The Bernard Lee Poker Show 12-26: Ravi Raghavan, 2019 WSOP Cir Hammond Champ

Bernard Lee Contributor

Oct 31, 2019 Last updated Nov 04, 2022

Guests:

Ravi Raghavan

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In this episode of The Bernard Lee Poker Show on the PokerNews Podcast Network, Bernard Lee takes a break from interviewing the 2019 World Series of Poker Main Event final table players.

Bernard begins a two-part interview with the latest 2019 WSOP Circuit champion, Ravi Raghavan, capturing the Main Event at Horseshoe Hammond, just outside of Chicago. This victory was special for Ravi, winning near his hometown of Chicago and in his self-proclaimed “home casino.”

Ravi initially discusses how he got started in poker, primarily on college. Ravi started playing online and fell in love with playing tournaments over cash games. Although he won 2012 World Poker Tour Five Diamond Main Event for over $1.2 million, Ravi explains why he has focused on playing in mid-stakes tournaments such as WSOP Circuit, HPT and MSPT. To play in these events, Ravi tends to drive to tournaments within five hours of his house which also helps curb expenses. Finally, Ravi discusses bankroll management, the current state of poker backing and talking with his fellow poker buddies about specific hands and situations.

Show Time Stamps

0:00	Welcome to The Bernard Lee Poker Show as this week’s guest is 2019 WSOP Circuit Horseshoe Hammond Main Event Champion, Ravi Raghavan.
1:30	The WSOP Europe continues at King’s Resort Casino in Rozvadov, Czech Republic.
1:47	Australian Kahle Burns wins Event #13: €2,500 Short Deck for €101,834 for his second bracelet of the week.
4:45	Greg Jennings captured the RGG Main Event at DownStream Casino just outside Joplin, Missouri over a field of 332 entrants and took home $38,179.
6:45	RunGood Gear Ad
7:28	Share My Pair Ad
8:01	Bernard welcomes Ravi Raghavan to the show.
9:03	Ravi joins the show.
9:49	Ravi describes how it felt to win the WSOP Circuit Main Event in his self-proclaimed “home casino” of Horseshoe Hammond. “It was special. It did mean a lot. I’ve played so many Chicago Main Event and I’ve never won one.”
10:53	Ravi recalls how he got started playing poker, primarily in college at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
11:50	Ravi explains why he love playing tournament poker. “The first poker I ever played was cash…, but when I started playing online, it was tournaments. Once I started playing tournaments, it was hard for me playing cash again. I just loved playing tournaments.”
13:23	Ravi recalls how Black Friday greatly affected his life as he switched to playing live poker.
15:46	Ravi discusses live cash game limits and how caps can determine how big the game can be.
18:36	Ravi describes what are the major differences in cash and tournaments.
22:19	Ravi remembers moving overseas after Black Friday, but subsequently got “crushed” playing just the big tournaments (e.g. SCOOP, WCOOP).
24:50	Ravi discusses that since 2016, he primarily drives within five hours of his house to play tournaments which include WSOP Circuit, HPT and MSPT. He also discusses how he focuses on curbing expenses.
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29:57	Bernard continues his interview with Ravi Raghavan, the 2019 WSOP Circuit Horseshoe Hammond Main Event Champion.
32:01	Ravi discusses his decision to focus on the mid-stakes tournaments such as WSOP Circuit, HPT and MSPT.
39:26	Bernard and Ravi discuss bankroll decisions and requirements at different buy-in levels, including the poker backing landscape.
45:13	Ravi discusses talking with his professional poker buddies about hands and situations. “It’s one way to get criticism on their game, especially for people who are hard to be critical of their own game.”

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 Ravi Raghavan on Twitter @RaviRags1234.

The Bernard Lee Poker Show is now available on iTunes.

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