For greater than a decade, Jason Koon has been a fixture on the pinnacle of high-stakes poker. He’s racked up tens of hundreds of thousands in earnings, a spot excessive on the All-Time Cash Record, and the respect of friends throughout the globe.
However after almost 20 years of chasing each edge the sport needed to supply, Koon is not within the relentless grind.
Nonetheless an Ambassador for the Triton Tremendous Excessive Curler Collection and PokerStars, he’s not stepping away, he’s stepping ahead with readability, function, and a unique form of edge. One which’s outlined not by quantity, however by intention.
“I am not calling it my final tour,” he advised PokerNews. “However I wish to deal with it like it’s. I wish to be excited to play, and I wish to have a little bit humility and in addition a little bit appreciation for what I’ve bought to do for the final 18 years.”
Koon remains to be competing on the highest stage, however with a deeper consciousness of the bodily and emotional toll. Time away from his spouse, Bianca, and their two younger sons weighs heavier now. And with that comes a non-negotiable rule.
“I am by no means going to go every week with out my household. No matter what I’ve to spend on journey, they’re coming with me. If it is over every week, they’re coming with me.”
He’s additionally doing one thing virtually unthinkable for a top-tier professional: selecting to play much less.
“Every time I do play, I am going to have extra intention. That is one thing that is very massive to me. At this stage in my life, at any time when I sit down, I wish to be intentional about being the perfect that I will be that day. Simply being much less hooked up to issues and simply total having fun with myself extra.
“After I present up, I hope that you just see me at my greatest.”
Precision, Presence, and the Enterprise of Poker
As of late, Koon is extra selective about the place and when he performs, not as a result of his aggressive drive has waned, however as a result of the stakes now carry greater than monetary weight.
“For me, desensitized is not the best phrase. Since I bought with my spouse, I realised I can not simply be flinging cash round all over the place. Constructing wealth has been a extremely massive deal to me. So [playing poker] has grow to be a enterprise that my spouse and I’ve grow to be very environment friendly at operating.
“Now we have giant information units to grasp the swings of the sport. Now we have all the pieces budgeted all the way down to a dime. We all know how I must method each certainly one of these tournaments. That manner it is not me sitting down and placing my bankroll on the desk and letting it rip.”
“There are only a few poker gamers who’ve generational wealth, and it takes a ton of self-discipline and arduous work”
Expertise is important. However Koon believes long-term success — actual, generational wealth — requires one thing far much less widespread in poker: operational self-discipline.
“There are only a few poker gamers who’ve generational wealth, and it takes a ton of self-discipline and arduous work. There are a ton of gifted individuals who play poker, however most of them are fairly unhealthy at operating a enterprise. It is advisable be equally good at operating a enterprise if you wish to have wealth.
“So I am very delicate to what these stakes are, and I am listening to each greenback. However with all the pieces I’ve completed financially and mentally to organize, whether or not it is a $1 or a $1,000,000 buy-in match, I will play as if it had been the identical.”
That preparation isn’t simply monetary. It’s additionally about psychological readability and the significance of staying current, avoiding ego, and defending his freedom on the desk.
“In case you have a look at edges, the perimeters are small on the highest stakes. There are such a lot of unimaginable poker gamers, and indifference will be the most important consider somebody enjoying their C recreation or their A recreation.
“In case you see an individual who’s sitting there, form of over it, not desirous to be there. Even when they’re essentially the most gifted poker participant on this planet, I might moderately be the man who’s within the zone, having enjoyable and desirous to win. That battle of it mattering sufficient is essential to me.”
Defending the Sport
That focus additionally fuels his advocacy for a cleaner, safer recreation. Koon has grow to be more and more vocal about poker’s must evolve, particularly within the face of quickly advancing dishonest expertise.
“I feel we’re seeing some issues. We’re seeing the pitch be modified on the EPT, we’re seeing telephones being put in a lock field at Triton. There’s some stuff occurring.
PokerStars Pronounces Sport Integrity Rule Modifications
“Folks do not perceive how good the tech is now. There was a ton of very high-level dishonest in non-public money video games. Folks cowl that stuff up as a result of they do not need their recreation to die, or they do not need others to suppose their recreation is being cheated. I might like to see implementations are available in earlier than we be taught the arduous manner. I fear that it is going to take an occasion of an individual having RTA in a pair of sun shades for one thing to drastically change.”
“And anyplace there’s some huge cash to be made, there’s going to be dishonest, and the dishonest goes to be superior”
“It is not essentially about being paranoid, however it’s essential to assume that if there is a chance of it occurring, somebody’s going to try to do it. And anyplace there’s some huge cash to be made, there’s going to be dishonest, and the dishonest goes to be superior.”
Legacy, Household, and What Comes Subsequent
As of late, the hours away from the desk are sometimes those that matter most to Koon. His sons — now three and a half and virtually two — are on the heart of his world.
“My boys are three and a half and 22 months outdated. Somewhat than protecting a journal, I have been writing them an electronic mail daily of what is occurring in my life. So in 16 years, I’ll give them the e-mail addresses. It is a good manner for me to test in with my boys and in addition form of get some stuff off my chest.”
He isn’t chasing bracelets or rankings — simply excellence, peace of thoughts, and time nicely spent.
“At this level, I feel that the cash will stack up for me, even when my quantity is manner decrease, if I am simply coming in and simply giving it my all. And I can not try this if I play daily, it is unattainable. And I might go nuts as nicely!”
“I will be turning 40 in August, in order that’s form of a wild quantity. I can not imagine it. I nonetheless really feel like a child.”
“…there’s not a lot I would like modified in my life. My life is ideal”
With an eye fixed on the World Collection of Poker, which will get underway subsequent week, Koon is already dreaming of mid-July, when he can hopefully get pleasure from some relaxation after a pivotal few months of poker.
“That point of the 12 months is actually nice as a result of I’ve put within the work, and the WSOP is coming to an finish, so I am going to be capable of take a month and simply get outdoors with my youngsters. We will attempt to go up within the mountains, in all probability in Tahoe, and spend most of July there.”
However earlier than then, there’s the small matter of the WSOP, and generally the old-school poker participant shines by means of.
“Profitable a bracelet can be nice. To win the $250,000 [bracelet] can be fairly candy. However there’s not a lot I would like modified in my life. My life is ideal.”
Photos courtesy of Triton Tremendous Excessive Curler Collection
Will Shillibier
Managing Editor
He graduated from the College of Kent in 2017 with a B.A. in German. He additionally holds an NCTJ Diploma in Sports activities Journalism.
