PROSE FROM THE POKER PROS: Josh Arieh's Thrill of Victory

The Calvin Ayre Wild Card Poker series was full of many joyous moments besides winning the $500,000 pot, says this poker star

May 24, 2006

By Josh Arieh
Bodog Nation Contributing Writer

The Calvin Ayre Wild Card Poker tournament was a great experience for me. Calvin was a great host. His compound is amazing, and Costa Rica is extremely beautiful. I got to experience the Bodog lifestyle first-hand, and it was awesome.  The beaches were stunning, the weather was perfect, and the people were so friendly.  There was great food and terrific entertainment from Bodog Music artists like Bif Naked, Nazanin, and The Vincent Black Shadow. I was able to spend time with some of my best friends, play poker, and meet a lot of fascinating people.  I got to hang out with UFC champion Chuck Liddell, Cheryl Hines, Willa Ford, Kelly Hu, Josh Malina, and a lot of other celebrities. 

Playing in this tournament was different because of the eclectic mix of people.  There were celebrities, Internet players, and professional poker players, each with their own distinct personalities and playing styles. However, this was what made competing in the tournament so much fun for me. I like the challenge of analyzing and dissecting each player’s style and figuring out a winning counter strategy. 

In general, I’ve discovered that Internet players can sometimes be timid and uncomfortable, because they are out of their comfort zone. They are not used to playing on tables that are filmed for television. The celebrities are the ones that I try to be the most careful with because you have no idea what to expect from them. It’s difficult to make any attempt at duplicating their thought processes. Playing against other pros is what I do everyday. I think it’s what brings the best out of my game. I love competing against other great players. Decision making while playing against pros is very exciting and gets pretty complex sometimes, which is what I love about poker.

Knowing that the tournament was being filmed and would be televised on Fox Sports Net was exciting. I like televised tournaments because they add a little extra pressure and even more incentive to win. I’m a very competitive person and I love a good challenge. I’ve been this way all my life. I used to compete at billiards, and now I play poker professionally. I thrive under pressure and I love it. The winner-take-all format of the tournament played right to my strong suit. The combined weight of the cameras, directors, and the prestige of becoming "Calvin Ayre Wild Card Poker champion" motivated me to play my "A game."

Competing in the Calvin Ayre Wild Card Poker tournament was awesome. I played aggressively and got into my opponents' heads. My overall experience was great; I got to play poker, make new friends and visit one of the most beautiful places in the world.

PHOTO: Josh Arieh loved his trip to Costa Rica for all sorts of reasons, including his half-million-dollar prize (BodogNation photo).

"Prose from the Poker Pros" will appear monthly in Bodog Nation with Josh Arieh, David Williams and Evelyn Ng writing on their individual happenings in the poker world.