WSOP bracelet winner Mike Leah was among the thousands of players to participate, and he got off to an incredibly fast start in this event to become one of the early chip leaders. Prior to his victory, Mike Leah won the CAD $1,100 preliminary event at the WPT Fallsview Poker Classic three out of the last four years: 2014, 2016, and 2017 for a total of CAD $573,334.
If you look at Mike Leah on Twitter, you'll find plenty of hockey, periodic tournament updates, and the occasional cute animal.
It is rare to find sarcasm and an air of discontent in his feed. And that is why this tweet caught our eye. We reached out to Leah to get the scoop on what motivated the tweet, how he stays motivated day in and day out, and what's on his bucket list, both personally and professionally.
Leah and the Tweet
Leah was headed from his home north of Toronto, Canada two an half hours south to Fallsview Casino in Niagra Falls for the Fallsview Poker Classic.
For Leah, drives like these serve as a time for reflection and preparation for the tournaments that are ahead.
He was on the American Poker Awards nominating committee, so he had access to the list. During the drive, he started mentally reviewing his previous wins at the Fallsview Poker Classic.
It dawned on him what an accomplishment it was to win the same tournament three out of four years. Particularly in an event with large fields and plenty of skilled players.
'I expected to be nominated for something because I thought had a pretty good year. I was pretty proud of it, not just for the statistical aspects but the consistency. So I was a little surprised I wasn't nominated for something - not really upset about it or anything like that.'
It was just something on his mind, so he tweeted out his thoughts because he had plenty of time on his hands during the long drive.
The Definition of Grinder
If you look up the word poker grinder in the dictionary, you might find a picture of Leah. But he doesn't see himself that way at all, even though he posted 40 live tournament cashes last year including one in every month of 2017 except for May.
'If it's not something that's important to me, I'm probably not going to play my best.'
'It's not like I grind all year long. I don't play everything and I try to pick the tournaments that are important to me. I go really hard at an event rather than going really hard all the time. I learned a long time ago that if it's not something that's important to me, I'm probably not going to play my best.'
Leah has been quoted as saying that 'it's not about the money.' Which begs the question, what is it about?
What makes a tournament important enough to make it onto Leah's schedule?
'I'm a pretty competitive guy, so I try to schedule events that will help me win things like another bracelet, WSOP Player of the Year, winning a WPT event and series with a leaderboard. I also like to include series and events that I do well at, including the Fallsview Poker Classic.'
The Professional Bucket List
Leah admits to going after the WSOP Player of the Year pretty hard the past few years and he intends to go after it equally as hard this year. In fact, last summer, and for the second summer in a row, he ended a day having bagged in two tournaments.
When asked what the biggest misconception about him was, Leah responded, 'It's that people think I'm grinding all the time.'
The image of him multi-tabling, running down hallways at the Rio does nothing to help dispell that myth.
Leah assured us, the chaotic schedule at the WSOP is unique to that tournament series. And while he might grind hard for two months, there is some definite downtime on his schedule following the WSOP.
Motivation and Consistency
In addition to making a run at the WSOP Player of the Year last summer, in the fall, Leah made a run at the WCOOP leaderboard as well.
He indicated that the reason he is so selective about the tournaments he plays is making sure he has the motivation to play them. Without playing events that are meaningful, he doesn't think the motivation would be there.
But what about the consistency?
Leah attributes his consistency at the tables to playing consistently. While he studies some, he doesn't do much studying beyond playing the game.
'My competitiveness helps produce consistent results.'
'My competitiveness helps produce consistent results. There is obviously some game analysis and studying that comes into play so I can continue to improve and to be able to compete. And sometimes I talk to other players now and again, but it's mostly just me learning on my own and as I go.'
But in the end, one of the biggest advantages Leah thinks he has in the game is his strong desire to win at all costs and his competitiveness.
'I think I want to win and I am willing to do whatever it takes. Maybe more than some people.'
Leah's Life Outside of Poker
If he's not a grinder, and he's not spending every waking moment playing in a tournament somewhere around the world, what does his life look like outside of poker?
