The Heart of Poker Podcast

Mustapha Kanit on Learning Languages, Magic The Gathering & What Makes A Life Well Lived | Ep: 42

With his recorded winnings closing in on the $20 million mark, it would be easy to think Italian high roller Mustapha Kanit’s greatest skills are on the felt. However according to Kanit, it’s his natural willingness to embrace making mistakes and his drive to confront his fears that are his real super powers. 

In this candid and personal interview, Mustapha tells the story of his early entry into poker and the lessons he learned along the way. In fact, his love of games started from a very young age. He recalls a memory of playing a card game with his nanny at just 3 years old and shares how those early experiences gave him an understanding of math before he even began school. 

The accomplished pro goes on to talk about the key differences that create the chasm between the good and the truly great players in poker and how family, friends and love are at the foundation of a life well lived. 

Check out earlier episodes of the Heart of poker with guests such as Vivian Saliba, Ryan Laplante, Lon McEachern and Jon ‘Apestyles’ Van Fleet.

Vivian Saliba on Self Improvement, Work Ethic & Paying For College With Poker Earnings | Ep: 41

With 4 WSOP final tables under her belt already, Brazilian poker pro and streamer Vivian Saliba is a force to be reckoned with at the PLO and NLHE tables. 

The 888poker Ambassador’s drive to succeed in poker was actually born out of necessity. At just 18 years old, while her family was contending with financial difficulties, a young Vivian played poker to put herself through college and pay her bills. Failure was not an option for her. 

With that kind of grounding in the game, it’s no wonder she places so much value on hard work. As she sits down with Kara to talk about the drivers for her success and where she wants to go next, the two touch on topics such as making the world a better place, the benefits of constantly evolving into a better version of yourself, aging and learning all that life has to offer.

Kara and Vivian then go on to discuss a recent snowboarding trip, which included both Vivian’s most terrifying moment and one of her most embarrassing!  

Check out earlier episodes of The Heart of Poker with guests such as Benny Glaser, Greg Merson, Katie Lindsay, Adam Pliska and Nadya Magnus.

David Tuchman on Fatherhood, Snake Bars & Love At First Sight | Ep: 40

For this episode of the Heart of Poker podcast, Kara digs into the history of one of the most prolific and recognizable voices in poker commentary, David Tuchman. With extensive credits, going all the way back to the early 2000s for Live at the Bike, David Tuchman is easily recognizable as one of the OG player/broadcasters of the poker industry. 

Kara and David start off discussing how they became friends, traveling the poker circuit and working on many of the same poker broadcasts over the years. They look back at those wild, early days and reminisce about the infamous EPT player's party at the ‘Titty Twister Bar’ in Dortmund, Germany - a volatile cocktail of debauchery and enormous snakes that few have forgotten. When Kara asks David about the phenomenon of ‘love at first sight’, the answer was one she was NOT expecting. 

The two friends sift through the generational differences they have seen with their parents and their kids, and David opens up about some of his own biggest fears and how he has approached them in life. 

In typical Heart of Poker fashion, David and Kara go on to discuss such odd and varied topics as David’s temper, their shared fear of dentists and which would be the best way to die. 

Don't forget to check out previous episodes with great broadcasters and poker players like Lon McEachern, Jennifer Harman, Vicky Coren, Dominik Nitsche and Jason Koon.

Nick Wealthall on The Old Days of Poker, Live Television & His Fear of Hippos | Ep: 39

With a wealth of experience in poker, British funnyman and commentator Nick Wealthall has an insight into the industry that rivals anyone. Currently one of the main voices of 888poker’s live and online events, Nick has had a long and storied past in the industry. In fact, it was nearly 20 years ago now that he and The Heart of Poker host Kara Scott were doing commentary on a tiny, middle of the night cable TV show in London. 

The two are old friends and have since worked together on many of the game’s biggest platforms. They discuss the old days of poker, how things have changed in the industry and reminisce about their early days on the road together. They talk about some of their big moments; from being there when the other was struggling, boozy pre-show dinners, to Kara performing the ceremony at Nick's wedding.

