{"id":1977,"date":"2025-06-16T11:25:13","date_gmt":"2025-06-16T11:25:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pokeroff.com\/?post_type=news&p=1977"},"modified":"2025-07-17T13:21:51","modified_gmt":"2025-07-17T13:21:51","slug":"maxim-streltsov-interview-2025","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/pokeroff.com\/en\/news\/maxim-streltsov-interview-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"How the Poker Industry Has Changed in 20 Years: Interview with Max Streltcoff"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The poker industry brings together many people, from players and game organizers to journalists who cover their activities. Max Streltcoff<\/a> has been one of the latter for 20 years now \u2014 and in this interview with Pokeroff, he shares his insights, personal opinions on various issues related to poker as a game and industry, as well as his view on the value of poker journalism.<\/p>\n\n

\u2014 You started covering poker journalism in 2006. How has the poker industry changed since then, and what do you consider the most important shifts?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

I started playing in 2006, when partypoker was the market leader and everyone thought it would stay that way forever. But that same year, the UIGEA law was passed in the U.S., partypoker pulled out, and its space was taken by PokerStars. For several years, the word \u201cpoker\u201d was practically synonymous with that brand \u2014 and now GGPoker in its place.<\/p>\n\n

Changing market leaders is important, but the biggest shift has been regulation. Back then, poker was kind of like the Wild West \u2014 just like the early Internet. Today, it\u2019s a fully regulated space where players constantly face restrictions \u2014 from identity verifications to country-specific bans.<\/p>\n\n

\u2014 In your opinion, how much has poker journalism influenced the development of poker as a sport or cultural phenomenon?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

Unfortunately, poker journalism hasn’t had a significant impact on the industry\u2019s development. In my view, the main reason is that it\u2019s almost always tied to affiliate systems \u2014 and affiliates rely on poker rooms. That limits freedom of speech. If you can\u2019t openly talk about problems in the industry, you can\u2019t help change it.<\/p>\n\n

The level of influence also depends on the country. In Russia, for example, poker\u2019s brief recognition as a sport was more of an attempt by casinos to bypass regulation than a result of journalistic effort. In the U.S., however, public opinion \u2014 including its spreading through the media \u2014 may have played a role in legalization and pooling players across states.<\/p>\n\n

If we\u2019re talking about poker as a cultural phenomenon, then in the U.S. it was strongly boosted by a movie, and in Russia \u2014 by TV shows. ESPN used to cover the WSOP but initially interest was so low that they didn\u2019t release anything from the event for several years.<\/p>\n\n

\u2014 You\u2019ve followed many players from the very beginning \u2014 what, in your opinion, separates a true poker legend from just a talented pro?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

A talented pro knows when to walk away. A legend doesn\u2019t. They lose everything, come back, succeed again, fall again. It\u2019s a cycle. That\u2019s what makes them reckless, stubborn, and almost obsessively drawn to the game.<\/p>\n\n

Take Johnny Chan. He won two WSOP Main Events back-to-back, and the third year he made it to heads-up and lost to a newcomer named Phil Hellmuth. But before that, at 16, Chan arrived in Vegas with $500, won $20,000, and lost it all right away. He dropped out of school, turned down the family business, took random jobs \u2014 and kept losing everything. He smoked four packs a day. In 1982, he quit smoking and started carrying an orange to the casino \u2014 he\u2019d smell it to keep from relapsing. In his first tournament after that, he knocked out 13 of 16 players in half an hour. The rest is history.<\/p>\n\n

\u2014 How has public perception of poker changed in the last 20 years \u2014 has it moved toward intellectual sport or back toward gambling?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

The perception is changing, but very slowly. It all depends on how people are introduced to poker. Those who watched tournament poker on TV see it completely differently from those who played with Johnny Chan in smoke-filled rooms back in the \u201980s.<\/p>\n\n

That\u2019s also reflected in the law. In Brazil, for example, poker is officially separated from casino games, and tournaments are treated as sports. More and more countries are moving in that direction, but we\u2019re still far from a full shift.<\/p>\n\n

\u2014 Has poker journalism ever required real investigative work from you, like in traditional journalism?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

In my case, the deepest I\u2019ve gone is digging through old magazine scans for historical details. That\u2019s closer to archival research than investigation.<\/p>\n\n

But real investigative journalism does happen in poker \u2014 it\u2019s just usually done by larger, independent media outlets. For example, this year Bloomberg published a piece about bot networks. They anonymously interviewed people who run these operations and revealed how the business works from the inside. That kind of work is only possible if you’re not tied to poker rooms \u2014 and most poker media are.<\/p>\n\n

\u2014 Many people view poker journalism as niche. What, in your opinion, prevents it from breaking into the mainstream?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

The main issue is the affiliate model. Nearly all poker media only exist to funnel players into poker rooms. Because of that, you can\u2019t freely choose topics, criticize the industry, or write for readers \u2014 it\u2019s always about traffic. In that setup, journalism can\u2019t go mainstream.<\/p>\n\n

Also, poker is complicated. To follow it, you need to know the terms, understand formats, keep up with players. That\u2019s too much for most people.<\/p>\n\n

Compare it to sports \u2014 there, a journalist is the bridge between athletes and fans. In poker, that bridge often isn\u2019t needed: most players are unknown outside the table, and many of them avoid publicity altogether. Top players often avoid journalists instead of helping grow the game.<\/p>\n\n

\u2014 How have technologies \u2014 streaming, social media, trackers \u2014 changed the way poker is covered and how journalists work?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

