Let’s Welcome our new Media Partner – RecPoker!
We have left the live stops of The Festival Series behind us in 2024, heading towards a new year with a total of FIVE stops in total, of which two of them are online stops. What better way to kick it all off than to introduce to you our newest Media Partner called RecPoker! During this year's Irish Poker Open, Martin 'Franke' von Zweigbergk came in touch with Jim Reid, representative of RecPoker. The Canadian visited Ireland for the first time, and immediately got hooked with the great vibes on- and off the poker tables.
The pleasure was mine when I got to know that RecPoker needed to be interviewed. RecPoker is one of these communities in the world of poker that consistently puts effort into the recreational community of poker, something which can only be well-respected. They are offering a wide range of resources and opportunities for poker players of all skill levels, and especially recreational players who want to improve their game while having fun.
Name it, and RecPoker has it! Educational content such as podcasts, training videos, and strategy discussions, are the main core of the brand. While community engagement is very important to them in terms of forums and study groups. Besides all this, they are offering online tournaments exclusively for RecPoker members on PokerStars, organise Seminars and Webinars, as well as live meetups in the shape of live tournament stops. Do you plan to have more personalized coaching in poker? You'll be at the right address with RecPoker!
During my talks with Jim Reid, all the way from Canada, I immediately felt that he (and RecPoker) truly care about poker as a sport, so to say. The enthusiasm he brings to the table when talking about poker is unheard of, blend it in with proper day-to-day topics in poker combined with good old stories, and you have the ingredients for an epic interview. Let's kick it off!
The Festival Series meets RecPoker!
Melvin: Hi Jim, nice to finally be able to meet you! The first thing what comes to mind is the incredible amount of podcast episodes you guys got available. In these 643 episodes, I'll avoid the basic questions like "Who's the biggest name you had in your podcasts?"... But who is the person who, how to say, inspires you the most to talk to?
Jim, RecPoker: Ooh, that's really interesting. That's a great question. I think, in one way, the person that inspired me the most is Carlos Welch. Carlos really just knows what he wants in life and goes right after it.
He was a high school math teacher who got into poker like many players, thinking it was an easy way to make a living, and he was disabused of that pretty early. But he had such a great learner's mindset. He was so dedicated and disciplined about his study and play.
Carlos also has his priorities in line; he knows what's important to him. Like myself, he lives a very frugal lifestyle. He became famous for being "the homeless poker player," living in a van, traveling across the U.S., playing poker online using parking garage Wi-Fi. He upgraded his vehicle over time, stayed in comped hotel rooms occasionally to use facilities, and ate cheaply while focusing on the things that mattered most to him.
Even today, he’s found a partner he loves deeply, remains disciplined, and makes decisions analytically, both on and off the felt. I really respect that about him.
Melvin: It’s like putting yourself to the test, yeah? Living in a van must make you think differently about money, right?
Jim, RecPoker: Exactly! It’s a test of conviction. He’s learned what’s really important to him. That’s such a valuable lesson in life—knowing your strengths, understanding the cost of something, and deciding to pay it.
Melvin: To switch topics a bit, I think about two months ago, you spoke to Franke, right? How did that come about?
Jim, RecPoker: Oh, Franke always leaves an impression on people. I met him last spring at the Irish Poker Open. We were at this dinner at Johnny Fox’s pub—about 30 of us. No one asked for it, but Franke got up, unsolicited, and made a toast. It was funny, heartfelt, and left an impression.
Later, we connected when I was back in Canada. With RecPoker and The Festival sharing so much overlap, it made sense to collaborate more, and having him on the show was a lot of fun.
Melvin: Yeah, Frankie is always at the Irish Poker Open. He’s like a poker table fixture there!
Jim, RecPoker: Absolutely! He’s a character you can hear coming from a mile away! His impact on recreational players is fantastic. Events like yours that focus on recreational players make such a difference.
Melvin: What’s your take on mixed games?
Jim, RecPoker: I love mixed games! They’re harder to solve, so there’s a lot of time left before they become “solved.” The skill gap between experienced and newer players isn’t as pronounced, and they’re just more fun.
Walk into a card room with a mixed game table—it’ll be the one with laughter and camaraderie, compared to solemn silence at the Hold'em tables. Mixed games foster a social atmosphere, which is valuable. The mixed game community is welcoming. They help new players learn, which makes it a warmer, friendlier group than Hold'em.
Melvin: What’s next for RecPoker? Any plans for the end of the year or the upcoming year?
Jim, RecPoker: We’ve got exciting plans! In January, we’re upgrading the podcast with more production value and prizes, thanks to new sponsors. We’re also hosting more live events.
