Mike Caro - Still Mad, Still a Genius at the 2006 WSOP

By Erik Sylven Jun 28, 2006 | 2 years ago

Mike Caro

He doesn't like to play tournaments, but he'll enter every single event at the 2006 WSOP. He thinks he's the best player in the world, but says that his chances of winning the Main Event are slim to none. Meet Mike Caro - "The Mad Genius of Poker." PokerListings.com caught up with this truly unique and very entertaining poker player just after he was knocked out of the $1,500 Pot-Limit Hold'em event.

You were eliminated early today, what happened?

I just didn't get any cards today, it was much worse yesterday. I usually don't tell bad beat stories, but now I have one that beats everyone else's. I had pocket 8's and flopped four-of-a-kind, but was beaten by a runner-runner straight flush.

What are your plans for the rest of the WSOP?

I'll probably play all events. Will it be tough? No, I don't think so. I'll probably enjoy it, because I don't play as much as I used to, and I very seldom play tournaments. In a tournament only one player gets penalized, and that's the winner. After taking away all those chips from all those players, you have to give most of it back to the players you already beat. Having said that, I will enjoy playing here at the WSOP.

What are your hopes for this year?

I have no hopes. I'm where I want to be - "The Mad Genius of Poker." That's what I want to be, I want to teach people how to play better. I've had a great career and I have done a lot of good, and I'd like to share my knowledge. That's why I have founded the Mike Caro University of Poker, Gambling and Life Strategy.

What's the most important thing you teach people?

The most important thing that I contributed to poker has to do with the psychological side of the game. When I wrote "Caro's Book of Tells" it was an unusual subject and an aspect of poker that hadn't been previously investigated. When you understand the psychology of poker you will certainly get an edge in the game. Besides that, I try to teach poker from a different angle. I've done all the research and I know what I'm talking about.

Do you still live up to your nickname - "The Mad Genius of Poker"?

I try to. I still make a lot of crazy plays. I am "The Mad Genius of Poker." These things come naturally to me. I like being on stage at the poker table, and I like trying to psychologically control a game. Sometimes it doesn't work. I never do it in a mean-spirited way; I never, ever insult players. I just think it is fun to explore that part of poker, but I also do it to win, of course. Poker is psychological warfare.

You said you have no hopes for this year's WSOP. But what do you think your chances are?

As I said, I don't play many tournaments, but if I played them I think I would do as well as anyone else in the world. But of course, a lot of other players feel the same way. With the fields being as large as they are today, you can go a long time without winning no matter how good you are. It's hard to prove yourself in a single tournament, and nowadays it's actually hard to prove yourself in the course of a single year.

Who will become World Champion of Poker 2006?

I predict that "The Mad Genius of Poker" will have a better chance of winning than any other player, but his odds are going to be somewhere around 2,500-to-1 against winning.