'Momentum is key' – Can the Shannon Shorr heater continue at WSOP?

I enjoy all the price point events, like playing the smaller ones, battling against players I've never seen before, and trying to figure them out. 

The bottom line is I enjoy everything about the WSOP. I'm ready to show up and grind pretty hard.

When sitting down with unknown regs and recreationals, how do you approach getting a quick read on their play?

My main advice is to pay close attention to these opponents you've never seen before. You need to pay close attention to all the hands that are going on at your table. 

And it’s really important to do your best to feel out the energies of these players. Try to get a feel for their strategy because you may only see one showdown here or there, and it could be crucial to your decision-making. 

Especially if you will be playing the Main Event, you need to be in a position where you're very relaxed and ready to trust your instincts. The main event is such a game of exploits where you must trust your intuition and make the inevitable tough decisions. 

Shorr has three wins at the PokerGO Studio in 2025.

Antonio Abrego

What’s one key thing you do to be sure you’re paying attention at the tables?

I like to put my phone away. I put it literally in my bag, so it's out of reach. Otherwise, it's just too easy to get distracted. We all know how addicting the phones are these days. That’s the biggest one for me.

Do you do anything before the WSOP long days to prepare?

I try to dedicate an hour or two hours to doing stuff that's good for me mentally. This year, I've been doing a lot of cold plunges, neuroplasticity training, breath work, and that type of stuff.

That way, when I sit down at the table, I can handle those inevitable stressful moments. I think these things are pretty crucial to be prepared for the grind.

What event are you most looking forward to?

I like the Six-Max NLH events. I've tended to do pretty well in those. I've played that format online a lot, as well. Those events are my favorite.

What will be the big story at the WSOP this summer?

It is usually the case of someone having just an enormous summer series. This year I kind of hope to be that person. 

Who would it be if you had to pick a few fantasy picks for a WSOP team?

I don't follow the fantasy too closely because I don't play a lot of mixed games. But I'll go with (Daniel) Negreanu, Scott Seiver, and Yuri Dzivielevski. Then there are great players like Marco Johnson and Brian Rast, who always seem in the mix at the final tables. I'd comprise my lineup of those guys.

Who would you want to swap 5% with for the summer?

Stephen Chidwick.

What are a few of the positive changes you would like to see the WSOP make for the players this summer?

I'd love to see better food options brought in. It's just so hard to eat healthy around there. You're resigned to that food court, the kebab place outside, or rushing to Planet Hollywood to get Chipotle.

You could spend $100 to $150 at Nobu or the steakhouse. There’s not a whole lot of in-between. I would love it if something like that happened.

I feel like I'm a better version of myself. I'm sensing different dynamics of the game that I didn't previously.

 

You’re coming into the series with a lot of momentum and success so far this year. What is one thing you can look back on and say that contributed a lot to my success and outlook for 2025?

I did one year of alcohol sober, and I'm still mostly alcohol sober these days. That's been huge for me regarding my ability to execute at the tables. I feel like I'm a better version of myself and sensing different dynamics of the game that I didn't previously. So that's been a big part of it.

I also believe momentum is key. We see players go on massive runs when their confidence in their game is high.

Momentum is definitely a big thing in the tournament poker world. Mainly because when you're having big scores, you're not financially pressured, and you're free to make whichever decisions you want without any major repercussions versus if you're going straight down on a graph for a while.

It's really hard to trust yourself and make a big hero call on a spot or make an insane bluff when ten players are left, and you need that first-place score. 

That's not something I've had to deal with lately. I can just trust my decisions and go with them with no doubts. So yeah, it's been going really well. I hope it continues through the summer.

Hellmuth has stated that he’s out of the Main Event due to the long hours and days. Do you think he’ll change his mind?

It's an insane grind, especially for those who play a full summer. I've been telling myself this for 20 years, but I'm definitely going to slow down my action and not kill myself playing as many tournaments right before the Main Event.

If you've been playing poker for 60 hours a week for three or four weeks leading in, it will be hard to find discipline folds, hero calls, etc. I want to be more rested for this year's main event than in previous years.

It’s a very brutal few weeks of poker. But can Hellmuth sit out of the signature event?

I think Hellmuth will end up playing. I don't see a world where he would sit out the Main Event.

Follow Shannon on X and IG @ShannonShorr.

^{Images courtesy of Antonio Abrego/PokerGO.}