In January, we’ll be at Running Aces in Minnesota for a weekend full of tournaments, prizes, and social events. I’ll also be back at the Irish Poker Open in April. Beyond that, we’re working on new training opportunities to help players connect with pros and improve their game—for free in many cases.
Our focus remains on community, friendships, and making poker fun and rewarding for recreational players.
Melvin: In terms of podcasts and training courses, there are many options out there. What makes RecPoker different? What beliefs or approaches do you apply to stand out and be unique?
Jim, RecPoker: Yeah, I mean, I think it's clear to be honest with you. A lot of the other training sites and learning communities out there— their rhetoric and promotional language—it's all about crushing at the tables and becoming a pro player. It's a very hustler mindset for much of that content.
Honestly, I think a lot of them are selling a dream that's not realistic for most people. I would not encourage most people to become professional poker players or try to turn poker into a revenue-generating venture. I just think that's a bad idea for a lot of people, particularly with tournament poker.
The variance in tournament poker is going to kick your ass, and people are not prepared for that. They have naive expectations about how high the ceiling is and how high the floor is when deciding to go pro. I think it's a terrible idea and would never encourage anyone to do it.
At RecPoker, our emphasis is on community—friendships and relationships inside the world of poker. Poker is what we all have in common and what allows us to bond, find study buddies, and connect with others who have the same energy, approach, or goals.
Our mandate isn't to equip people to go pro or crush at the tables. We teach people how to become better players so they can enjoy poker more as a rewarding and satisfying hobby. Poker is fun, but it's more fun when you win.
Our goal is to help you be the best poker player you can be within the context of the rest of your life. Poker should be a part of your life, the most fun part, and ideally, a lucrative part—without it ever feeling like work or obligation. That's the culture we cultivate here.
Melvin: You mentioned Minnesota in January—will that be? A live series?
Jim, RecPoker: Yes, exactly. Running Aces is a hotel, casino, and racetrack in Minnesota. They were our very first sponsor back in 2017, and they've supported us every year since.
The original group who founded RecPoker is all from Minnesota—they played in the same home games and at the same casino. That's where the podcast started and where so much of what we do now—like the Discord, home games, YouTube channel, and road trips—originated.
We try to host promotional tournament series at Running Aces once or twice a year. These events are special; we give away prizes, support a local food bank, and reconnect with old friends. Minnesota and Running Aces hold a special place in RecPoker’s history.
Melvin: When you organize these events, are they tournaments with buy-ins, freerolls, or a mix?
Jim, RecPoker: We offer a variety of opportunities. Our home game club on PokerStars Play Money is completely free to enter. We give out real prizes depending on the tournament, but everything there is play money.
For live events, we don't operate games ourselves due to legal constraints. We partner with licensed local casinos, so the tournaments typically have buy-ins ranging from $80 to $250. There are knockouts, freezeouts, rebuys, and even cash games with No-Limit Hold'em and mixed formats.
Melvin: That sounds like a lot of fun. Speaking of live events, you attended the Irish Poker Open last year. Was it your first time there?
Jim, RecPoker: Yes, it was my first time at the series. I’d heard from friends that the Irish Poker Open is a bucket-list event, one of the most fun poker series out there. Last year, I finally made it.
I don’t have the resources to jet around to poker series, but the timing coincided with my wedding anniversary. I pitched it to my wife as a chance to spend our anniversary in Ireland—with the bonus of me playing the Irish Poker Open.
We had a phenomenal time. The event was incredibly well-run, and they know how to throw a party off the felt. There’s no other poker series like it, and I plan to return every year if I can.
Melvin: Canadians seem to travel a lot for poker, and I’ve noticed their presence at events. In Malta, we had Haven Taylor who managed to get 2nd in the Main Event, and a bunch of other Canadians who made the trip such as Rafael! Is there something about the culture that draws them to the game?
Jim, RecPoker: Absolutely. Canadians travel well—we’re curious about the world. Plus, with our long, cold winters, we grow up playing games. Games are a big part of our family time, and I think that primes us to enjoy poker as adults.
Also, we represent well in the poker world despite not having many great card rooms in Canada. It's partly because poker is a natural extension of our love for games. Australians are similar—they travel well and embrace poker and fun with the same energy.
>> Check out their website right here.
Melvin: Jim, it was truly a privilege to be able to talk to you and as we spoke off the record for a bit, we will meet each other in Las Vegas later this year and have a nice Tea Gathering on the other side of the world, to say cheers to this epic interview! Thank you very much for your time, keep rocking it over there, and see you soon!
