Earlier this month, Zachary HustlerGruneGruneberg (pictured) was part of a four-way chop of the PokerStars Sunday Warm-Up for $47,000. More so than the money, a chop in one of the biggest tournaments of the week marked another milestone in his courageous journey from the depths of addiction.

PocketFives: Thank you for joining us. Talk about your four-way chop of the Warm-Up.

Zachary Gruneberg: The chop was interesting because I had no room to make plays in the final two tables of the tournament. I was constantly short-stacked and, even with five left, the other players proposed we look at a deal and someone said no. After discussing, a deal was denied, I doubled up, and people asked to look at the numbers again.

How the numbers worked out was that I was guaranteed third place money playing or second place money if I won. I really like making deals and chopping because it’s +Life EV. You go from an extremely stressful and tense situation with huge pay jumps to a straight victory in my book.

We chopped it up and I ended up getting fourth. I would’ve busted the same way regardless, so I profited $17,000 on the deal. Needless to say, I was happy.

PocketFives: Do you have any plans for the money besides building your bankroll?

Zachary Gruneberg: My life has been an insane roller coaster the past few years. I celebrated one year of being sober two days ago. Last February, I was in rehab, going nowhere, dead broke, and on the verge of death. I went to the WSOP last summer and final tabled three No Limit Hold’em events with giant fields. To get everything back I lost, be back in the game I love, and have my amazing new girlfriend, Princess Hustler, life couldn’t be better. I am all about the steady build.

PocketFives: What was the motivation to get sober and how did that happen?

Zachary Gruneberg: The problem with addiction is it’s so mind-warping that while you’re in it, you think everything is amazing and you don’t have the same problems everyone else does. Your mind plays tricks on you to keep you getting high and doing terrible things you never imagined you would.

For me, it took my family and friends intervening and, on top of that, a rock-bottom moment that hit me like a freight train. For the first time during that rock-bottom, I was like, “I need to stop this. I am out of control. I am going to die or end up in prison.” It was my second rehab. I attempted one year prior to that to get clean, but thought I could drink again because I had an opiate addiction. I didn’t understand how addiction works. Looking back, I needed that self-discovery to stay clean this time around, so everything happens for a reason.

If you are struggling with any type of addiction, seek help. It’s not weak to reach out and ask for it. That’s one of the biggest problems for someone in addiction: to admit they need help. They view it as weak when, in reality, it’s the strongest, most courageous thing you can do. You are worth it. Don’t give up on yourself.

PocketFives: Thank you for sharing your story. You final tabled the WSOP Monster Stack event last year. What were your thoughts on it?

Zachary Gruneberg: The Monster Stack was one of the most absurd things I have ever witnessed. There were still flights launching at like Midnight. I might be biased, but I am pretty sure everyone loved the event and it makes sense because you get so much more play for your buck. It definitely favors the good players. Even still, it’s tough to navigate a field of 8,000 players. I know they are doing it this year, but I am pretty sure they finally figured out a better way to do the flights and get all of the players in there that doesn’t involve flights launching in the middle of the night.

PocketFives: You’re about to hit $3 million in scores in your PocketFives profile. Did you think you’d have that kind of longevity when you started?

Zachary Gruneberg: That’s crazy. When I first started playing poker with my friends growing up in the classic $0.25/$0.50 home games, I knew I wanted to be a professional poker player. I made that a goal, as I poured hours and hours into the game trying to get better every day. Teachers in high school told me it was a pipe dream and I would never make it. The haters hated.

People told me I would never meet a single good person in the “gambling world.” I am happy and proud to say I met some of the best people in my entire life from being involved in poker, people I am happy to call my best friends. I am grateful every day that I’ve been able to find continued success in the game I love. That’s the nuts right there.

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