Live Poker No Match For Online Says Josh Brikis

US pro Josh “brikdog24” Brikis is a well respected member of the poker playing community, having earned $1,287,069 from live tournaments, as well as a further $713,942 playing online.
Brikis is also well known for finishing 55th in the 2010 WSOP Main Event for $138,285, and so any thoughts he may have concerning the state of poker in the US post-Black Friday carry a certain amount of weight.
Therefore, it was interesting to read a recent article he posted entitled ‘The Reality of the Online Poker Shutdown/FTP/Stars’ in which he said he felt compelled to share his views after itching to play a session on PokerStars in a land where online poker is banned.
Due to family commitments, however, Josh Brikis doesn’t feel he has the option of moving elsewhere that some of his fellow pros have jumped at, such as Justin “ZeeJustin” Bonomo, Phil Galfond, Vanessa Selbst, Jon Aguiar, Mike “MeleaB” Brooks, Olivier Busquet, and Cole South.
Contemplating the exodus of scores of pros from the States, Josh Brikis commented:
“It isn’t that I am surprised by this at all but it is more sad than anything else that it really has come to this. We are supposed to be “The Land of the Free” but yet multiple hard working successful poker players that rely on online poker to pay their bills, are moving to other countries!”
Despite still having the option to play live at casinos, Josh Brikis echoes the thoughts of other pros, such as Bryan Devonshire, who wrote:
“I’m driving to Vegas now. It’s depressing to have to commute for hours, get there, wait on a list and then play 1/15 of the hands I would normally play online.”
In other words, playing live doesn’t present the same opportunities to ‘grinders’ that online poker did, and as Brikis explains:
“The live circuit is not cheap and it is way different than online…a lot of winning players can’t quite afford to travel and play the live circuit.”
This year, for instance, Josh Brikis has earned $51,933 on the live poker circuit which, after expenses, taxes and time away from his family are deducted, makes for a much less appealing prospect.
Turning his attention to the future, Brikis concludes by expressing the hope that online poker may one day return to the USA, and commented:
“As all of us do, I hope someday soon online poker is back in full swing, even though I don’t miss most things about it, I do miss the freedom to play when I want and that outside shot of one day getting sponsored.”


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