It’s not easy being Matt papamat25Iles (pictured), who took second place in the PokerStars Sunday 500 earlier this month for $50,000. “It feels great,” Iles told PocketFives. “It’s always one of the toughest fields of the week, so any time you are able to make a run in it is an accomplishment in itself.”

TyRusTwon the Sunday 500 that week and four other members of PocketFives made the final table. “I think everyone played really well at the final table,” Iles surveyed. “ImaLuckSac was the person whom I noticed first when we reached the final table and he plays so well. I was lucky to be seated to his direct left so he couldn’t make it too hard on me.”

Kevin MacPhee, aka ImaLuckSac, is a European Poker Tour champion whose live winnings are north of $3.4 million. “I’m assuming that some of the players, myself included, weren’t looking to take as many marginal spots against a player of his caliber,” Iles said of how others approached MacPhee at the Sunday 500 final table.

He plans to put aside a “large chunk” of the money toward savings because, as he put it, “Downswings are a real thing in this profession. I’m sure I’ll find something small to treat myself to, though.” He is originally from New Jersey in the United States and spent time in Amsterdam with Bryan bparis Paris, who backs him. When we caught up with Iles, he was camped out in Canada.

In 2008, Iles won the Full Tilt $1K Mondaytwice in three months for almost $200,000 total. “It was the very beginning of my professional poker career,” Iles said. “I was grinding pretty small-stakes at the time and randomly played a $26 satellite for the $1K Monday and was fortunate to win the seat. I considered unregistering from the $1K and taking the tournament dollars because I knew I would be a huge underdog in a field of the best online MTT players. I also didn’t think I’d ever get the chance to play such a large tournament again since I was a small-stakes grinder, so I took a chance and somehow won it.”

He added, “As a result, I went from a very small bankroll to over a $100,000 bankroll overnight, so I started playing the highest stakes MTTs from there on. I know I was very lucky to be in the position I was in, so I started studying the game and taking it more seriously. The second win was the same as the first in regards to me being outmatched by the majority of the field. I was very fortunate to run as well as I did.”

Iles has almost $3 million in online tournament scores to his credit along with another $258,000 in live events. “This year, I think I’m going to try to play more live tournaments than I have in the past. I really enjoyed my time in Europe and am itching to go back. I think I’m going to play a few of the EPTs there and then gear up for the long six weeks of the WSOP.”

Outside of poker, Iles is a big fan of the outdoors and enjoys fishing and camping with his father. He explained, “I’m into horseshoes and bonfires, just your typical South Jersey stuff.”

He closed by saying, “I’m lucky to have been able to make a career out of a game that I have such a passion for. It’s truly a blessing to be able to live out my dream.” He has been a member of PocketFives for the last seven years and is well-known online as I Pay Ur Rent.

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