Gamers And The Next New Wave: Tyler ‘Ninja’ Blevins Leads The Way

A brand new rush of gamers has poured into the poker scene from social media influencers, YouTubers, and streaming gamer megastars who’ve launched their rabid followers to Texas maintain’em over the previous few years. Main that wave is the world’s primary Twitch streaming gamer, Tyler ‘Ninja’ Blevins, with a whopping 62 million followers throughout all social media platforms.

Blevins, or Ninja, as he’s extra generally known as, started his streaming profession enjoying for a number of esports groups in Halo competitions and gained mega-stardom when he segued to Fortnite Battle Royale in 2017.

In 2019, he was named one of many world’s 100 most influential folks by Time Journal, sharing the checklist with world leaders, tech pioneers, enterprise moguls, and different popular culture icons reminiscent of Girl Gaga and Taylor Swift.

So, after we say that Ninja was a really huge ‘get’ for poker, it’s an understatement.

Blevins first appeared on one in every of poker’s greatest phases, displaying off his uncooked sport in Hustler On line casino Reside’s particular high-stakes sport two years in the past with YouTubers (Jimmy ‘Mr. Beast’ Donaldson, Alexandra Botez, Felix ‘xQc’ Lengyel, and ‘Ludwig’ Ahgren), together with professionals Phil Hellmuth, Tom Dwan, and Alan Keating.

It stays one of many present’s most-watched video games ever, with over 1.4 million views. There have been additionally a number of viral clips from the episode, together with a second the place Ninja bought all of it in with pocket sevens towards Hellmuth’s pocket jacks. The Poker Brat flopped a set on a board of A-Ok-J, however Ninja bought the final snicker, actually in Hellmuth’s face, when the flip and river fell Q-10 for a chop.

The 2 would reunite for Nutcase Poker Evening on PokerGO, a money sport that additionally featured Jeff Gross, Dan Weinand, Nate Hill, and Steve Aoki. Hellmuth and Ninja largely prevented one another on that night time, nonetheless, each ending within the black.

Most not too long ago, Ninja was again at Hustler, this time dealing with off towards a lineup that boasted names like Instagram king Dan Bilzerian, NBA all-star Jimmy Butler, boxing champ Ryan Garcia, and soccer legend Neymar.

Card Participant caught up with Ninja to dive deeper into his newfound love for poker and his future within the sport when he’s not streaming Fortnite for thousands and thousands of followers.

Craig Tapscott: Let’s begin with a short introduction of your beginnings as a gamer. You’re the most effective on the earth, if not the perfect.

Tyler ‘Ninja’ Blevins: The tremendous brief model was my dad’s curiosity in video video games after we had been rising up. They had been simply in the home. I’d watch my dad play the primary Madden video video games and fell in love with them. My mother and father lastly let me play after I was sufficiently old, and I grew to become hooked.

I believe it’s protected to say that I used to be one of many pioneers of streaming. Rising up, I used to be obsessive about video video games, however there wasn’t a path to make it a profession. I simply liked the video games a lot.

The early path was scary. It’s like strolling on an invisible bridge, and with each step you’re taking, the following step seems, nevertheless it’s not there to start with. That’s type of what my streaming profession felt like when it started.

Whereas enjoying Halo, I used to be doing these LAN events, and everybody would carry over their Xbox and system hyperlink. I used to be enjoying towards my neighbors and my associates. That was the height of it after I was youthful, at about 13 years previous. I had no ambition to be an expert gamer. Such a factor didn’t even exist on the time, or a minimum of I didn’t realize it did. Quick ahead just a few years later, I realized of the present leagues and gaming with Halo 2 and Halo 3 occasions during which you can compete.

Tapscott: What did you like most in regards to the video games you had been competing in?

Ninja: The aggressive nature behind it. I used to be pushed to be higher than my brothers and higher than my associates and neighbors. That drove me to be good and put the time in.

I noticed that whoever had me on their staff, whether or not it was a event or a match, we’d win. We’d win by rather a lot. That was after I realized I used to be the perfect gamer in my neighborhood. I used to be 18 and began streaming Halo: Attain. That was the start of my streaming profession.

I had a mutual good friend who was the supervisor of this staff that I used to be on. We weren’t being paid or something like that. He had this concept that he needed to have his personal streaming platform and instructed I strive it. He thought I had nice vitality and was a enjoyable entertainer and will stream on Justin TV, which later turn out to be Twitch TV.

I began streaming and making actual cash when the partnership program got here out. That allowed me to generate income by means of adverts and subscriptions from individuals who liked the streaming platform.

Tapscott: When did you uncover poker and what drew you to the sport?

Ninja: It began when my brother Jon (BeardedBlevins) started watching a bunch of World Collection of Poker occasions on tv. He all the time performed poker along with his buddies. We even ended up spending $250 on genuine clay poker chips. We turned our foosball desk within the basement right into a poker desk.

We weren’t enjoying for cash then, however there was nonetheless the joys of bluffing. My coronary heart would beat out of my chest. That also hasn’t modified, by the way in which… when I attempt to pull off a bluff. However that’s the way it began.

Tapscott: When did you play your first actual huge sport for cash?

Ninja: I bought an invitation to a sport from Jimmy (Mr. Beast) and Ludwig. They requested me to play in a sport on the Hustler On line casino Reside stream. That was my first time at an precise sport ever, truthfully.

Tapscott: Wait, your first ever sport was that $100-$200 no-limit sport? The sport the place Mr. Beast straddled to $25,600? That’s loopy.

Ninja: Yeah, man, I had performed on-line a bit bit. I nonetheless have rather a lot to be taught, however you realize, that’s not going to cease me.