They\u2019ve changed a lot. Streaming and social media brought players closer to the audience, and now a lot happens without journalists at all. If you wanted to know what a player was thinking before, you had to interview them \u2014 now they just post it on X (formerly Twitter) or Telegram. The journalist is left to summarize and maybe add context.<\/p>\n\n

I remember when HUDs first appeared and the edge they gave to those with access. You could play 12 tables and still have some data on opponents. Today, poker rooms are fighting back \u2014 some ban them, others integrate those tools into their software. Each approach has its pros and cons, but the winners will be those who adopt tech quickly and make it accessible.<\/p>\n\n

The next logical step is AI-driven training. Poker rooms already have every hand a player has played and know exactly where they\u2019re making mistakes. All that\u2019s left is to add theory, videos, voiceovers \u2014 all of which already exist. I think both GGPoker and PokerStars could launch an AI coach as good as a real one.<\/p>\n\n

\u2014 What are the most meaningful interviews or pieces you\u2019ve worked on and why?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

Recently, I worked on a series of historical pieces about the early WSOP events. I think that\u2019s the kind of content that will outlive me in the industry, whenever I decide to move on.<\/p>\n\n

Doyle Brunson won\u2019t win another Main Event, but his story will live on. To tell it without distortion, I had to dig through tons of archives, cross-check dates, and debunk myths. It wasn\u2019t fast, but I\u2019m proud it got done.<\/p>\n\n

\u2014 Do you think there are ethical boundaries in poker journalism, and if so, what are they?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

Yes, absolutely. The most basic one \u2014 don\u2019t invade a player\u2019s personal life if it has nothing to do with the game or the industry. And never publish unverified accusations \u2014 poker is full of rumors, but a journalist\u2019s job is to separate fact from speculation.<\/p>\n\n

It\u2019s also important to know when you’re being a journalist and when you’re just an affiliate. If you’re being paid to promote something and call it a review or article \u2014 that\u2019s no longer journalism. Although in the poker world, that\u2019s often considered normal.<\/p>\n\n

\u2014 If you could ask any poker player in history one question \u2014 who would it be and what would you ask?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

I\u2019d use the opportunity to clear up one of poker\u2019s old myths. At the 1972 WSOP<\/a>, three players \u2014 Thomas \u201cAmarillo Slim\u201d Preston, Doyle Brunson, and Walter \u201cPuggy\u201d Pearson \u2014 allegedly made a deal while casino owner Benny Binion distracted the TV crew. Brunson exited the game, citing health issues, leaving Slim and Pearson heads-up.<\/p>\n\n

At first, Pearson was dumping chips despite having twice the stack, but later they started playing seriously. Slim won \u2014 and became poker\u2019s first real star.<\/p>\n\n

I\u2019d ask any of them: What exactly did you agree on \u2014 and was the plan all along to make Slim the winner?<\/p>\n\n

\u2014 Over your nearly 20 years in poker, you\u2019ve seen countless players. Who, in your opinion, are the top five greatest poker players of all time and why?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

The online generation technically outpaced the live grinders. But calling any of them \u201cthe greatest\u201d is hard \u2014 one day they\u2019re crushing nosebleeds like Durrrr, the next they vanish. For me, the greatest are those who stayed at the top for years, influenced the game, and helped it grow.<\/p>\n\n

Here\u2019s my top five:<\/p>\n\n

    \n
  1. Johnny Moss<\/strong> \u2014 played high stakes before it was cool, and decades later was voted the best player of WSOP\u2019s first decade.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Doyle Brunson<\/strong> \u2014 stayed strong for decades and shaped the industry. If he\u2019d focused more on tournaments instead of cash, he\u2019d have achieved even more.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Phil Hellmuth<\/strong> \u2014 found success early, stayed on top for decades, and brought attention to poker. He\u2019s often underrated, but 17 bracelets speak for themselves.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Stu Ungar <\/strong>\u2014 won the Main Event three times (1980, 1981, 1997). That third win, 16 years after the second, says it all.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. Daniel Negreanu<\/strong> \u2014 the most recognizable face in poker. Not always the best technically, but unmatched in popularity and promotion of the game.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n

    \u2014 In your opinion, which poker series or tournament remains the gold standard in terms of organization, atmosphere, and level of play?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

    Right now, Triton is running a series with excellent organization and atmosphere. And WSOP gets caught up in scandals every year \u2014 queues, payouts, software issues. But to be fair, for decades it was WSOP that set the standard. Everyone copied their decisions \u2014 from other series to online rooms.<\/p>\n\n

    They were the ones who created the tournament format we know today and introduced satellites. Without WSOP, there wouldn\u2019t be online poker as we know it, or the industry we\u2019ve grown used to.<\/p>\n\n

    \u2014 Have you ever been tempted not just to write about poker, but to try your hand as a professional player?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

    I played for many years, but I have almost no gambling instinct. I played like a robot \u2014 strictly by the book, 12 tables at once, with timers and a covered screen. At some point, I realized I didn\u2019t want to be a robot. So yes, the temptation was there \u2014 but it didn\u2019t last long.<\/p>\n\n

    \u2014 Is there a particular hand or final table you covered that left a strong impression on you?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

    During the 2008 WSOP Main Event, I was covering the final table online and was genuinely rooting for one of the finalists. I still remember everyone who made the top 9 that year.<\/p>\n\n

    If you\u2019re not sure what to do on a weekend \u2014 watch the WSOP 2008 final table. It\u2019s worth it.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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