The Bernard Lee Poker Show 11-30: 2018 GPI Player of the Year Alex Foxen
In this episode of The Bernard Lee Poker Show on the PokerNews Podcast Network, Bernard Lee interviews the 2018 Global Poker Index Player of the Year, Alex Foxen. Having earned over $10 million in his career, Alex took home over $6.6 million in 2018 alone. Finishing 12th in the 2017 GPI POY, Alex set a goal of reaching #1 on the GPI leaderboard. In October of 2018, Alex achieved his vision and has maintained the #1 GPI position ever since.
During the show, Alex discusses a variety of topics ranging from playing football at Boston College, to the differences in playing in high roller buy-in events versus relatively smaller buy-in events, to his desire to win a WSOP bracelet.
Show Time Stamps
| 0:00 | Welcome to The Bernard Lee Poker Show as this week’s guest will be the 2018 Global Poker Index (GPI) Player of the Year (POY), Alex Foxen. |
| 0:44 | Ben Palmer wins the inaugural WPT Venetian Main Event over a field of 734 entries and takes home $431,655. |
| 1:37 | Asher Conniff captured the WSOP Circuit Bally’s Main Event in Las Vegas for $193,147 over a field of 607 entries and has earned a seat into the 2019 WSOP Global Casino Championship. |
| 2:55 | Stephen Hart is declared winner of Run Good Poker Series at Horseshoe Bossier City after a four-way chop. The event had 464 entries, creating a prize pool of $232,000 which shattered the $100,000 guarantee. |
| 4:23 | RunGood Gear Ad |
| 5:06 | Bernard welcomes Alex Foxen to the show. |
| 5:59 | Alex joins the show. |
| 6:38 | Alex explains how satisfying it was to achieve #1 Ranking on GPI last October. “It was pretty awesome. Honesty, the Player of the Year wasn’t necessarily something that I set out for…#1 overall was on my mind for some time…It really felt amazing and I’m happy that I’ve been able to keep it this long.” |
| 8:05 | Alex discusses if he changed his schedule to become #1 on GPI. “Honestly, there wasn’t too much scheduling changing with that in mind…Just kind of going to where the highest value tournament is…I was more focused on where there (were) high rollers tournament where the tournaments that I feel I’m making the most money in and then the points just kind of come with it.” |
| 9:17 | Alex recalls playing football at Boston College, having to stop playing and how poker helped fill the competitive void in his life. “What actually led me to poker was kind of a direct result of football in that I had to stop playing due to history of concussions and poker was a good competitive outlet for me…The idea of self-improvement with a goal in mind is something I have always enjoyed and that is sometime that sports is great for and poker is another thing it is great for.” |
| 10:24 | Alex recalls how he got started playing poker and how his parents were not pleased with his playing online. “Definitely a little bit of the Moneymaker effect.” |
| 14:03 | Alex remembers his decision to play in his first WSOP Circuit event in New Orleans. “It was a crazy two months period in my life…It was a pretty dramatic transition (to poker).” |
| 17:27 | Alex describes his first job after college, but eventually quit to dedicate himself playing poker. |
| 19:39 | Alex discusses how he worked on his poker game to get better. “I would always spend a couple hours a day watching the reruns of the EPT high rollers. I think that was something that actually was really helpful to me. Just watching people at the highest-level play and trying to understand why they were doing what they were doing.” |
| 21:15 | Alex discusses when he plays poker online in today’s landscape as he is based in Toronto and how he played online prior to Black Friday. |
| 26:45 | Share My Pair Ad |
| 27:18 | Bernard continues his interview with the 2018 GPI POY, Alex Foxen. |
| 28:20 | Alex recalls how he got started with Chip Leader Coaching, founded by poker pro Chance Kornuth. |
| 29:57 | Alex discusses the transition to high roller events. “I don't like to think about the money at all.” |
| 32:49 | Alex describes the difference of playing in a high roller buy-in event as compare to a relatively smaller buy-in. “The biggest difference is recognizing that every spot live in a smaller buy-in is unique and may have an absolute answer…But whereas, in a high roller, it is more of a spectrum (of hands)…and playing as optimally as possible…and recognizing the capabilities of your opponent.” |
| 38:25 | Alex recalls he was a little tired after achieving the #1 Ranking on GPI in 2018, but hasn’t slowed down since. “I love playing and I love competing and I want to be the best. It’s not as much of a grind for me. I enjoy the competition and I want to beat everyone I can.” |
| 41:06 | Alex talks about not being recognized by the public. “That part to me doesn’t really matter. I don't mind people not knowing who I am. I almost prefer that…Fame is not really something I’m after.” |
| 43:41 | Alex discusses his appearances on his sister’s Food Network television show, Reality Cupcakes. “I’ve probably been recognized for that (show) more, at least outside of a casino…It’s happened a few times which is funny.” |
| 44:47 | Alex discusses his goal to win a WSOP bracelet and match his girlfriend, Kristen Bicknell, who is a two-time WSOP bracelet winner. “It’s definitely a goal of mind. I think anyone who takes poker seriously and has played at any point seriously, that is the first goal that you come with…It is the pinnacle of poker success in most people’s eyes.” |
| 46:23 | Alex reveals that he wants to play in the WSOP Big One for One Drop event in the future. |
| 47:40 | Alex feels that there is still so much to improve on in no-limit hold’em, so it’s hard for him to put too much effort in other games. |
Let us know what you think of the show - tweet about the podcast using #BernardLeePokerShow, and be sure to follow @BernardLeePoker on Twitter or Instagram.
You can follow Alex Foxen on Twitter @WAFoxen.
The Bernard Lee Poker Show is now available on iTunes.
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