Mike Teixeira took a trip up from Boston to claim his free seat for the Montreal Main Event from ClubWPT and he joined a field of qualifiers that included a Magic: The Gathering pro who won a shot on his very first try.
"The experience has been great," Teixeira said just before he sat down on Day 1C. "The staff has been very friendly and it’s been a great experience here at the tournament."
Teixeira outlasted 1,236 players in his satellite to claim the seat at WPT Montreal. He's been a member of the site for 16 years and he plays often. The American traveled from Boston to claim his prize at Playground Poker Club.
"I’m just trying to stay calm and pick my spots," Teixeira said before sitting down to play. "’I'm looking forward to enjoying the experience."
Teixeira couldn't find a bag for Day 2, but he'll be back on WPT Global in no time to win his way back.
First time a charm on WPT Global for Magic: TG pro
ClubWPT isn't the only way for players to pick up a seat to a Main Event, as Patrick Wu found out when he won his seat in his very first online tournament.
Wu — a brand new poker player — qualified for his spot in the WPT Montreal Championship on WPT Global.
He says he is not a poker player, yet, but Wu comes to poker from the Magic: The Gathering community — a common gateway drug, so it feels like it's only a matter of time. He started playing the popular card game in 2018 and a drive to be great at it has led him to the pro tour, where he will play at MagicCon in Amsterdam at the end of June.
As for Wu's poker resume, the satellite was his fourth online event, and the first with a real buy-in. His previous attempts were with the tournament tickets that WPT Global provides when you sign up. His live resume is just as thin — he's only played in small cash games with friends — but he has developed a love for learning the game from his friend, WPT Champions Club member Eliot Hudon.
"I think I've always been passionate about poker. One of my friends (Hudon) is really good and I always try to watch him play and try to learn from him," Wu said an an interview with PokerOrg during the WPT Montreal series.
Wu says he loses when he plays casual games with friends, but it's the price of learning.
"I wouldn’t say I’m completely focused on poker yet because of Magic. I do want to apply myself a lot more after this experience in Montreal. The passion is there now. It hit a spark and I know in the upcoming months I need to get my hands dirty and I need to play."
'This is only the beginning'
Wu didn't plan on playing in the satellite, but he was out with friends before he missed the opportunity to register for the WPT Global Prime Championship. He saw that late registration was still open for the Montreal satellite and jumped in.
It went well for Wu. A combination of luck and instinct, he says. Wu took down the tournament and earned a trip to Playground Poker Club for the Main Event.
"I know that when I focus on something and I’m really passionate about it, eventually I can get to a point where I can become a great player. This is not something that I am going to be able to learn in a few months. It will probably take a least two or three years for me to get good.
"I want to prove to myself that I can eventually be a top competitor. I think that is an advantage because I don’t have the handicap of focusing on the money and thinking about how I have to win."
Images courtesy of World Poker Tour/Enrique Malfavon and Meghan Wolfe
