Bluff: Hey Matt! Congrats on your 2nd place in the 750k on Full Tilt. 80k is definitely a nice pay day.
Matt: Thanks Ryan!
Bluff: That must be a good confidence booster before the WSOP. You feel ready?
Matt: I do, I’ve done a lot to prepare for it, and that score is a nice boost. It will cover probably all the buy-ins.
Bluff: What tourneys are you excited about the most?
Matt: I am excited about the PLO/8, shorthanded, the mixed PLO/NLH, the PLO-Rebuy, Horse, and mostly the M.E.
Bluff: What’s the living situation for you at the WSOP?
Matt: Well I’ve been living out here for three months, and renting a house with two of my friends. I moved into a house with other friends, who are here for the duration of the Series. Last night they all got in…it’s going to be a fun summer.
Bluff: Do we know any of the other players?
Matt: Yeah, I actually have become pretty good friends with them, Jason Grey who final tabled the Aruba Classic, along with Jordan Rich who was also at the final table. Jordan is here with his girlfriend, and Jason is here with his wife.
Bluff: Are there any prop bets occurring at the moment?
Matt: Not yet, I’m sure there will be a few here and there.
Bluff: You will have to keep us up to date. When you are not playing poker, what can we find “mattyv” doing?
Matt: Well I’m usually just playing online, only on the weekends though. During the week, I’ll be at the gym swimming or lifting, donking 1/2 NL cash games with my friends at the South Point, or watching some TV series which has already hit DVD. I don’t like to wait a week to see the new show.
Bluff: What’s the new TV series you’re hooked on now?
Matt: Well I just finished up trailer park boys, which is a mockumentary about trailer park life. It’s insanely funny. Some other ones which I enjoyed, or I am enjoying currently are Jericho and Lost.
Bluff: I like Lost too, but I want to see Entourage and The Wire (everyone’s raving about it)
Matt: Oh yeah, Entourage is by far my favorite show actually, and the Wire I just finished recently. I enjoyed it; you should definitely check them out.
Bluff: I definitely will! So...back to poker. In your estimation, how much luck is involved in poker, percentage-wise?
Matt: Oh, well I guess I have to share my secret with y'all, its 19% luck.
Bluff: Please explain why it’s 19% luck.
Matt: Poker is a lot of short term luck. You have to get lucky in tournament poker to win tournaments, but it usually takes a lot of skill to close when you do get chips. Luck also has a lot of factors such as getting lucky by winning your flips, and not getting unlucky (KK vs AA). I think short-term, there is probably around 35% luck, and long-term there is about 1% luck. The 19% was meant to bluff you, good read!
Bluff: You’re too smooth sir. If you could bust anyone or take their whole bankroll, whose would it be?
Matt: Bill Gates for sure, mmmmm that’s a lot of money.
Bluff: No kidding, it would be nice to have billions. Any online players that you would like to bust specifically?
Matt: I wouldn’t really enjoy taking someone’s whole bankroll, I am competitive, but I think that would make me feel pretty bad. Plus, I play mostly MTTS so that’s hard to do. Heh.
Bluff: Who do you admire these days poker wise?
Matt: The team and players I admire the most right now is Betfair's team with Annette, Sorel, and now John Tabatabi. I think they are really the best proof of online stars becoming live stars as well.
Bluff: Lets say you’re a huge celebrity and you are going to party at the Palms, who’s in the entourage?
Matt: I’d definitely bring the people who were close to me before I made it big. Here is who I’d take: my friend Ben from my home town, he would be Turtle. He’s kind of dumb, but real fun to hang around with. My friend Brian would be my E, because he’s got a great business mind, and he’s a pretty loyal close friend. I would take my brother as Drama, because, well, he’s my brother. You can come visit too of course, Ryan.
Ryan: Thank you very much, I appreciate that. You are on vacation in Fiji, and you are renting out a private bungalow, who’s the lady in your bed?
Matt: Without a doubt Scarlett Johansson, she is a hottie!
Bluff: Good call, I would probably choose her too.
Matt: Haha, nice!
Bluff: It was great talking to you Matt, we wish you the best of luck at the WSOP!
Matt: Thank you for having me Ryan.
Matt “Plattsburgh” Vengrin is available for sponsorship through the agency www.pokericons.com
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