Mike Leah Poker Wife Pictures
'There are a lot of things that I enjoy away from poker. I'm a bit of a sports nut, so I spend a lot of my free time watching lots of sports and doing fantasy sports. I go to the gym just about every day and also do yoga every other day. And of course, I enjoy spending time with my dog and I have lots of nieces and nephews.'
So, he doesn't consider himself a grinder and he does yoga regularly. If those things aren't surprising enough, we asked him what is something people might find surprising about him.
He immediately responded, 'my age.' Apparently, people are often surprised and caught off guard when they learn how old Leah really is.
Leah had a 16-year career before he started playing poker, and he takes care of himself, so it makes sense that people have a hard time guessing his age. 'I'm 43 and a bit immature, so it's easy to see how people might be surprised that I am as old as I am.'
'I want to win and I am willing to do whatever it takes. Maybe more than some people.'
Earlier we talked about his professional bucket list, so we asked Leah what was on his personal bucket list.
'Just continue to strive to maintain good balance. Take time to do things I enjoy. Go on vacation. Spending time with family. Going to some cool live sporting events and concerts. Just enjoying all the good things that my career and my success allow me to enjoy.'
Are There More Double Bags in His Future?
With just a few months until the World Series of Poker gets underway, we were curious to know if Leah was intent on keeping an intense schedule like in years past.
'The WSOP for me basically it's just one continuous thing. As soon as I bust one event, I'm jumping in the next. I'll probably be doing some multi-tabling at the start and throughout the series. If I'm in the hunt for Player of the Year, I'll play a little bit more but there isn't much of a change because I basically play everything anyway.'
Maintaining such a large schedule for seven weeks has got to be daunting, but Leah says he just doesn't think about it.
'My biggest challenge at the WSOP is to not think ahead and not think about the schedule. I like to focus fully on what I'm playing because there's always some event coming up that I'm excited to play and that can be distracting.'
Whether he's a grinder or not, what we see is Leah focused and working hard. And it won't surprise us one bit, to see him double bagging come June.
Tags
Mike LeahRelated Players
Mike Leah
Canadian pro Mike Leah has spent the last five years tearing up the tournament circuit and proving he is one of the best online players in the world.
The Innisfil, Ontario resident is currently tied for the most Full Tilt Online Poker Series (FTOPS) wins with four and in 2011, he finished third in the World Championship of Online Poker (WCOOP) main event for $663,816. In total, he has won approximately $2.5 million in online tournaments.
Leah's also on a bit of a hot streak when it comes to live tournaments as well. In 2013, he made three World Series of Poker final tables and in January, he won a $5,000 prelim event at the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure for $119,770. A month later, he took down a $1,000 event at the Fallsview Poker Classic for another $107,084 and most recently, he won two WSOP Circuit rings in the same day at the Winnin' O' The Green in Los Angeles. The Team Ivey Pro now has over $2 million in live earnings.
Card Player caught up with Leah to discuss how he splits he time between live and online tournaments and how he became proficient in mixed games.
Julio Rodriguez: In 2009, you cashed 25 times, made nine final tables, won three titles and earned almost $700,000 playing live tournaments, finishing in 11th place in the Card Player Player of the Year race. Then you kind of pulled back a bit on live tournament to focus on online events.
Mike Leah: I left my career in September of 2008, so 2009 was really my first full year on the tournament circuit. I really wanted to test myself, so I set a goal to win Player of the Year and traveled nonstop. In the last few years, however, I've gotten to a point where I'm more secure financially and I know that I'm going to be playing for many years, so I'm trying to find a balance between work and my personal life. I've been taking some time off and enjoying friends and family.
JR: Living in Canada, you can continue to play both live and online. How would you say you split your time between the two?
ML: I'd say I split my time about 50/50 these days. I only play online on Sundays or if its part of a big series. I never grind online from Monday to Saturday unless I'm playing in an FTOPS, SCOOP, WCOOP or something like that. When picking a live event, other than WSOP events, I'm looking for convenience along with big fields and big prize pools. For instance, I just played in a WSOP Circuit stop at the Bike because I was already going to be in Los Angeles for the L.A. Poker Classic. I try to keep it to just one poker trip per month.
