For over a month, a particular giveaway was held between the PokerNews Podcast and Life Exterior Poker with Connor Richards. Over the course of six episodes, code phrases have been dispersed that spelled out a code phrase – NAPT Women Occasion Champ Kyna Cool – and final weekend listeners had the prospect to submit that phrase for an opportunity to win a $10,000 Gold Go to the upcoming PokerStars NAPT Las Vegas at Resorts World from Nov. 1-10.
In final week’s episode of the PokerNews Podcast, hosts Mike Holtz, Kyna England, and Chad Holloway randomly chosen a winner – 35-year-old Luis Rivera from Houston, Texas.
When requested how he realized in regards to the giveaway, Rivera defined: “I had jumped onto PokerNews to listen to extra in regards to the Nick Vertucci incident on HCL and observed a banner that was displaying the giveaway. I believed to myself, ‘Hell, it may well’t harm to attempt.’ Boy, am I glad I did!”
Initially from Oviedo, Florida, and the oldest of three kids, he has a sister Ashley (33), and my little brother Joey (30), Rivera has all the time had a love for computer systems and in the end made that his profession.
“I obtained my foot within the door with Finest Purchase working customer support, transitioned into working at Geek Squad fixing PCs/laptops and so on., then used that as a stepping stone to finally get right into a software program firm,” he defined.
As for poker, Rivera found it like so many others – on TV!
“I began watching Poker After Darkish means again when. I instantly fell in love with the sport from each the social and psychological features of it and determined, that is what I wish to do! I realized by shedding over and time and again taking part in $0.02/$0.05 on each PokerStars and Full Tilt. I did not let the losses get to me, as I knew it was a part of studying the sport so I trucked on by way of it and over time have actually gotten a lot better on the sport.”
Primarily a web-based grinder, together with on World Poker, the NAPT Las Vegas will solely be Rivera’s second reside event expertise. He doesn’t actually have a Hendon Mob profile, not but anyway!
“Final 12 months I gained a web-based satellite tv for pc into the Irish Open Predominant Occasion. It was unbelievable. The individuals have been so down-to-earth, the beer was wonderful, and the occasion was run spectacularly! It was the most important occasion I had been in (€1,150) and it was fairly the expertise. I made it into Day 2, which was my objective from the start, I did not money, sadly, however I loved each minute of it. It was the primary reside poker setting I had ever participated in. This would be the second, and I can not assist however suppose that it helped put together me for this!”
Exterior of poker, Rivera enjoys video modifying/content material creation.
“Computer systems are nice and all however nothing beats the satisfaction of lastly importing a video I have been engaged on for weeks. I additionally actually take pleasure in video video games, particularly difficult ones just like the Darkish Souls sequence.”
He added: “Studying is an enormous ardour of mine as effectively, as I’m all the time hungry for data. I not too long ago learn The Refined Artwork of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson. It was extremely eye-opening and a e-book I feel completely everybody can profit from studying.”
For these desirous to study extra in regards to the PokerNews Podcast NAPT Gold Go winner, Rivera does have a small comedy-centric YouTube channel known as Blended Nuts. He has additionally been identified to stream poker on his Twitch channel.
PokerNews plans to meet up with Rivera in particular person after he makes his approach to Las Vegas, and you may relaxation assured we’ll be monitoring him in our reside updates of the $5,300 NAPT Predominant Occasion!
PR & Media Supervisor
