World-renowned ring announcer Bruce Buffer will appear on ESPN's World Series of Poker tonight, August 28th, at 9PM ET. Along with his duties as the official voice of the Octagon, Buffer is also an avid poker player with more than 35 years of experience in the world of poker. When he's not announcing some of the biggest names in mixed martial arts, you can find him honing his poker skills online at rumblepoker.com.
For more information on Buffer's skills at the poker table, check out the following article that originally appeared at The MMA Digest on August 13th:
Poker That Packs a Punch: UFC Announcer Bruce Buffer Rocks the Poker Tables
The man who announces every major fight in North America loves to battle himself on the felt of poker tables. Bruce Buffer, brother of sports announcer Michael (Let's Get Ready to Rumble!) Buffer, has made a name for himself as the voice of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, but has also struck an indelible impression on the poker circle. Buffer recorded a 3rd place finish at this years $ 1,000 L.A. Poker Classic and made it to the final table of the WPT Los Angeles Invitational in February 2005.
Entering his first cash game when he was 13, Buffer can boast about 35 years of experience in some shape or form in the poker realm. Engaging in regular cash games in 7 card stud and 7 card stud high-low over the past 12 years, it wasn't until about 4 years ago that Buffer really got hooked onto the game of holdem. After that, just like the masses of poker enthusiasts, no longer fancied any other variation of the game. "I wasn't interested in playing anything else because it matched my personality", explains Buffer. "It's great competing with the pros in the big tournaments where there's big money on the line; I basically just get hyped up about all that-my adrenaline flows and my mind gets sharp and I love it." Buffer has always been drawn to the thrill of competition as he acquired two blackbelts and engaged in dojo point fighting competitions in his mid-twenties. The amicable Tulsa, Oklahoma native somehow would find that he would get into brawls every so often in the bars and the streets, and decided to endeavor in the kickboxing world by sparring for over a half decade and taking on a couple of amateur bouts. Buffer's kickboxing exploits would be derailed though as he was advised medically to quit his unprofitable kickboxing endeavors after he scored a win in a bout, but still accumulated a concussion on the road to victory.
These days the yearning for adrenaline of Buffer is quenched via clashes at the poker tables live and online, where Buffer plays a minimum of 2 hours a day on Rumblepoker.com, which launched in August 2006. Buffer's dedication to the online aspect of the game is deep-seated–he was playing in a big tournament online while we chatted about his exploits in the poker world, which include grossing approximately $40,000 on the circuit last year. Bruce begins to explain to me how he grossed $16,000 in winnings off the internet the previous month before his mind wanders with natural excitement what's abrewing in his game online. "Hold on, trip-Jacks", utters Buffer. "Oh he's dead in the water, and you know how I feel? I don't care. Because he wouldn't care about me", retorts Buffer with a chuckle. "It's dog-eat-dog world", he adds.
The competition isn't going to cause Buffer to back off an inch. The fight background that Buffer has come from and his witnessing hundreds of live fights in the UFC over the years influenced himself to approach the poker world with relative fearlessness. His experience in the fight world has allowed him to devise the BSC theory which he abides by-BSC standing for Balls, Skills and Confidence. "If you're lacking any of those 3 items along with the luck factor you need to win tournament or cash game poker then never ever sit down", advises Buffer before doubling up to 15,000 chips in his online tourney, and insisting I not hang up until his game is over due to good luck. For Buffer, luck along with timing and BSC, collectively make up a powerful poker player.
