麻豆传媒

Travis Nesbitt is all-in in terms of playing poker, and the decision to focus on the deal of the cards has led him to a major opportunity in January.

Nesbitt will travel to Nassau in the Bahamas Jan. 6-10, to play in the PokerStars Players NL Hold鈥檈m Championship where the winner will earn close to $5 million, the top-six will take home $1 million each, and 23 will grab $25,000.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a chance of a lifetime experience,鈥� he said.

Even a $25,000 finish would provide Nesbitt with the cash to sit in at a number of smaller buy-in events to further hone his poker skills.

鈥淵ou don鈥檛 always have to be going into $25,000 events,鈥� he said with a smile.

The big event should provide an opportunity to learn from some of the pros, and that is important because to be good at Texas Hold鈥檈m poker requires skill, said Nesbitt.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a mind game a lot of it,鈥� he said, adding he spends a lot of time working on things to focus his mind in order to be able to pick up on nuances of other players, and to stay calm to mask his own moves.

For example, Nesbitt is a fan of cold showers.

鈥淭hey speed up the metabolism,鈥� he said, which he added sharpens his senses.

Nesbitt also works out hard, sometimes two sessions a day.

鈥淵ou can鈥檛 always be comfortable and expect to succeed,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 all about energy.鈥�

Nesbitt also does a number of practises to relax and focus, from a mantra of success to staring at a candle.

鈥淚t鈥檚 teaching me to have a calm mind,鈥� he said. 鈥溾�� I鈥檒l be able to stay calm because I鈥檓 practicing that every day.鈥�

Nesbitt said he was working a regular job for five years but noted 鈥淚 wasn鈥檛 the happiest.鈥�

So Nesbitt embarked on some 鈥榩ersonal development鈥� which led him 鈥渢o quit the job and do what I love to do.鈥�

That meant giving being a poker player a shot.

Focusing on his poker has meant spending a lot of time playing online, which led him to take part in an 鈥榓ll-in shoot-out鈥�. Each hand players were required to go all-in, winding their way through the competition.

鈥淚 got 16 heads-up wins,鈥� said Nesbitt, which left him the event winner, collecting a $25,000 (US) buy-in to the event in the Bahamas, with all his expenses paid. The package included a spot to take a friend, but Nesbitt said both his brothers will go to provide support.

So how will Nesbitt approach the big money event?

鈥淚鈥檓 going to be playing my own game,鈥� he said. 鈥溾�� It鈥檚 going to be challenging but that鈥檚 the fun of it.鈥�

Nesbitt reiterated that the trip will almost be a case of him going to school.

鈥淚t鈥檚 not all about winning 鈥� It鈥檚 meeting new people 鈥� learning from them,鈥� he said,