The countdown to the 2025 WSOP starts here. 100 bracelets. All the poker players. And PokerOrg will be on the floor from start to finish.
Christina Gollins won her second WSOPC ring in LA last summer. This summer she wants a bracelet (or three). But can she get through this interview without an f-bomb penalty?
'Please fix the food situation!'
What changes do you want to see at this year's WSOP?
Please fix the food situation. Anything else other than baseball food! My message to the WSOP this year? Please, please have some better options than stale $20 hot dogs, pizzas and burgers. You're bringing me back to when I was at the cafeteria in middle school and these were the only options we had to survive. We are adults now.
Also, can we have shorter days and no dinner break? It would also be nice to have phone chargers on the table. Cup holders would be nice. Because we're just putting our drinks and food on the floor and then getting yelled at by the floor. And let's have a f**king station for the racks so that we're not getting yelled at for that as well.
There are so many things they can improve. Honestly, if nothing changes, I will be shocked and disappointed.
What are you most looking forward to this summer?
Hopefully, winning my first bracelet and funding the rest of my year [laughs]. I’m looking forward to getting back on the grind since I just took some time off. What better way to get back into it than at the Olympics of poker?
What do you think the biggest story will be at the WSOP?
Something crazy usually happens. I just hope that everything goes smoothly, and I hope the big news is about me winning three bracelets. I’m hoping the other big news is that a woman finally wins the WSOP Main Event.
How are you prepping this year?
A lot more meditation. More than anything, the WSOP is a patience game because of the long hours. You have to be patient, not just with the game but also with the setup and the environment. Your patience is being tested 100% of the time.
I will try to take more breaks between events versus just stacking my schedule to the max. At previous WSOPs I've played everything. There was no such thing as a day off. This year, I'm going to make a concerted effort to take a bit of a break between events.
Kristen Foxen just missed out on the Main Event final table in 2024. Gollins thinks she'll go one better in 2025.
'The WSOP Main Event is a different animal'
What lessons have you learned playing the Main Event?
The Main Event is a different animal. I always say this, and I never adjust, but this year, hopefully, I’ll be more patient. I struggle with patience. Everybody loves the longer levels except me. I like a shorter structure — it benefits my play a lot. I just get in my head that I want to build a big stack on Day 1. Last year, I bluffed it off in the Main. Patience is definitely the key for me.
Are you going to play any other events away from the Strip?
In the past, I've been trying for Player of the Year for women's events. I chased the highest buy-ins — the tournaments that aren't necessarily great value but give you the points. This year, I want to go for the best value instead. If there's a $200 tournament and a $2,000 tournament, but the $200 is going to get more players with more up top, I'm going to play that.
The secret is that you actually have to go off-Strip. You need to go to The Orleans and the Golden Nugget because their mains have a lower buy-in, and they get way more volume.
Quickfire round
Who are your three Fantasy WSOP picks?
Scott Stewart, Daniel Sepiol, and Daniel Negreanu.
Who would you choose to swap 5% with?
Jeremy Becker.
Who are your top three picks to make the Main Event final table?
Kristen Foxen, Maria Ho, and Scott Stewart.
Do you think Phil Hellmuth will play the Main Event?
Phil is slow-rolling everybody. He’ll come out half-naked in a Triton tracksuit and will definitely play the Main. The Main Event is where he makes his grand entrance, right? So, how does he say no to that? How does Phil say no to the attention?
The 2025 WSOP starts on May 26 and runs through until July 16, when the Main Event champion will be crowned.
