Meet MJ Bernstein

by Aaron Angerman

MJ Bernstein isn't a flyer. He says it's "probably the control aspect," or lack thereof, that keeps him from boarding an airplane. He hasn't stepped foot in a cockpit in four years. Rather than hop a flight to his first World Series of Poker in June, the cash pro turned tournament fixture did his best John Madden impersonation, hitting the freeway from Chicago to Las Vegas. This wasn't his first poker road trip. He only travels this way. If you're there at the right time, you'll see MJ pulling into casino parking lots across the East Coast and beyond, on his way to his seat into one of the many big buy-in events he sets his sights on.

The self-proclaimed single table and super-satellite specialist spent his early years sitting in live ring games. MJ then saw his love of cash games take a back seat to a new passion, Multi-table Tournaments (MTT). While MJ hasn't quite made the splash he had imagined, he has amassed nearly $140,000 in tournament earnings in just a short time in the MTT game, including an appearance at the 2006 WSOP Circuit stop in Atlantic City.

He thinks he will be able to fly again in the future. Good thing, since in this, the global age of poker, trans-continental travel will be required if MJ gets where he wants to be; among the superstars of poker. If the flying thing is still a no-go, he says he heard of some cool cruises that he'd planned on checking out anyways, ones that might be able to drop him off where he needs to go overseas. Gotta' love the commitment.

For those who want to take a closer look at what's it's like to chase poker dreams, MJ is set to begin contributing to PokerPages.com, providing articles composed of his experiences on the felt with some of the biggest names in the game. He was also kind enough to pull the car over long enough for a little Q&A.

AA - You refer to yourself as a cash game regular turned tournament player. Where did you start playing cash games?

MJ - I started playing cash in Atlantic City awhile back and was generally playing mid-limit stud. After a while, I started to play a lot of stud online. These days, I spend most of my time playing tournament NLHE.

AA - Most players say the money is in the live games. What made you want to make the backwards transition from cash to tournament?

MJ - It's just a great form of the game and I really enjoy playing it more than anything else. I think an argument could be made, either way, as to which (cash or tournament) is more profitable and requires more skill. The bottom line for me is that I believe you can make a great living at both, so it just comes down to which one you enjoy more. I still play a variety of stud and NLHE cash online, but mostly when I'm home in Chicago.

AA - You also consider yourself to be a single table sit-n-go (SNG) and super satellite specialist. Do you believe your single table success rate helped the transition to MTT play?

MJ - I think playing single table SNGs, in particular, are a great way to determine if you have good poker instincts. In my opinion, these things are a microcosm of poker in general and if you can be successful at them, then I think you will do well overall.

AA - In your Poker Pages bio, under the poker players you respect most, you list Daniel Negreanu and Glyn "Ratchet" Banks, guys on two opposite ends of the poker spectrum. What do you respect about these players?

MJ - I listed these two guys because they are extremely different in both their playing style and personality. Daniel is just a sick human being when it comes to reading people and naturally plays aggressive when required. Glyn, on the other hand, is consistently patient when it comes to managing a short stack and is a player that, no matter how many times you play with him, you still never see him coming.

AA - When your career at the table comes to a close, would you rather have the career of "Ratchet", which, after looking at his resume, is impressive to say the least, or Negreanu's career, poker superstar, but always in the spotlight?

MJ - In the end, I hope my career will look more like Daniel's. The success would certainly be great and I'm really not the type of guy to shy away from the spotlight. That's not to say Glyn's career wouldn't be good either- he is only 48 and still has A LOT of playing to do.

AA - Any players out there who would make the "disrespect most" list?

MJ - There are one or two players (mostly overly-arrogant types) that I do not care for, but since their play does not usually match their rhetoric, they are not worth mentioning.

AA - What's your upcoming tournament schedule look like? Any plans to become an online SNG grinder, if you're not one already?

MJ - I will be spending the next three months on the East Coast, hitting the WPT events at Borgata, Foxwoods and Niagara Falls. I will also probably spend some time at the USPC, at the Taj. As I said earlier, I generally reserve my online play for the time I spend at home in Chicago. My online tournament and cash play generates consistent returns, but I am really focused on accomplishing some goals I have set for myself in live tournament play.

AA -You just wrapped your first WSOP. You left with a couple cashes, which is more than most can say. When you hopped in your car to drive to Vegas, what were you expecting to return from Vegas with? Cash? Bracelet? The WSOP experience?

MJ - I expected to win a bracelet, nothing less. As it turned out, I got the experience instead. I was not ready to win, even though I thought I was. I left Vegas hungrier than I ever have been before and cannot wait until next year.

AA - Like most players, I'm sure you had Main Event dreams heading into the WSOP. But somehow, after taking down a satellite for a Main Event seat, you sold your seat and watched 'the big one' from the sidelines. I'm not going to sit here and tell you $10K isn't a hell of a lot of money to drop on a tourney, but how did you do it?

MJ - I had a lot of Main Event dreams going in. I still can't believe that I sold the seat. I guess it all just happened really fast. The other player that won a seat in that mega (two seats were given, cash for third) was a prominent cash game player from Louisiana. He offered to give me a 10K band on the spot for the chips and I accepted. I should have just registered for the Main Event right then and there. You know, I have gotten a lot of flak about this from my friends and the bottom line is that it just won't happen again. Who knows what would have happened, had I played.

AA - What are your thoughts on the November Nine?

MJ - Personally, I think the whole marketing part of it will work. But if it doesn't, I think Harrahs is better off having tried it anyway- one more "how to generate more poker interest" idea to scratch off the list.

AA - Would you be more interested had Hellmuth or Matusow, who were both still hanging around with five tables left, lasted a little longer and made the final nine?

MJ - I could have cared less whether Hellmuth or Matusow made the final table. I think ESPN has always been pretty good at drafting a compelling story line for the final table participants and I don't think this will be an exception.

AA - Who's your money on?

MJ - I only have played with a few of the players, one of which is Ylon Schwartz. Ylon is an East Coast guy and a pretty solid player. If his hands hold up, I like his chances.

AA - What are your goals for remainder of 2008 and beyond, poker or otherwise?

MJ - Not that it is any big secret, but I prefer to keep my poker goals to myself. I can tell you they are pretty lofty, but I expect to achieve them as I see myself playing this sport for many years to come. As far as life goals are concerned, I hope to continue to learn everyday and be the best person I can be.

AA - What would your dream single table SNG be, other than you and eight donkeys?

MJ - I like challenge, so my dream sit-n-go table would consist of a random sampling of the best in the world. I got a small taste of that at Foxwoods last year when I played a 1K single table with Victor Ramdin, John Phan, David Fox, Noah Shwartz, Kenna James and 4 other random, solid players. Now that was a good time. I ended up getting heads-up with John but lost an all-in to rivered straight for the match.

AA - Being from Chicago, do you root for North Side or South Side? It could be a Chi-Town World Series.

MJ - I am originally from Long Island, NY, and most of my family still lives there. Go Mets!

More Interviews