Faces in the Crowd: A Marketing Guy, an Author and a Poker Pro

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Jul 02, 2019 5 min read Last updated Dec 19, 2019

The 2019 World Series of Poker is in full swing, and Sunday was yet another busy day in Las Vegas. PokerNews caught up with a few of the players around the Rio to find out their stories for this edition of Faces in the Crowd, sponsored by 888poker. Read up the stories of a marketing professional, an author and a poker pro.

Brian Goldstein: The Marketing Guy

Poker has always been a family affair for Chicago's Brian Goldstein, who played with his grandfather. Fittingly, here in Las Vegas he has his whole family hitting the felt.

"My dad, Harvey Goldstein, is in an event now. My mom and sister are around here - they play cash games," Goldstein told PokerNews.

The marketing professional is a recreational player who only gets to play the game he loves so often.

"You're getting two cards, just like in your home game. There are still guys sitting around the table, just like in your home game.

"It's really exciting. I'm a guy that plays poker a dozen times a year. I wish I was playing online all the time - get lots of hours behind me, and training and strategies. But I'm really just someone who's here to have fun," said Goldstein.

It's obviously a dream for anyone to win a bracelet, but Goldstein likes to set smaller and more short-term goals.

"If I can last a little bit longer, and a little bit longer and make it into the second day then I'll be thrilled." He continued: "It would be awesome to make it to the second day, but obviously if you have a cash that means you have a WSOP site with your name on it. Maybe that's an attainable goal for me," said Goldstein. "Maybe I'll play the Main someday, but I'm not ready."

Goldstein seemed calm and composed, and offered some advice to other recreational players who might be trying their hand for the first time at the WSOP: "You're getting two cards, just like in your home game. There are still guys sitting around the table, just like in your home game. Try to remember that you're just playing Texas Hold'em and you gotta play your own game."

Nick Fisk: The Author

Another fresh face in the field was author Nick Fisk, playing in his biggest career buy-in in the $1,000 Mini Main Event.

"I don't play many big buy-in tournaments. Because I'm such a big fan, and it's the 50th anniversary of the series, I thought it's gotta be done!"

Fisk is the author of The Blues Are Back in Town, a book about the football club Cardiff City. It was published in 2015, and Fisk has stayed on with the publishing company to write additional pieces for them.

"Because I'm such a big fan, and it's the 50th anniversary of the series, I thought it's gotta be done!"

Unfortunately, Fisk fell on Day 1, but he has clearly had a phenomenal experience at the WSOP as a poker fan. He played in a sit-n-go with world champion Chris Moneymaker and was all smiles after chopping with Jesse Fullen heads up.

"It was great! It was good fun. He (Moneymaker) was making loads of side bets with everybody. I didn't have enough cash on me so I couldn't get in on it!" laughed Fisk.

Fisk got into poker by way of his brother about 15 years ago before getting more into the game than his teacher.

"I eventually ended up meeting Moneymaker, Jake Cody and Liv Boeree - some of the British pros. It was amazing," Fisk told PokerNews.

Jim Petzing: The Poker Pro

Poker pro Jim Petzing is no stranger to the poker scene and has had a successful last year. He took a shot in the $1,000 Mini Main and unfortunately didn't make Day 2, but had a close call earlier this summer.

"I'm having an average series," said Petzing. He has booked two cashes, one of which was a deep run in Event #23: $1,500 Eight Game Mix where he finished 23rd for $5,980. "I could taste the bracelet," Petzing told PokerNews.

Petzing has over 260 live tournament cashes, and is approaching $800,000 in earnings. "I've earned way more money this year than I did all of last year already. I feel like my game is at its peak, but my results don't quite show it yet. I just feel like I should have a bigger win under my belt."

"If you are a recreational/amateur player and you're kinda testing your skill out in the Mini Main, you treat it like it's the Main Event."

Remarkably, Petzing was second in the world for number of cashes in 2016, and is right up there overall with the likes of Ari Engel in that department. He was also recently a guest on the LFG Podcast right here on PokerNews.

Since Petzing has developed a ton of experience over the years, he offers some advice for recreational players in these massive fields: "Tight is right. If you are a recreational/amateur player and you're kinda testing your skill out in the Mini Main, you treat it like it's the Main Event. You play your 60,000 tightly, smartly and get your image such that you can make a move when you need to."

• Tags Chris Moneymaker World Series of Poker Ari Engel Brian Goldstein Nick Fisk Jim Petzing
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• Related Players Chris MoneymakerAri EngelJim Petzing