Tapscott: You had been pushed as a gamer with an obsession for being the perfect. How have you ever approached your examine of poker?

Ninja: That’s an important query, dude. I watch lots of the high gamers, however principally a whole lot of money video games. I wish to get the fundamentals down. I shortly realized all of the phrases and the poker language.

I used to be in an precise event with my brother-in-law as soon as and I didn’t know the entire poker etiquette. However l realized fairly quick. I’ve watched a whole lot of hours of poker now. I’m studying what arms are price moving into on, and so forth. I’m searching for robust arms with good place after I’m enjoying and making an attempt to be taught from higher gamers.

Tapscott: You had an notorious conflict with Phil Hellmuth throughout that first sport.

Ninja: I like watching Phil. He’s turn out to be a good friend. I look as much as him as properly with the arrogance he has in his sport. That’s one of the vital necessary belongings you want when enjoying poker. Daniel Negreanu can also be one in every of my favorites to observe; I like each of these guys and some OG’s like the-late Doyle Brunson and Phil Ivey. They make unbelievable reads on gamers on the desk. However I additionally take pleasure in watching Jason Koon on the tables. He’s extremely proficient. I additionally watch [YouTuber] Mariano on HCL, too. He’s a whole lot of enjoyable to observe.

Tapscott: What facet of the sport thrills you probably the most?

Ninja: There are such a lot of thoughts video games in poker. There’s a lot to be taught, and the ability hole is so excessive for me. That is without doubt one of the huge issues that’s drawn me towards the sport, a few of the psychology behind it. I’ve bought a lot to be taught, however I’m having fun with that journey up to now.

Tapscott: Your routine as a gamer/streamer caught in a chair for numerous hours needs to be arduous in your physique and thoughts. It’s one thing many poker gamers additionally wrestle with.

Ninja: It’s. It’s rather a lot totally different than anyone who creates content material for a few hours after which has stuff to publish for the following week.

Streaming generally is a very bodily demanding job within the sense you need to be there bodily. You may’t simply do an eight-hour stream with out actually being there for eight hours.

And if you happen to’re not exercising, you’re additionally not getting that psychological reset. To my credit score, I’ve been focusing much more on my psychological well being and my bodily well being as of late.

Tapscott: That’s nice. You latterly invested, alongside along with your good good friend Phil Hellmuth right into a wholesome cashew milk drink for {the marketplace} referred to as Nutcase. Are you able to share a bit bit about that?

Ninja: Positive. It’s a brilliant various for folks’s selections to remain wholesome and revel in a tasty, refreshing drink. I fell in love with the corporate as a result of the proprietor, Joelle, created such a improbable product.

It’s additionally interlinked with the poker neighborhood as a result of many gamers invested in it. I used to be impressed to go all in and make this as huge as attainable on my finish as an influencer. I additionally hope it grows my community of associates and connections within the poker neighborhood. Phil and I plan to do extra sponsored Nutcase video games and tournaments like a latest one we did on the PokerGO studio.

Tapscott: You’re so busy with folks pulling you in lots of instructions. I’m curious. What’s the most important facet of your life that you just’re drawn to pursue proper now that fulfills your passions?

Ninja: I wish to proceed to be true to myself when it comes to my streaming profession and as a constructive influencer in the neighborhood. I’ll discuss shit to the those who I’m enjoying towards typically and have enjoyable, however that’s so small within the grand scheme of issues.

I wish to keep true to my ethical compass for the neighborhood, my associates, and people who watch my stream. I don’t wish to get misplaced within the fame, and so forth. I’m continually humbling myself, staying in my lane, and having fun with what I do. That’s one in every of my short-term and long-term targets.

Tapscott: What about your poker sport? Don’t you wish to problem Hellmuth for probably the most WSOP bracelets?

Ninja: (laughs) If I had my method, I might wish to be wherever and in all places enjoying poker. I want to be in all of the video games as a lot as attainable. However the nearest on line casino to me is an hour and a half away, and the video games are tremendous small.

For now, I’ll proceed to observe poker as a lot as attainable to soak up and be taught extra. Jason Koon has supplied to provide me classes 1,000 occasions, and I might need to take him up on that.

Tapscott: I wouldn’t go up working with Jason. What expertise do you suppose you carry to poker out of your gaming experiences?

Ninja: I might say I’ve the power to be taught extremely shortly in an area that I’m new to. Once I actually love one thing and have a ardour for it, I’ll dedicate a lot of my time to shortly enhancing. And I’ve realized the power to adapt and transfer ahead during the last 20 years.

Tapscott: Because you’ve been concerned in some huge eSport and gaming productions through the years, what do you suppose poker must introduce extra folks to the sport?

Ninja: I believe you type of simply nailed it. I believe the simple factor is to dramatically up their manufacturing worth.

Let the gamers discuss extra, and let the enjoyable banter promote the stream and comparable stuff like that. There’s a huge window for the manufacturing worth to extend and be higher.

Additionally, I like stats and superb graphics. Poker ought to monitor extra stats. Let’s say Hellmuth is in a money sport and opens with 10 9. There might be tracked stats just like the PGA, MLB, NBA, and NFL do. For instance, right here’s the share of what number of occasions Hellmuth performs [suited connectors] and what number of occasions he’s gained with that hand. How typically has he needed to bluff, and so forth.? I like statistics like that. The extra the higher.

Poker is one in every of my favourite issues. I’m such a social individual and love the banter of an excellent poker sport. I’m certain folks will see me on the market on the tables earlier than later. We do plan to do one other Nutcase Poker Evening at PokerGO. Make sure you tune in! ♠