An Interview With Sailor Moe

By K Luce

PokerSchoolOnline.com's own Leon Morford, better known as 'Sailor Moe', recently entered and won the Heartland Poker Tour's year end event at the Majestic Star Casino in Gary Indiana to the tune of $233,016. Having joined Poker School Online in December 2001, this is a true tale of novice to champion. Poker Pages was able to catch up with Sailor Moe to ask him about his large win, the path to success, and to pick his brain about poker in general.

First, congratulations on the nice score! Can you give the general details of the event?

The Heartland Poker Tour is held at different casinos around the country each month. The buy-in to the tournament is $2700, but all casinos run a $65 satellite where the winner gets an entry into a $560 qualifier. The top 20% from all qualifiers gets an entry into the main event. Most casinos also run a $125 satellite where the top two players get an entry into the qualifier. The prize pool depends on number of entries, which is increasing almost every month. The tournament I won had the biggest pay out to date, $233,016, which I'm sure, will be broken sometime next year.

What impressions of the event can you share?

This was the first tournament I've played on the Heartland Poker Tour, but I felt it was well run. The staff at the Majestic Star in Gary Indiana was also very accommodating. That made for a fun time had by all.

Many of our readers may not be as familiar with the Heartland Poker Tour as much as say the WSOP... can you give a little background and/or how you heard about them?

The Heartland Poker Tour is seen on television on different channels around the country. After watching it, I knew it was something I wanted to do. You see a lot of local pro players playing the tour, but not many big name pro players due to the lower buy-in.

At what point did the win start to become a reality? At the final table.... somewhere mid-game..... or only after they gave you the cash?

The tournament at the Majestic Star was set up in groups, somewhat like the WSOP due to the limit of tables & dealers. The second day of the three day tournament I had a run of cards that moved me from the short stack with not even enough to cover the big blind to chip leader. I knew at that time I had a good shot at winning the tournament.

Not to be arrogant, but I really thought I was the best player at the final table with the most experience. After all I started playing the game before some of them were born!

Is the largest win of your career? And what do you plan to do with the winnings?

This is my largest win by far. I won $20,750 at the $200 NL Hold'em buy-in at the Canterbury Fall Classic in Minnesota 2004. After that win and making the front page of the local newspaper I set a goal of making TV and winning a six figure pay day. Now that I've done it it's time to set new goals. What do you think? WSOP event & seven figures???

As far as the money, Uncle Sam is getting a big cut. (I'm) giving $25,000 to charity, (I) gave half to my wife to spend as she wants. The rest is for my poker and toys. All big boys need toys.

Can you recount any key hands and/or situations that you felt were crossroads on your way to the win?

On the second day the hand that got me started on the run I had was 44. With about 20k in chips left and the blinds at 15000 and 30000, my 44 held up against two other players. This more than tripled me up due to the blinds and antes. I went on a rush for the next 30 minutes and ended up chip leader with over 1M in chips.

Based on your recent success it would appear you have a handle on the game... at what point in your poker playing career did you feel like you were starting to 'get it'? And to what do you attribute the potential advance in your game?

I joined Poker School Online in December 2001 and give them all the credit for getting me to where I am today. It's a great place to learn the game! I would suggest to anyone wanting to get better at the game to give it a try; you can't go wrong.

I do belong to other sites, and have even started a small study group myself called the 'Poker Misfits'. All pro poker players will tell you they have a small group of friends who play and talk poker and even help each other with their game. I'm hoping to do that with the misfits, and see one of them at a final table soon.

Let's take it back to the past a bit.... How and where did you learn to play poker?

(I)Started to play the game in the Navy in the early 60's, but always lost more than I won. The country boy I am never caught up to where the big city kids were in their game. As far as learning the game of poker, as stated before, I give all the credit to Poker School Online.

Who has been influential in shaping you as a poker player? What kind of poker player would you classify yourself as?

Not sure how to answer this. I believe one's own personality will tell what type of poker player he or she will be. Some of us were aggressive or bullies growing up and some of us were more laid back. I really try to take advantage of the other player by playing the player more than the cards. If they are passive, I'm more aggressive. And if they are aggressive, I try to counter it by playing tighter and waiting on a hand. I do feel one of the things about my game is I can change gears and do often. If you ask most players who play me, I'm sure they would say I'm aggressive in my play, but really if you let the cards tell who is going to be the winner in the game.... you're in for a long day.

