PocketFives caught up with Vince PeoplesChamp Ciccotelli (pictured, ranked 29th in New Jersey), who is very into fitness as well as playing ice hockey when he is not playing poker online. A recent Rutgers graduate, he started getting into poker during the MoneyMaker boom and continues to play as a hobby.

With over $82,000 in tracked online cashes, some of his notable accomplishments include a win in the 888/WSOP $35,000 Guarantee Sunday Major and three wins in the network’s $10,000 Guarantee for a total of $20,359. Visit PocketFives’ New Jersey poker community for the latest news and discussion from New Jersey players.

PocketFives: Give us your thoughts and experiences of regulated online poker in New Jersey.

Vince Ciccotelli: Overall, I think it is awesome to live in New Jersey due to regulated online poker. Ideally, bigger fields and more tournaments would definitely be appealing, but it is interesting playing with the same people every night and really learning about their individual games and how to play against them. I was kind of late to the scene and have only been playing since last August, but my experiences have definitely been positive thus far.

PocketFives: How did you get started in poker originally? Why was it appealing?

Vince Ciccotelli: As I am sure most players say, I began playing poker around 2003 during the Moneymaker boom. Poker appealed to me instantly because I was fascinated with the thought and strategy involved along with the huge prize money being won at the WSOP for a card game. Initially, I wasn’t very good, which motivated me to watch the top players try and copy what they do. Eventually, I think I found my style.

PocketFives: What are your favorite New Jersey online poker sites to play and why?

Vince Ciccotelli: Most of my time is spent on WSOP mostly due to the look and layout. I do enjoy the Borgata nightly $10,000 Guarantee, but feel WSOP has more appealing tournaments and a bigger sit and go scene. I do like the fact that withdrawing from Borgata is a much quicker process compared to that of WSOP, but overall I definitely spend more time on WSOP. I have never played on 888 Poker or PartyPoker, but am looking forward to the possibility of PokerStars entering the New Jersey scene.

PocketFives: What has been your most memorable cash or win on the New Jersey sites?

Vince Ciccotelli: Definitely winning the 888/WSOP $35,000 Guarantee Sunday Major is a huge accomplishment and that was my most recent win so it sticks out. However, my most memorable win was in the Weekend Warm-Up last year. It was the first tournament I won on the New Jersey sites and really when I began to take poker much more seriously due to the potential earnings.

Furthermore, it was a small field of about 45 people densely packed with talent, so it was a huge accomplishment for me personally to be able to battle some of the best and come out on top.

PocketFives: Is there anyone who helped change how you approach the game of poker?

Vince Ciccotelli: In my early days of online poker (before Black Friday), my brother and I would play low-stakes on Full Tilt. We used to buy $50 Visa gift cards from ShopRite and deposit them when needed, and let’s just say I have a pretty large stack of gift cards in my bedroom.

Initially, it was just fun. I didn’t anticipate winning money; it was just something to do. Last year, my brother told me about his friend who was winning decent money grinding on the New Jersey sites. This got me intrigued and made me enter the New Jersey scene with the approach of making money and not just playing a game. Although I still consider poker a game/hobby, it is definitely much more fun to win.

PocketFives: What is your favorite poker room to play live in?

Vince Ciccotelli: Unfortunately I do not play as much live games as I would like, but when I do play, I usually play at Borgata. I enjoy the large poker room and lively atmosphere. Hopefully in the future I will begin to dabble more offline.

PocketFives: What do you do away from poker?

Vince Ciccotelli: This past May, I graduated from Rutgers with a Doctorate in Pharmacy, so currently I am waiting to take my boards to become a licensed pharmacist in New Jersey. Aside from that, I spend a lot of time with my girlfriend, who is my biggest supporter and my best friend (unfortunately she just moved to Pennsylvania, so there’s not as much dabbling when I am with her). Lastly, I am really big on working out every day and play ice hockey in a local men’s league.