Interview: Shane "Shaniac" Schleger
Shane "Shaniac" Schleger is a poker professional who has recently
exploded onto the poker scene with much success in the tournament
world. He has appeared on ESPN because of his 5th place finish in a
2005 $1,000 rebuy event. This past February he won over $200,000 in
the $300 rebuy event at the Commerce Casino in Los Angeles. He is 28
years old and currently resides in Santa Monica, California. shane
shaniac schleger Shane "Shaniac" Schleger PokerTips.org: Where did you
grow up and when were you first introduced to poker? Shaniac: I grew
up in Manhattan, and was first introduced to poker when I was 22 at
Indian card rooms in New Mexico, but then I really got into it a few
years later when I met some NYC players. online poker 468x60 pt.o:
What year did you really start taking poker seriously? Shaniac: Well,
full time I've been playing for about 1.5 years, but I'd say I started
getting into it when this club in NYC called 'The Playstation' opened.
That was in April of 2002. pt.o: How did you get the nickname
"Shaniac"? Shaniac: Unrelated to poker, an old boss of mine when I was
a bike messenger used to call me 'Shaniac'. It's not like it really
'stuck' or anything, but when I opened my PokerStars account in 2003 I
thought it would make a suitable poker name. pt.o: What do you prefer-
online or live? Why? Shaniac: I like online for the day to day grind,
but there's nothing more exciting than being deep in a live event.
pt.o: What do you believe is your best accomplishment in the poker
world? Shaniac: Well it would have to be winning $220,000 in the $300
rebuy event at the Commerce Casino in L.A. this past February. But
before that, being on ESPN for finishing 5th in the $1,000 rebuy event
at the 2005 World Series of Poker was pretty awesome. pt.o: If you
could be as good as _____ for one week at tournament poker, who would
it be? Shaniac: Hmmm
well, I guess Phil Ivey would be an obvious
answer. Being David Pham, Allen Cunningham, or Barry Greenstein for a
week would also work just fine. pt.o: What do credit as the best help
in becoming a world class tournament player? Shaniac: I'm far from a
world class tournament player, but through mostly practice and
dedication I've become competent. I've always had a naturally
aggressive tendency, which I think is a decent foundation for
multi-table tournament play. pt.o: How much variance do you experience
with online MTTs? Do you have losing months? Shaniac: I've had some
losing months online for sure, and the variance associated with big
buy-in events is absolutely brutal. pt.o: Do you play cash games?
Which type? Shaniac: Rarely do I play cash games, but I do enjoy
short-handed limit holdem and some of the mixed games; I really should
focus my energy on becoming a cash game expert, but I guess I'm too
lazy to abandon what comes naturally for me. pt.o: Why do you feel
tournament poker naturally appeals to you? Shaniac: Partially because
it's where I first succeeded in poker. I found myself able to go deep
(and win a fair amount) in the $40+$30 rebuy tournaments at
Playstation while I still couldn't beat a 10/20 limit hold'em game. I
think at first, I viewed poker mostly as a gambling endeavor, and that
style worked well in those crapshoot-y rebuy events. Eventually, I had
to tone it down and actually learn to play poker, but a loose
aggressive style comes naturally to me. Another reason tournaments
appeal to me is that they have a clear beginning and end. The goal,
the finish line, is clearly defined. It requires less discipline in an
odd way and of course appeals to the action junkie in me. I like the
survival aspect of it, whereas most cash game pros find it loathsome.
pt.o: What's on your mp3 player during a tournament? Shaniac: The
usual stuff; some combination of hip hop, reggae, and Bob Dylan. pt.o:
What do you like to do away from the game of poker? Shaniac: Play
tennis, go to movies, go to restaurants, and shop. Nothing too out of
the ordinary. pt.o: What would you estimate as the median expectations
we will see out of you over the next five years in the poker world?
Shaniac: Who knows? For now, I'm happy just to be paying the bills and
getting better as a poker player. pt.o: What is your favorite casino?
Shaniac: Bellagio in Las Vegas, no question. pt.o: What is your
favorite online poker room? Shaniac: PokerStars pt.o: What are some
tips you can give our readers for MTTs? Any special tips you can give
for online MTTs? Shaniac: Nothing comes to mind as universally awesome
advice, so I'd say it all comes down to practice, study, and finding a
style that's your own. Gaining enough knowledge and experience to be a
confident player is the most you can hope to do.