Walter Rodriguez, #1 Mexican at GPI 2019
Mexico is in the eye of all the poker playing American continent. After many attempts to legalise this sport for sharp minds and to be able to make tournaments complying with the Mexican law, Jubilee Casino finally got its victory. The first WSOP Circuit at Cintermex will undubitably revolutionize poker in our country.
Speaking of change, Mexico has been en route for it for a long time. One of the most important is the Global Poker Index (GPI), that after being left aside for years, with outdated names on the top 10, new faces started to appear.
We set out to find the player on the #1 position in the GPI Rank of Mexico. Walter Rodriguez a 28 year-old player fell in love with poker at 16 after watching Chris Ferguson playing the World Series of Poker on ESPN.
“I used to play online on PokerStars. At first, I only played freerolls that I turned into cents and then dollars, and then thousands,” he commented about his beginnings as a player. “I also gathered my friends and organized small weekly tournaments.”
Known on the virtual world as “walter_rod1”, the Mexican said that many of his mathematical strategies are thanks to constant practice.
Walter told us that poker is the hobby he has spent most of his time honing. Even though he has had other hobbies, poker is the one he enjoys the most. Lately, he’s come to see it as a second job, reaping what he has sown.
“I’m aware that family and happiness comes first and that it is the most important thing in life,” he shared with us when talking about his priorities.
WSOPMX: What is your biggest achievement?
WR: One of my most important achievements was the very first cash in that I made in a WSOP event back in 2016, when I got to the final table and finished seventh. I decided that the next year I would play the WSOP’s MAIN EVENT, and I managed to be on the cash by Day 4. It’s the only time I’ve played it, though later that year I finished second on the Oklahoma Circuit.
WSOPMX: Tell us about the experiences that have changed your gameplay.
WR: When people started telling me that poker was a vice, I decided to leave it for half a year to demonstrate to myslef that it wasn’t something I couldn’t live without and that I was in control. In the mean time, I started excercising and lost 20kgs (44lbs). After that, I went back to the game and that’s when winnings started raining on me. This has impacted my game positively because I learned that you mst be well physically and mentally to be successful in whatever you do.
WSOPMX: What do you think about this first circuit that will be held in Mexico and of poker in the country?
WR: I’m really happy that an international WSOP Circuit has finally been allowed in Monterry. Live poker hasn’t really grown as fast in Mexico as it has in other countries, only online following has grown, but when it comes to playing in person there hasn’t been any bg tournaments like in other American countries. I think that security is important to ensure the player’s confidence in Mexican tournaments, thanks to the recent history that our country has lived through. Little by little we can help a new poker wave sweep Mexico with the best players and ambiance of the world.
WSOPMX: Did you play the WSOP at Las Vegas this year? What are your future plans?
WR: This summer I was in Las Vegas playing the WSOP tournaments, this has been the mos fruitful year as of yet—I was at THE MARATHON and THE BIG 50. I also played on the Planet Hollywood tournaments where I got to a final table. I plan to keep playing circuits and maybe try again the WSOP’s MAIN EVENT the next year.
Walter has confirmed his assistance to the first circuit of the World Series of Poker in Mexico. We’ll be glad to have him on our tables, competing for the rings available. We wish him the best of luck!
By betting two or three percent on each wager, this disciplined approach
keeps the bankroll intact and prolongs the enjoyment that betting in your favorite team increases the die-hard fan. So the past records as well as
the current physical conditions of the players and in many cases understanding of team strategy are incredibly vital to make predicaments that win at the very
least some mentionable amount. But remember, intent behind every tournament is
usually to finish the sport with increased chips than your opponents once the tournament finishes.