In the March 14th running of the $216 Full Tilt Poker $750,000 Guaranteed, longtime PocketFives.com member Alex Assassinato Fitzgerald (pictured at right) reached the final table, taking third place for $55,000. Ultimately, the high-stakes Sunday Major was chopped heads-up, with Full Tilt Poker members -zoopreme- and brsavage banking $116,000 and $109,000, respectively. Following the largest online poker cash of his career, Fitzgerald sat down with PocketFives.com.

PocketFives.com: Congratulations on taking third in the Full Tilt Poker $750,000 Guaranteed. Tell me how this cash stacks up to others in your career.

Alex Fitzgerald: When I took fifth in the PokerStars Sunday Million, it was for about the same amount. I'm kind of annoyed that I have missed a number of opportunities to have a $100,000+ cash online, but I've been fortunate enough to make good money, so I'm not complaining.

PocketFives.com: The $750,000 Guaranteed was chopped heads-up. Was there any talk of a chop three-handed?

Alex Fitzgerald: There was no talk of a chop three-handed. I probably would've declined anyway. I believed I was the best player left and I wanted to just win another major outright. I got the Second Chance win, but blew the Sunday Million and Sunday 500 final tables with the chip lead and, well, I guess I didn't win the $750,000 Guaranteed either. It's a stupid ego thing. The money is not as important anymore. I want outright wins.

PocketFives.com: Can you walk me through the tournament from your standpoint?

Alex Fitzgerald: Honestly, I can't remember a ton about the early stages. When I got deep, I called over my friends bukithepro, wbmustang, and Sidonis, along with some others, and started playing my best. I attacked because I was having fun, checking Holdem Manager stats, and working hard. I wanted to play a perfect tournament in front of my students. I got one-outed with 23 left for 30% of my chips, but then I ran K-3 of spades in a spewier play through J-J to get a gigantic stack. After that, I never really felt I slipped hard; I just had some coolers. brsavage played well and got rewarded. He’s always been nice to me, so I'm kind of glad he got my chips.

PocketFives.com: You’ve played in poker tournaments in countries like Ireland, the Philippines, Korea, Brazil, Costa Rica, France, Hungary, Poland, Italy, Uruguay, China, and Germany. Tell us about some of your recent trips.

Alex Fitzgerald: I just took my girlfriend to Copenhagen for the EPT. We came into Amsterdam for a few days and then went there. We had a good time, but she's from Costa Rica and I've been living on a beach there for a half-year, so the cold hit us hard. We went to Paris for a week and had a great time. After that, we went to Berlin for the EPT and then Cologne to see one of my former business partners. Right now, I'm planning a trip to the United States to teach some MTTers I've invested in. After about a week of that, I'm going to fly to San Remo (pictured at right) and Monte Carlo for the EPT. I'm hoping my girlfriend can come up for a week to see the Amalfi Coast. If not, I'll just fly back and chill in San Jose.

PocketFives.com: In your Well Post, you had mentioned that your relationship with your family was strained. Can you tell us about the current state of affairs with your family given your poker success?

Alex Fitzgerald: I left my house in high school because of my mother's problems. I moved out to a friend's garage and started grinding and going to high school. In a couple of years, I was doing really well online. My mother and I rebuilt our relationship and I thought she'd gotten much better. I got her a place to live, had plans to get some medical treatment she needed, and get her a job. I was excited. I came back home for Christmas this year and she had gone back to her old problems. I hope we work it out in the future, but it’s been years of this now.

My father and I are good now, but we've had our problems. I did an interview two years ago for what I was told was a small newspaper. I was at LAPT Uruguay and I answered the questions honestly. I said my Dad couldn't be around growing up and the money was important to me. Apparently, that small newspaper was Marie Claire Brazil and the article said my father abandoned me. My father remarried in Brazil and lives there. All of his friends read that. I felt really bad about that, but it got us talking again and we're good now. My sister and I are best friends and I love her so much. I was really lucky to have a good stepfather.

PocketFives.com: Who or what has been the biggest influence on your game?

Alex Fitzgerald: Faraz The-Toilet Jaka (pictured at left) probably had the greatest influence on my game. We went to a bunch of the EPTs and he's the professional everyone wants to be, but no one is. You can learn so much by watching how he conducts himself. He's very open to new ideas, but shows conviction when he makes a decision. Talking hands with him got me to go back to the aggressive way I used to play and helped me fill in the holes in my tournament theory. I feel really lucky to have spent so much time talking with a player so experienced and with such a good attitude.

PocketFives.com: You've been a contributing member of the community for four years now. How have you been able to maintain your intensity at the tables after all of these years?

Alex Fitzgerald: You have to have something to play for. I didn't have that forever and I was a really mediocre player and person. Now, I go harder because I want this to not be the only thing I want to do in my life. I still want to go to college and I'm interested in contributing more to the world before I die than some poker scores. I have people in my life who I have to support. I'm not screwing around anymore because of that. I have goals and that keeps me going, that keeps me hungry and learning and playing, and I think that's why I still beat these fields, now more than ever.

PocketFives.com: Is there anyone you’d like to send a shout out to?

Alex Fitzgerald: Shout out to all of my boys and my girlfriend. Oh, and Off Topic rules and a shout out to PokerPwnage.com.