About how many hours a week do you put in? Any strategy you employ to make sure that you're playing at peak performance?

Don't ask my wife this! Year round average I guess I play or study the game 40 to 60 hours a week. Being retired I do have a lot of time to play poker and fish, which I love to do.

As for strategy, I have lots of software that I can review my play after a game. This helps in seeing if you are picking up any bad habits, or just how you may have played a hand better. It's all a continuation of learning this game of poker.

Do you prefer the live game or the online game?... And tournaments or cash games?

Live games are the most enjoyable for me as it puts you in the center of the action. My game is reading the player and trying to outplay them so... lives games for me. As for tournaments or cash games, I like the tournaments for the competition. A cash game is more about the money.

Which is your favorite game and why?

I started playing poker before Hold'em, so in the old days it was seven card stud, tonk, 500 rummy, and draw poker. Once I found Hold'em it has been my game of study as that is what most players play. I did study Omaha Hi/Lo a lot last year and hope to play more of it. I really have no favorite, although I do like NL over Limit games in most cases.

Which is the most profitable game for you and why?

NL Hold'em is the most profitable as I play it the most. I've won money in Omaha, but nothing to compare to Hold'em. I feel it is a game I could do well in, but haven't played it enough in bigger tournaments to get a true reading. I did play the $5000 Omaha Hi/Lo at the WSOP this year and made the second day but no money. Like all poker players say." If I had just won that one hand things would have been different".

Do you play any casino games outside of poker?

I'm really just a poker player. I don't gamble, drink, smoke, cuss, or chase women. Just a nice old country boy, who like to make a little extra money playing poker.

How long have you been a member of PokerSchoolOnline.com? How has PSO helped your game to improve?

I joined PSO shortly after it started in December of 2001. As I've said many times... if it wasn't for PSO, I wouldn't be where I'm at today in my game. It's not only PSO and all the info they have on the site, which is a lot, it's also the people you meet and become friends with. I feel there are several players on PSO who can and will do as well as I have or better.

Any plans to parlay your winnings into a WSOP 2008 entry? If so, what event(s) would you have an interest in playing?

I will be playing a lot more tournaments this next year. I've told everyone 2008 was going to be my year and it looks like I got off to an early start! As far as what tournaments I will play.... it's too early but to start I'll be in Tunica in January playing some of the WPT and WSOP events.

Do you follow poker as a fan? And if so, what programs do you watch and who are your favorite player and why?

If you ask my wife that question on who, it would be Daniel (Negreanu) for sure. I do love to watch the way he gets a read on a player, but as far as a favorite I have none. I'm more of a calm person at the table and try to make it look like it's no big deal, bad beat or a win, but it is fun to watch how some act. (I) guess it makes good TV.

Can you give a short rundown of the access to poker in your local area?

The Chicago area Casinos do have a few poker rooms and adding more tournaments all the time. We also have the Rockford Charitable and the Chicago Charitable games which have tournaments and ring games weekly. One would be surprised to how many really good players are in the area. Most haven't won or played in the WSOP main event, but could hold their own once they do.

What thoughts do you have on the UIGEA ?

It's stupid plain & simple! If the government was smart they would have set up a way for the online sites to be taxed or take out tax on ones winnings. Think of how much the Government is losing by not doing so. They didn't make it against the law to play, just harder to fund ones account. The players will find a way to play if they want to, and the big loser is the Government and less so for the player. The only thing I think it does is maybe controlled access for some of the younger players.

If you were in charge of the USA, what changes would you make to our legal and social attitudes towards poker?

There is some gamble in poker I guess, but no more than in some other sports. Take foot ball for instance. What play do you make on 3rd down? Pass the long ball, short pass for the first, or run it? It's a gamble that you make the right play & the other team or player makes the wrong play. I look at poker as a sport, and I believe in time, it will become a popular sport that everyone will enjoy.

Any advice for the people reading this and thinking "Hey, I could do that."?

If one really puts one's mind to it and really studies, and joins something like Poker School Online, you never know where this game of life may take you. There are several great sites on the net now days, and one can learn the game much faster than it has took me. I'm still learning & hope to for years to come! "Remember nothing good comes easy"!

Photos courtesy of the Heartland Poker Tour.
For further information on this tournament or the Heartland Poker Tour click here.

For information on joining PokerSchoolOnline.com click here.

More Interviews