2013 WSOP Champion Ryan Riess Shares Insights on Poker Career and 888poker Ride

Ryan Riess, known as "The Beast," made a significant impact on the poker world when he won the 2013 WSOP Main Event, his first major poker tournament. With close to $17 million in live winnings, Riess has established himself as a formidable player in the poker community.

Riess's journey to the top began shortly after graduating from college in December 2012. Just a few months later, he found himself at the WSOP Main Event, a tournament he won despite being a newcomer. Reflecting on his win, Riess mentioned that he felt confident and believed he was the best player at his table. This confidence, coupled with a bit of luck, helped him secure the victory.

When it comes to his approach to poker, Riess believes in taking stakes out of the equation. He approaches every game as if it were a local $2/$5 game, focusing on strategy rather than the monetary aspect. This mindset has allowed him to excel in high-roller tournaments and play against some of the best players in the world. Riess also has different strategies for big buy-in tournaments and large-field, smaller buy-in events. For the former, he adopts a very Game Theory Optimal (GTO), computer-like approach, while the latter require adjusting to opponents and making plays that will yield the most chips at that moment.