Talal Shakerchi on his One Drop Participation

Talal Shakerchi is one of the ‘amateur’ players who registered in the Big One for One Drop Tournament. Although Shakerchi could hardly be defined as an amateur player because he has a decent amount of experience under his belt, he is not the professional in the strict sense either, as poker is not his job.

During his interview with Rikard, Talal was still playing in the One Drop and actually explained what his day job of a hedge fund manager entails. He also admitted that this is the one tournament that he really looks forward to, as it is high buyin, with many great players many of whom are fully or partially backed which, in his eyes, creates added pressure for them.

There is a wrong perception, in his opinion, that the One Drop is a soft tournament, full of amateur businessmen, but the truth is that everyone who enters the event is at least a decent player. There is also the matter of a huge buyin, which can put additional pressure on the pros, as it might be very important for them to cash in this one, while for many businessmen competing in this one, the financial component is not as emphasized.

Shakerchi talked briefly about his poker background, how he started with the game and what are his preferences when he sits down to play. He has also become friends with several high-rollers through his poker efforts, and he enjoys the particular way of joking and relaxed atmosphere that populates high buyin tables.

Unfortunately, Shakerchi was eliminated from the One Drop early on the Day 2, so he will not be adding the $15 million first place to his lifetime earnings, but judging by his demeanor in this interview, he should not be particularly fazed by the elimination.