Andrew Moreno has nearly twenty years of experience in the poker community - and it shows. The poker professional, originally from the midwest United States, was a cash game grinder before turning his focus to multi-table tournaments in 2021. It didn't take him long to find success in the tournament streets. Later that year, Moreno claimed victory in the $10,000 Wynn Millions, cashing for $1,460,106 - a career high score.
Moreno isn't the only member of his family with serious chops in the poker streets. His brother, Johnnie "Vibes" Moreno, is a professional poker player and content creator and he is married to Kristy Arnett Moreno, poker player and writer/filmmaker.
What’s one bit of essential prep you do before a big tournament or cash game session?
"Before any tournament I play, not necessarily a big or a small one, I review hands that I played in the previous event I competed in. I have already reviewed them, but I still run a simulation. Mainly because these hands are still fresh in my mind, but I'll talk to my coach about any hands I need to dig deeper into.
"This routine primes my mind to take me back to where I was when I played certain hands. I remember how I was feeling. I think about the kind of things that I thought about when the hand occurred. I want to be ready for what I will see at the tables over the coming days."
What piece of strategy advice did you get when you first started playing that you wish you had ignored?
"I don't think I was ever given much advice when I began playing.
"I started at a time when I had to kind of figure it all out on my own. The truth is I was always a lone wolf. When I started in poker, I was the first in my circle of friends to play. We didn't have forums, podcasts, or training software available.
"It was a very interesting time because I don't think anybody knew what they were doing. And I think I was ‘the right kind of bad’ in terms of being overly aggressive when I played. To be successful, you must be an aggressive player.
"But in terms of getting horrible advice, I don't think I got any advice from anyone."
What is the dumbest thing you've ever seen or done at the poker table?
"I've had some pretty wild hands, played pretty dumb by me.
"One of the dumbest things I probably have ever done at a poker table was playing a two-day session when I was buried. I was not playing well, and it was for a significant portion of my bankroll. That was very dumb. I ended up losing a substantial amount of money. I believe I did make a small comeback in the final 12 hours of the session, but it wasn’t good."
What's your most memorable hand?
"It was at the 2021 Wynn Millions Main Event, which I won. I bluff-caught with third pair on a four-straight and a three-flush board for my tournament life with two tables left.
"I just remember it was a huge moment for me in terms of my development as a poker player, to trust myself in a big spot. I had a very weak hand; I was willing to be wrong for an incredible amount of money."
What’s your single best piece of advice for poker players?
"My best advice for poker players is to stick to their strengths. Don’t get pulled into a game and try to be someone you're not.
"It's easy for people to feel like they're being taken advantage of at the tables. When that happens, some players will try to change their strategy, to be more aggressive or call down lighter, in situations they would never have before.
"Most people generally have a good idea of where their strengths are. Try your best to stick to those."
If you owned a poker room, who’s the first player you’d want to sign as an ambassador and why?
"Honestly, I'm a big fan of Rampage. I love what he's doing for poker. I think he's kind of what we need in poker right now. He's authentic, he’s transparent, he's a gambler, and he has a tenacity that I really, really like. I think he's the kind of guy who just does the right thing."