Kara and Nick also relate about the nerves that can come during live broadcasts and give some tips for turning that potential anxiety into something productive. They also share some great insights on dealing with some of life’s scariest things(for Nick, that would be hippos) and they deliberate over where a ‘drive to succeed’ comes from. 

Don’t forget to check out previous episodes with recent Women in Poker Hall of Fame inductee Vanessa Selbst, Tony Dunst, Ali Nejad, Andrew Neeme, Faraz Jaka, David Willams and Jennifer Harman.

Ryan Laplante on Black Friday, Family Secrets & The Importance of Friendships | Ep: 38

Well known for his incredible work ethic, both as a poker pro and as the founder of his own training site Learn Pro Poker, Ryan Laplante believes that life and poker reflect the hard work we put into them. 

Laplante took down his first bracelet in a 2016 PLO event as one of the highlights of a live poker career that started the literal moment he turned 21. When Black Friday shut down online poker, Ryan waited an agonizing 4 weeks to be legally allowed to play live and he was standing at the doors of a casino ready to play the moment the clock struck midnight. That moment was the start of a live career which has netted him nearly $3 million in cashes, since. 

A romantic at heart, Ryan married his partner of 12 years just a few months ago in a Star Trek themed wedding. He talks about how Black Friday hitting just after they started dating impacted their relationship and how important his now-husband's support has been throughout the past 12 years. 

Kara and Ryan go on to talk about how a difficult early childhood, that was marked by poverty, was part of the motivation that drove him. He also shares how a recently revealed family secret held for decades has resulted in his family circle becoming even larger and more full of love than he could have imagined. 

Don’t forget to check out previous episodes with Jaman Burton, Katie Lindsay, Adam Pliska, Brandon Shack-Harris, Xuan Liu and Patrick Leonard and more. 

Jaman Burton on loyalty, being immune to embarrassment & how quitting a race shaped his life | Ep: 37

If you follow poker vlogs, then you have no doubt come across The Drawing Dead vlog by Jaman Burton. 

Burton, who is one the most influential poker vloggers in the space, brings something completely unique to the table in the form of a poker vlog with graphic novel style illustrations woven in. 

And while it may be nice to gain some recognition within the poker community, Burton shares with Kara that it’s not all roses. Between the pressures of being an “influencer”, having opponents who may know far more about your game than you’d like or the pressure to always be “on”, it can be a lot to deal with. Still, he recognizes that these are small problems to have in the big picture.  

Kara and Jaman go on to discuss the importance family has played in his life. From the gratitude he has for an incredible upbringing to the pride and sense of accomplishment he gets from raising his daughter, family has always been a key component of his life. 

Other topics Kara and Jaman cover include quitting smoking, the possibility that we’re living in a simulation and how he used to use his charm and persuasiveness for evil as a young man. 

Don’t forget to check out previous episodes with Greg Merson, Tiffany Michelle, Lon McEachern, Nadya Magnus, Phil Galfond, Jason Koon, Katie Lindsay, Benny Glaser, Maria Ho, Fedor Holz and many more of poker’s most fascinating personalities. 

Greg Merson on becoming a father, hypnotherapy and how poker saved his life | Ep: 36

One of the more notable names from the ESPN era of the World Series Of Poker is undoubtably Greg Merson. 

Merson, who took home $8,531,853 for winning the Main Event in 2012, instantly became a household name within the poker community. Having gotten sober a year prior, his story and accomplishment became an inspiration to many who battled addiction. 

But where do you go after winning the Main Event? For Merson, his obsession with becoming the best version of himself motivated him to seek out ways to progress and increase his edge in the game. He shares how hypnotherapy and meditation have been powerful tools in his growth on and off the felt. 

Interestingly, even more than a decade after winning the Main Event, he shares how he still gets a sense of euphoria from playing poker and how his focus has now shifted to competing with himself. 

However, for all the excitement and achievements he’s earned in his poker career, Merson shares how becoming a father, not once but twice, is the greatest accomplishment of his life.  

Other topics Kara and Greg touch are playing poker during the pandemic, his relationship with his parents and how he had the most fun at the WSOP this year since winning the Main Event. 