Despite his strong sense of confidence and an aura of courageousness, Buffer freely admits that he would certainly feel some intimidation taking on some of the most elite players such as Phil Ivey, who Buffer has seen sitting in the front at UFC events himself. "I'd love to play him, he's a scary player", Buffer recognizes. "He'd be intimidating to play against until you're more comfortable, it'd be like I'd have to take a hand off of him and then I'd be okay." Another great whose reputation could mess a little with Buffer's confidence momentarily would be the legendary Doyle Brunson. "There are some greats and if I sat across from Doyle Brunson would I be somewhat intimidated? Sure, absolutely", acknowledges Buffer. "To say no to that you've got to be nuts. If I sat across from Phil Hellmuth would I be intimidated? No. Bring that bitch on now." The self-assurance Buffer has in engaging a poker duel with Hellmuth has some roots in the belief that he has a good read on the poker veteran. "Phil Hellmuth has a tell that I know just from watching TV, and I'm not going to talk about it", states Buffer before silencing himself on the issue.
While claiming to be able to spot a tell on Hellmuth, Buffer feels two of the most undetectable players in the game are his friend Chris Ferguson and "High Stakes Poker" TV show regular Barry Greenstein. Although he's looking to lift up his poker face to their stature, Buffer still recognizes one of his more profitable assets that is his difficult to read disposition. "It's hard to get a tell on me and if I do give one usually I know what I'm doing and I'm doing it on purpose because I want you to think about what I'm doing at that point", comments Buffer. Like many other players, Buffer subscribes to the philosophy that any two cards can work and gets a thrill with thievery at the table. "I like to win with the worst cards possible", reveals Buffer but adds a cautionary note, "Everybody can read that, and when I go all in they can come after me but I'll probably have pocket Aces when you do because you'll never know how I'm playing."
And you will find Buffer making the rounds in different casinos and tournaments when he gets the chance, and has been able to play with pros and celebrities from time to time. Aside from the online and casino action, Buffer would regularly set up a home game every other week. "Everybody brings a couple of Gs and we play 5-10 no limit or play a 20-40 limit game", Buffer explains as he picks up pocket-Jacks in his online tournament and is getting ready to make a move. "You've got to let me play these Jacks, I know I'm going to get a call on this because I just scooped a big pot and they're going to think I'm blowing wind here", comments Buffer with glee on what is transpiring on his computer screen. What transpires at his home games can oftentimes be just as intriguing as it often grace by ESPN World Series of Poker host Norman Chad's presence, 5th place 2005 WSOP winner Scott Lazar, as well as one at least one occasion actor Ray Liotta. With Lazar's $1,500,000 he picked up with his 5th place finish at the 2005 WSOP, Buffer missed out on a chance to get in on that action. "We were talking and literally two or three days before he offered me for a $1000, 10 percent of his winnings", says Buffer. But Buffer politely declined Lazar's offer and missed out on a $150,000 chance. "Scott went on to get 5th place and win $1.5 million, that thousand would have returned 150 grand", Buffer recalls before getting excited about what just flopped in his online tourney. "You're going to love this–I have pocket 4s against King-Queen suited and I flopped a 4 and he flopped two-pair, he's hurtin' for certain."
Certainly the televised poker shows have influenced and improved Buffer's game, which he describes as a confluence of Sam Farha, Daniel Negreanu and Chris Ferguson. Another key tool the development of his game was co-starring in "Final Table Poker", an instructional DVD for No-Limit Holdem fans. Phil Gordon and the DVD's producer Rafe Furst (Gold bracelet winner in $1,500 Pot-Limit Holdem, 2006 WSOP) invited Buffer to be a part of the game that was showcased on the DVD and also included Chris Ferguson and three actors. Spending half day learning from Gordon and Ferguson was invaluable to Buffer. "I spent 13 hours with Phil and Chris in close quarters, and I mean you could auction that off for $5,000 to any poker player out there who had money", remarks Buffer. "That was an amazing day, did I make a lot of money? No. I got paid of course but I went there for the experience of tournament poker with these guys and knowing that I was going to absorb everything that I heard and saw over that 13 hour period."