JR: Most U.S. poker players haven't been on PokerStars or Full Tilt since Black Friday. What changes, if any, have you seen in the traffic and competition?
ML: PokerStars is basically back to what it was like before Black Friday. The competition is probably a little bit tougher because we lost all of the recreational players from the U.S. while the better players relocated to keep playing. Also, the players are just that much better at no-limit hold'em all over the world. Full Tilt is still recovering. The volume isn't what it used to be, so I really only open it during a big series, which is great for me because I love playing all of the different games and variations. The start times are now a little bit earlier to accommodate European players, but it's not too bad having to get up at 10 a.m.
JR: Last summer at the WSOP, you took third in the $5,000 stud eight-or-better event, fifth in the $1,000 stud eight-or-better event and have other cashes in pot-limit Omaha, Omaha eight-or-better and stud. When did you begin playing games other than no-limit hold'em?
ML: When I started playing these online series tournaments, I jumped into all of the tournaments, even the ones that weren't no-limit hold'em. I've always learned by doing, so over time, I got better and then really focused on becoming great. A few years ago, I started to play the mixed game events at the WSOP and every year since I feel that I have gotten better by about 100 percent. Now I feel like I'm not giving up anything in these events. In fact, I feel like I have a pretty good edge.
JR: Where do you find your edge? Is it against mixed game players who don't regularly play tournaments, or tournament players who don't regularly play mixed games?
ML: It's a combination of both. For example, in a stud eight-or-better tournament, I think I'm going to have a big edge over tournament specialists that don't normally play the game. However, I also think I have an edge over stud specialists who don't normally play the game in a tournament setting. I've got the best of both worlds.
JR: Do you ever take these mixed games skills into cash games or do you stick to tournaments exclusively?
ML: I've dabbled in high-stakes mixed games online. Again, I try not to play too much when I'm at home and there isn't a series going on, but if I'm bored and have nothing to do, I'll jump in. Sometimes when I'm in Atlantic City or Los Angeles, I'll even play the live mixed games at $100-$200 or even $500-$1,000 if I sell some action. I think I can play with anyone, so that allows me to be flexible when it comes to picking a game.
JR: You've played in tournaments with $50,000 buy-ins. How hard is it to stay on top of your game in a $300 tournament?
ML: I play better when I'm motivated. I set goals and then I work hard to achieve them. For me, it's about pride, because I know if I do well then the money will take care of itself. Whether it was sports, my sales career or poker, I always tried to treat everything the same way. I'm never going to wear a WSOP Circuit ring or one of my FTOPS jerseys, but they are good reminders of what I'm playing for. If I didn't have those goals, I might have trouble getting up for a $300 event. I think I play at my best when things are meaningful for me, even if it's not for monetary reasons. It would be easy to play on autopilot in a smaller buy-in tournament if I didn't have that pride.
JR: The average poker player is better today than they've ever been in the history of poker. What are your thoughts on the learning curve and what kind of longevity you expect to have in the game?
ML: There are so many decisions and so many ways to play a hand on each and every street, that I don't think that the game will ever be even close to solvable. As good as everyone has become, the game will always evolve and the best players will adapt in order to take advantage of it. You look at some of the big winners from ten years ago and many are gone. The longer you stay in the game, the more experience you can draw from to make the best decisions possible and the people who work the hardest will be rewarded with a long career.
Mike Leah Poker Drama
You can follow Leah on Twitter @goleafsgoeh
But what about the consistency?
Leah attributes his consistency at the tables to playing consistently. While he studies some, he doesn't do much studying beyond playing the game.
'My competitiveness helps produce consistent results.'
'My competitiveness helps produce consistent results. There is obviously some game analysis and studying that comes into play so I can continue to improve and to be able to compete. And sometimes I talk to other players now and again, but it's mostly just me learning on my own and as I go.'