Don’t forget to check out previous episodes with Tiffany Michelle, Lon McEachern, Nadya Magnus, Phil Galfond, Jason Koon, Katie Lindsay, Benny Glaser, Maria Ho, Fedor Holz and many more of poker’s most fascinating personalities. 

Tiffany Michelle On Maintaining Gratitude Through Life’s Challenges | Ep: 35

On this episode of The Heart of Poker, Kara goes deep with poker player, social media maven and tv personality Tiffany Michelle. 

Michelle, who many would recognize on and off the felt, first made a splash in the poker world at the 2008 World Series of Poker, when she finished 17th out of 6844 players, making her the last woman standing. 

In fact, it was that huge accomplishment that Michelle credits for opening the doors to many of the opportunities she’s had in her life since. It wasn’t all positivity though, as that attention came with its share of negativity and even a made-for-tv rivalry with Kara (who was in contention for last woman standing that same year). 

Poker accomplishments aside, Michelle credits a lot of her success to a supportive upbringing and the strong foundation it created for her to move forward confidently in life. 

Gratitude is a common theme, as the traumatic moments she(and those close to her) have gone through have helped her put into perspective the seemingly trivial things we sometimes get hung up on. She opens up about her twin brother’s near-death experience and how that’s started a dialogue around mortality, something she is still trying to get comfortable with. 

Other topics that Kara and Tiffany go on to discuss include her religious upbringing, learning to play poker with her grandfather and an appreciation for authenticity in her friendships. 

Don’t forget to check out previous episodes with Lon McEachern, Nadya Magnus, John Van Fleet, Jason Koon, Ebony Kenney, Benny Glaser, Katie Lindsay and many more of poker’s most fascinating personalities. 

Katie Lindsay on Choosing Happiness & Having Fun At The Poker Table | Ep: 34

On this episode of the Heart of Poker, Kara is joined by prolific businesswoman and poker powerhouse, Katie Lindsay. 

Lindsay, who has racked up nearly 2.5 million dollars in live and online cashes combined, has been a been a mainstay in the poker community for many years dating back to pre-Black Friday. 

After getting hooked on poker by the fascinating story of Chris Moneymaker, she got a foot in the door of the industry by writing for a poker magazine and eventually started an agency where she represented up to 30 poker pros. However, despite her knack for putting people in the spotlight, she prefers to keep a private life and has zero desire to be famous herself. 

And while she may be a laser-focused entrepreneur and an accomplished poker pro, she also likes to remind herself how fortunate she is to play poker for a living and doesn’t mind having a drink and some fun while sitting at the table. She shares how having this attitude helps her relax and enjoy her time at the table, no matter what the results. 

Kara and Katie go on to touch on the double standards women in poker experience, why happiness is a choice and how Katie makes new friends everywhere she goes. 

Don’t forget to check out previous episodes with Lon McEachern, Nadya Magnus, Jon Van Fleet, Jason Koon, Ebony Kenney, Benny Glaser, Maria Ho and many more of poker’s most fascinating personalities. 

Legendary Poker Voice Lon McEachern on ”The Meaning of Life” | Ep: 33

In this episode of the Heart of Poker Podcast, Kara Scott speaks with long-time friend and colleague Lon McEachern.

An absolute poker legend, known as the "Voice of Poker", Lon McEachern has been one half of the commentary team that started providing commentary for the World Series of Poker Main Event in 2003. And for many years Kara has been right there with him as part of the WSOP broadcast team. The two developed a strong working relationship and friendship that shows in this far-ranging discussion.

McEachern's voice is burned into the minds of poker players around the world so it's interesting to hear him talking when he's not calling poker action. It's also striking to hear him when he's not playing the straight man to Norman Chad's comic relief.

In this episode, McEachern and Scott delve into existential quandaries like the meaning of life and how Kara big-timed Lon the first time they met at the WSOP back in 2008. You know, regular friend stuff.

Listen to the newest episode for another fascinating look at the people behind the world's most popular poker faces, and check back in our catalogue for episodes with Fedor Holz, Nadya Magnus, Phil Galfond, Jason Koon, Ebony Kenney, Benny Glaser, Maria Ho and many more of poker’s most fascinating personalities.