The sponge like absorption of knowledge has always been a constant throughout Buffer's life. Whether it was in back in high school or today in the poker world, application, listening and mentally absorbing material and using his subconscious mind to master the knowledge is how "Buff" has rolled his entire life. Buying himself into as many tournaments as his schedule permits, Buffer has been able to make it in the money and show he is not a one-shot wonder. A clear instance displaying Buffer's strong learn from any source possible mentality was when he sought the advice from pro Dan Harrington at the WPT Los Angeles Invitational in February 2005. Doling out some wisdom is a decision Harrington might have regretted giving later. "We had dinner together and I said, 'Dan, I'm down to 13,000 chips, can you give me some advice?'", explains Buffer. Harrington obliged and imparted wisdom the eager to learn pupil in Buffer. "We had dinner together and then 45 minutes later we were at the same table and I took about two good pots off him, so I don't know if he's ever going to have dinner with me again", jokes Buffer before giving me a live update on his online tournament standings. "I told you where I'm at, now I've got 26,500 and I am number 6 out of 54. 147 started, 54 left, I'm number 6."
Sixth place at the WPT Invitational was the crowning achievement in Buffer's poker career thus far. Making it to that final table in February 2005 was an experience of another realm for Buffer. "It was completely mentally orgasmic, let's put it that way", comments Buffer on the euphoria. "When you realize you're in the final six you realize you're here, I'm going to be on TV competing against Chris Ferguson, Chau Chang, Alex Brenes, Johan Storakers, I looked around and I was looking around and slapping myself silly." Buffer had a hard time sleeping the night in anticipation and experience and encountered a different sort of discomfort after being knocked out of the tournament by Chris Ferguson. "When I left the final table I went from was the total feeling that I explained to the kid from Iowa whose family took him to go to Disneyland and now I'm on the plane going back to Iowa and I don't know if I'll ever see Disneyland again", notes Buffer. That exhilaration of the final table at the WPT has been entrenched firmly in mind of Buffer, and his aim is to get back to that state. "My personal goals in poker are to make a final table at a big WSOP, WPT tournament at least once a year."
As Buffer plans to make many more trips to Disneyland, be forewarned, this is no Mickey Mouse player.
Bruce placed 5th in his online tournament and scooped up around $2,200 for about 4 hours of work. Play Bruce online as well as stars from the UFC at RumblePoker.com
Buffer's Advice for Newer Players
"I don't think you should rush into anything. I think if you have the bankroll or if somebody is bank-rolling you and you're a quality player, hopefully your banker knows that and you know that, go ahead and take advantage of it and play. If you're making mistakes I hope you sit at my table at every chance possible. But basically everybody has a right to go for it and there's so many times, my being a relative example too in the fact that I played so few tournaments before I did advance as far as I did in my first WPT, so it just goes to show you that there is a lot of luck involved. There is a lot of timing involved and if it's your day it's your day. But if you analyze the best players in the world, they are the players that will win over the course of the month or a course of the year. I don't think you can measure a poker player by a one-time performance other than to say, "Boy, you had a great day", or a great weekend or tournament."
Using the iPod to Keep Things Interesting
"I need to juice myself up I turn on the iPod and AC/DC is blowing off in my ear, or maybe the iPod will be on and it's Cat Stevens, it depends how I feel. If I feel like talking then I'll pull it off, if I was in a hand then, I don't consider it a tell but I don't' want to be listening to music, I want to be in the hand so I'll just turn off the iPod and concentrate on the hand. That's not a tell, it's just me realizing, 'Hey, am I here to listen to music or am I here to win poker?'"
Recognition
"You know what's funny is in what I consider a limited public eye of poker I've been in compared to the guys that are on TV all the time, people recognize me from the UFC all the time and it's great, I love it. But it's kind of funny when somebody recognizes me from poker, I get a real thrill out of it. There was a guy who actually asked me for an autograph walking into the WPT tournament I played in a couple of months ago in Vegas because he had gotten the Final Table Poker and he'd seen me on TV that one time. I always say, 'Give me yours'. (laughs) I like it. 'I appreciate the offer, now give me your autograph.'"
