In this episode, Gene, Ben, and Bill sat down with John Cressend, a Nola native and a regular on the Gulf Coast tournament scene for over twenty years. John told us about how he got into poker, balancing tourneys with his day job as a certified public accountant, the tax implications of the Big Beautiful Bill, and the next time we might see his alter ego—the Butler—immaculately dressed and stacking chips.

1:00: Interview

• for more on the tax implications of the BBB: https://www.thinkingpoker.net/2026/01/episode-492-russ-fox/

In this in-person interview, Ben and Bill sit down with the Beau Rivage's cardroom manager Adam Nash to discuss how the first weekend of the Heater went—as you might have guessed, the Gulf South's biggest tournament series got off to a blazing start—and what to expect heading into the second weekend.

1:00: Interview

• Adam's Tebow speech: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/175M9PwCcM/

Having covered major Los Angeles sports for over 30 years, Eric Geller brings a wealth of experience—and plenty of stories—to the poker world. He currently reports for Gulf Coast Poker and covers tournaments across the Southern U.S. In this episode, Bill, Ben, and Gene have a wide-ranging conversation about Eric's background in both poker and the wide world of sports.

1:00 interview