On playing with the lead: “Coming into the final table I was just trying to stay focused. I knew I was in a great position. You know that anything can happen, but I was just trying to play my cards well, and try to hopefully run good, and it worked out pretty well.”

On playing a big hand against Stephen Song early: “Stephen was arguably one of the best players at the final table so I was not exactly looking to tangle with him, but you know if we got into certain situations that would have to happen. That was one of those spots. I was honestly happy to see A-K vs. A-K. I didn’t even want to get called by queens or something and then flip for 25 million pre[flop] there. But it worked out ok.”

On the first stretch of play at the final table: “I wanted to chip people down and just play small pots really. I wasn’t looking to play some big all ins, I was looking to just win the blinds a lot, and play post-flop. It was a great situation really for me and Stephen because we could just … when one of us folded the other one could open. Because there were so many short stacks in the middle that they really couldn’t do anything. They were just kind of handcuffed, so any marginal spots they had, they probably just had to fold.”

On still playing tournaments: “These days I just really play cash games really. I play maybe like ten tournaments a year anymore just in locations that I’m in. I still enjoy the rush of going deep, there’s no better feeling than going deep in a tournament, but cash games are where it’s at right now.”

On adjusting between cash games and tournaments: “It’s difficult to be honest, cash games are very different because it’s always deep stacks, and in tournaments it’s always changing. I’m definitely not a fish, but I feel a bit less confident in some certain situations than I did previously. But I can still hold my own with these guys.”

On where he decides to play a select few tournaments: “If I’m somewhere on holiday and there’s a big tournament there that’s not too far I will got out for that. But I don’t grind that tournament scene anymore.”

On playing at Seminole Hard Rock: “This is genuinely my favorite casino in the entire world. It just looks aesthetically amazing, great restaurants, I love to play the cash games here, and obviously the trophy is insane so I’m very happy.”

*denotes three-way deal