But in the end, one of the biggest advantages Leah thinks he has in the game is his strong desire to win at all costs and his competitiveness.
'I think I want to win and I am willing to do whatever it takes. Maybe more than some people.'
Leah's Life Outside of Poker
If he's not a grinder, and he's not spending every waking moment playing in a tournament somewhere around the world, what does his life look like outside of poker?
Mike Leah Poker Wife Pictures
'There are a lot of things that I enjoy away from poker. I'm a bit of a sports nut, so I spend a lot of my free time watching lots of sports and doing fantasy sports. I go to the gym just about every day and also do yoga every other day. And of course, I enjoy spending time with my dog and I have lots of nieces and nephews.'
So, he doesn't consider himself a grinder and he does yoga regularly. If those things aren't surprising enough, we asked him what is something people might find surprising about him.
He immediately responded, 'my age.' Apparently, people are often surprised and caught off guard when they learn how old Leah really is.
Leah had a 16-year career before he started playing poker, and he takes care of himself, so it makes sense that people have a hard time guessing his age. 'I'm 43 and a bit immature, so it's easy to see how people might be surprised that I am as old as I am.'
'I want to win and I am willing to do whatever it takes. Maybe more than some people.'
Earlier we talked about his professional bucket list, so we asked Leah what was on his personal bucket list.
'Just continue to strive to maintain good balance. Take time to do things I enjoy. Go on vacation. Spending time with family. Going to some cool live sporting events and concerts. Just enjoying all the good things that my career and my success allow me to enjoy.'
Are There More Double Bags in His Future?
With just a few months until the World Series of Poker gets underway, we were curious to know if Leah was intent on keeping an intense schedule like in years past.
'The WSOP for me basically it's just one continuous thing. As soon as I bust one event, I'm jumping in the next. I'll probably be doing some multi-tabling at the start and throughout the series. If I'm in the hunt for Player of the Year, I'll play a little bit more but there isn't much of a change because I basically play everything anyway.'
Maintaining such a large schedule for seven weeks has got to be daunting, but Leah says he just doesn't think about it.
'My biggest challenge at the WSOP is to not think ahead and not think about the schedule. I like to focus fully on what I'm playing because there's always some event coming up that I'm excited to play and that can be distracting.'
Whether he's a grinder or not, what we see is Leah focused and working hard. And it won't surprise us one bit, to see him double bagging come June.
Tags
Mike LeahRelated Players
Mike Leah
Canadian pro Mike Leah has spent the last five years tearing up the tournament circuit and proving he is one of the best online players in the world.
The Innisfil, Ontario resident is currently tied for the most Full Tilt Online Poker Series (FTOPS) wins with four and in 2011, he finished third in the World Championship of Online Poker (WCOOP) main event for $663,816. In total, he has won approximately $2.5 million in online tournaments.
Leah's also on a bit of a hot streak when it comes to live tournaments as well. In 2013, he made three World Series of Poker final tables and in January, he won a $5,000 prelim event at the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure for $119,770. A month later, he took down a $1,000 event at the Fallsview Poker Classic for another $107,084 and most recently, he won two WSOP Circuit rings in the same day at the Winnin' O' The Green in Los Angeles. The Team Ivey Pro now has over $2 million in live earnings.
Card Player caught up with Leah to discuss how he splits he time between live and online tournaments and how he became proficient in mixed games.
Julio Rodriguez: In 2009, you cashed 25 times, made nine final tables, won three titles and earned almost $700,000 playing live tournaments, finishing in 11th place in the Card Player Player of the Year race. Then you kind of pulled back a bit on live tournament to focus on online events.
Mike Leah: I left my career in September of 2008, so 2009 was really my first full year on the tournament circuit. I really wanted to test myself, so I set a goal to win Player of the Year and traveled nonstop. In the last few years, however, I've gotten to a point where I'm more secure financially and I know that I'm going to be playing for many years, so I'm trying to find a balance between work and my personal life. I've been taking some time off and enjoying friends and family.
