Ross Jarvis asks the ‘Ambassador of Poker’, Mike Sexton, if his recent induction into the Poker Hall of Fame is his finest hour
Congratulations on your entry into the Poker Hall of Fame. How important is this honour to you?
The icons and legends of poker such as Doyle Brunson, Chip Reese and Stu Ungar are in there, so to be included in that exclusive group is pretty cool. It will be the highlight of my career no matter what tournaments I win in the future.
What do you think are the main reasons for players and fans voting you into the Hall of Fame this year?
I’ve played professionally for 25 years and I think the old-timers appreciate that, but it’s what I’ve done off the felt that has left the biggest impression. I was a big part of the poker boom six years ago because I was involved early on with PartyPoker when it was the biggest poker site in the world, and I was involved with the World Poker Tour from the start. That show led to the popularity and explosion of poker. I always had a vision about poker that other players didn’t have.
Do you think any of the other nominees this year should have made it into the Hall of Fame?
I think most of them are going to make it into the Hall of Fame in the future and deservedly so. Phil Ivey and Daniel Negreanu are the two slam-dunks to get in there at some point, but they’re just too young at this moment.
Are there any young players coming up that you think have the potential to be Hall of Famers?
Tom Dwan has taken the poker world by storm over the last year or two but I’m very impressed by Yevgeniy Timoshenko who won the WPT World Championship [and WCOOP main event]. This guy is only 21 years old and he’s already won over $2m in tournaments. I’m also very impressed by the English player James Akenhead. What he did in making the final table of the WSOP and WSOPE Main Event is incredible to me.
A lot of people know you more from your WPT commentary than your playing achievements…
All the young guys know me from the WPT because most of them weren’t born when I won tournaments 20 years ago! As TV is so powerful I’ll likely always be associated most with the WPT, but in my mind I’ll always be a poker player first and a commentator second.
What ambitions do you have left in the poker world?
We [PartyPoker, Sexton’s sponsor] are very hopeful to re-enter the US market in the next few years and if that happens I think we’re going to see a second explosion in the popularity of poker. PartyPoker is still a powerful name in the poker world because we have the best games. The government needs the taxation money and legalising online poker is a win-win for everybody.
Which players have stood out for you during your career?
I was fortunate enough to watch Stu Ungar come up through the ranks. The first time he played poker in his life he played in the highest cash game in Vegas. He was a genius at any card game, the best I’ve ever seen. Stu is the guy who made aggression cool in poker. If he were alive today I think that not only would he be the biggest star in poker but he’d be so far above everyone else it wouldn’t even be funny. He’d be like Tiger Woods in golf.
The greatest all-round poker player I’ve ever seen is Chip Reese, but how can you not say that Phil Ivey is currently the greatest? He wins in all categories – he’s won the most money in tournament poker, the most money in cash games and he’s probably the biggest online winner too.
What skills make these players stand out?
They all had (or have) plenty of gamble, the will to win, and a killer instinct, but they also had a sixth sense when it came to cards about putting players on a hand. All of those guys were big-time gamblers and completely fearless. Stuey never cared about money and it’s exactly the same with Phil Ivey. It’s all about proving you’re the best.
What does the future hold for you?
Right now my priority is my one year-old son. It’s a blessing to get a child this late in life. I’d really like to be a Poker Hall of Fame father. I want to be able to retire, spend my life in the sunset and watch him grow up.
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