division. Tell us what it’s been like to play in the GPL this season and what have you been hearing from fans and other poker pros about the league?
Chris: I think it’s exciting for everyone. Anything to try and help grow the game is great and I wanted to fully support that. I am hoping we can continue atop the leaderboard and make it to the finals. For the most part everyone else seems to really enjoy it and it’s an incredible way for the fans and other players to see how some of the greatest players are thinking and playing.
PokerUpdate: We finally got to see the Cube this summer and you’ve already played in it. How much tougher was it playing in the Cube as opposed to the standard league matches online?
Chris: Playing online will always be my favorite and playing GPL online is easier. It was hot in the cube and you could feel the pressure! Next time I feel like I will be much more comfortable now that I have experience using the software and will be at ease more with my surroundings and the added element of live player interaction with my opponent.
PokerUpdate: Seeing that you’re the top dog in online poker tournaments, do you feel you have an extra advantage in the online events?
Chris: Online is my bread and butter whereas a lot of my opponents are more live based. I think this gives me an additional edge in a format that I am extremely confident and comfortable with.
PokerUpdate: Where do you see the GPL headed in subsequent years? Do you see yourself continuing with the league long term? Should the league continue for the next 10 years or longer, do you see some pros having a long career in the league like some do in pro sports such as baseball, basketball and even football?
Chris: I hope the GPL will continue on and become even more of a success in the future. I definitely plan to continue being a part of the league for the foreseeable future.
PokerUpdate: In 2014, you took down the L.A. Poker Classic for your first WPT title and your first major live poker title. You’re still looking for a WSOP bracelet. How important is it to win a WSOP bracelet as a live poker player? Is that something you’re event worrying about considering your extensive online career?
Chris: Obviously, every year I come to the WSOP and my ultimate aim is to win a bracelet. However, I am pretty realistic and realize that as I only predominately play No-Limit Hold‘em, it is a tough achievement, as the field sizes are often in the thousands. Maybe in the future I will try to become proficient at mixed games so I give myself a better opportunity. Even with as much as I have accomplished online I am always setting new goals for myself.
PokerUpdate: You have at least $13.38 million in online tournament earnings (according to PocketFives) and $4.1 million in live tournament earnings with a WPT title and a couple WSOP runner-up finishes. Looking back on your career to this point, what do you feel is your greatest accomplishment in poker?
Chris: I think having longevity in the game is something I am most proud of. Over the years, I have seen many top players come and go and very few can stand the test of time and stay at the top of the game. I am proud that I have been able to do this whilst constantly adapting my game and developing different strategies to stay ahead of the curve.
PokerUpdate: What are your goals in the game from this point forward, both online and live?
Chris: My ultimate goal in live poker is to complete my triple crown. Besides that just continuing to work on and improve my game.
PokerUpdate: Finally, let’s talk Poker Hall of Fame. You’re 30, so you have a long time before you have to worry about being eligible for induction, but what are your thoughts regarding online players and the hall?
Chris: I think there is a place for online players in the Hall of Fame. In the past 15 years, online poker has become an integral part to the game and therefore a Hall of Fame absent of online poker players isn’t a fair representation of the game in my opinion.
PokerUpdate: The current criteria focuses exclusively on live play but many players, like you, have online careers that easily eclipse many that are in the hall. Do you feel the criteria should be changed to give online players a better shot of being inducted?
Chris: Absolutely I think the Hall of Fame criteria should include online winnings as well as live. The vast majority of players now-a-days play both live and online and not including one of these formats of the game seems inaccurate.