JR: Living in Canada, you can continue to play both live and online. How would you say you split your time between the two?
ML: I'd say I split my time about 50/50 these days. I only play online on Sundays or if its part of a big series. I never grind online from Monday to Saturday unless I'm playing in an FTOPS, SCOOP, WCOOP or something like that. When picking a live event, other than WSOP events, I'm looking for convenience along with big fields and big prize pools. For instance, I just played in a WSOP Circuit stop at the Bike because I was already going to be in Los Angeles for the L.A. Poker Classic. I try to keep it to just one poker trip per month.
JR: Most U.S. poker players haven't been on PokerStars or Full Tilt since Black Friday. What changes, if any, have you seen in the traffic and competition?
ML: PokerStars is basically back to what it was like before Black Friday. The competition is probably a little bit tougher because we lost all of the recreational players from the U.S. while the better players relocated to keep playing. Also, the players are just that much better at no-limit hold'em all over the world. Full Tilt is still recovering. The volume isn't what it used to be, so I really only open it during a big series, which is great for me because I love playing all of the different games and variations. The start times are now a little bit earlier to accommodate European players, but it's not too bad having to get up at 10 a.m.
JR: Last summer at the WSOP, you took third in the $5,000 stud eight-or-better event, fifth in the $1,000 stud eight-or-better event and have other cashes in pot-limit Omaha, Omaha eight-or-better and stud. When did you begin playing games other than no-limit hold'em?
ML: When I started playing these online series tournaments, I jumped into all of the tournaments, even the ones that weren't no-limit hold'em. I've always learned by doing, so over time, I got better and then really focused on becoming great. A few years ago, I started to play the mixed game events at the WSOP and every year since I feel that I have gotten better by about 100 percent. Now I feel like I'm not giving up anything in these events. In fact, I feel like I have a pretty good edge.
JR: Where do you find your edge? Is it against mixed game players who don't regularly play tournaments, or tournament players who don't regularly play mixed games?
ML: It's a combination of both. For example, in a stud eight-or-better tournament, I think I'm going to have a big edge over tournament specialists that don't normally play the game. However, I also think I have an edge over stud specialists who don't normally play the game in a tournament setting. I've got the best of both worlds.
JR: Do you ever take these mixed games skills into cash games or do you stick to tournaments exclusively?
ML: I've dabbled in high-stakes mixed games online. Again, I try not to play too much when I'm at home and there isn't a series going on, but if I'm bored and have nothing to do, I'll jump in. Sometimes when I'm in Atlantic City or Los Angeles, I'll even play the live mixed games at $100-$200 or even $500-$1,000 if I sell some action. I think I can play with anyone, so that allows me to be flexible when it comes to picking a game.
JR: You've played in tournaments with $50,000 buy-ins. How hard is it to stay on top of your game in a $300 tournament?
ML: I play better when I'm motivated. I set goals and then I work hard to achieve them. For me, it's about pride, because I know if I do well then the money will take care of itself. Whether it was sports, my sales career or poker, I always tried to treat everything the same way. I'm never going to wear a WSOP Circuit ring or one of my FTOPS jerseys, but they are good reminders of what I'm playing for. If I didn't have those goals, I might have trouble getting up for a $300 event. I think I play at my best when things are meaningful for me, even if it's not for monetary reasons. It would be easy to play on autopilot in a smaller buy-in tournament if I didn't have that pride.
JR: The average poker player is better today than they've ever been in the history of poker. What are your thoughts on the learning curve and what kind of longevity you expect to have in the game?
ML: There are so many decisions and so many ways to play a hand on each and every street, that I don't think that the game will ever be even close to solvable. As good as everyone has become, the game will always evolve and the best players will adapt in order to take advantage of it. You look at some of the big winners from ten years ago and many are gone. The longer you stay in the game, the more experience you can draw from to make the best decisions possible and the people who work the hardest will be rewarded with a long career.
Mike Leah Poker Drama
You can follow Leah on Twitter @goleafsgoeh