Word Association
Pocket Queens
Killer. (Knocked Buffer out of 3 WPTs, either he had them or the other guy had them)
Professional Poker Tour
Interesting, not exciting.
On the Button
Where I'd like to be.
Devilfish
Interestingly classy.
Poker in 2010
Hopefully still face to face.
Gus Hansen
Dangerous player.
Short Stacked
Makes me aggressive.
Antonio Esfandiari
Interesting player.
Josh Arieh
Nicer than depicted.
Jennifer Harman
Great player.
Interview with ESPN World Series of Poker commentator Norman Chad
When have you had a chance to play poker with Bruce?
I played regularly at his home game, I haven't been able to for the past several months because of my travel scheduled. But he hosted the home game most of the time and it was almost weekly and I played with him.
What are your thoughts on Bruce's play?
His play is reasonably erratic, he likes to play a lot of hands and it's hard to get him out of a hand. We would play a mixed game with a bunch of different games and he discovered through trial and error that no-limit holdem is his best game by far and he got very very good at it. In the other games he's usually giving away his money, but in no-limit holdem it's tough to play Bruce-you have no idea what he has, he might not have no idea what he has and he just uses that to his advantage.
What's it like playing against him?
I'm not particularly good at no-limit holdem, but it's very hard playing against Bruce, it's the old thing that you can't reason with somebody who's insane. So with Bruce it's just impossible to read what he has, he really can have either extremes-he can have the nuts or he can have two cards out of an uno deck. You just have no idea and he plays them the same way and he loves to do that. I'm sure a better player than me can pick up when he's holding a strong hand and when he's not, but he's very aggressive and very reckless and he can just take you down pretty easily and you don't know what hit you.
What's his demeanor at the table?
Well, that's one of one the reason it's nice to play with Bruce-whether he's winning a lot or losing a lot he's forever pleasant and forever in a good mood. He's in a good mood the rest of the day and he brings it to the poker table, so it's always a joy to play with him because he just doesn't get mad and doesn't have mood swings at the table. He's pretty even-keeled and he's just pretty delighted to be playing and he's always in a good mood.
Anything interesting that arises at the tables at the home game from Bruce?
Bruce loves training and weightlifting and bodybuilding and keeping in shape and he's very concerned about the foods he eats. So every poker game I've seen he's got this it's almost like a spritz, little spray that you spray on your face as a refresher, it might have a small aroma to it and it's suppose to refresh you and keep you alert. I've never been in a card room or poker game where someone brings that out and essentially sprays it in everybody's face. Even if I don't want it, and I usually don't, he says, "Let me give you a quick pick me up." I forgot the name of the product but he'll spritz that stuff in your face and maybe he's smarter than I think-I can't see or think for the next 5 minutes. (laughs) But again, he's always trying to keep everybody in good stead and I've never seen that little spritz come out in any other poker game. He's very particular on eating right, sleeping right, training right and keeping in good shape. I've had trouble sleeping or trouble with my intestinal system, so he's given me vitamins and writes down different things I should by at the GNC that he lives and dies by. So he brings that to the table and since play with him we'll all probably live 5 years longer.
So the home game is pretty fun?
Yes, again the other good thing about it is that there are two different animals-a social game and a high stakes game, and Bruce was able to combine the two. It's a relatively high stakes game, even when it's not the no-limit variety where people can win or lose $2,000 a night, the mixed game that we played was a 20-40 structure and it was a very loose game and people are still going to lose one or two thousand dollars a night or more. But despite the fact that a lot of money was exchanging hands it was just a pleasant environment and plays like a social game, and whoever is hosting the game, you've got to give a lot of credit for that Bruce hosted the game most of the time. It's just an environment like a Tupperware party, people are in a good mood, it's always catered-we have a huge amount of food there and drink whatever you want and we're having a good time and also trying to play good poker. That's my favorite type of home game-very social but also there's a lot of money at stake so you've got to try to play good poker.