PocketFives caught up with Joe Joey GlovesKerins, (pictured, ranked 143rd in New Jersey), who plays under the handle itwasalladrmacross all sites. On his return trip from Canada when he was 18, he got caught up in the Moneymaker boom and started playing poker at home games, then online poker.

With over $74,000 in tracked online cashes, some of his notable accomplishments include a fifth place finish in the PartyPoker/Borgata PokerGSSS $75,000 Guarantee and second and third place finishes in the network’s $10,000 Guarantee for a total of $7,934. Visit PocketFives’ New Jersey poker community for the latest news and discussion from New Jersey players.

PocketFives: Tell us your story of how you got started in poker.

Joe Kerins: Poker started around age 18 with a trip to Canada. I had never gambled before and pretty much went for the strip clubs and enjoyed some drinking at the time with friends. I got a lifetime membership to Sun Downers for $5 and was staying by Niagara Falls. I wandered into a casino and played some War and that type of garbage. I enjoyed the aspect of fast money and was intrigued by card games in general. I came home from that trip and it was the same time as the Moneymaker boom, Rounders, etc. I started having some home games with friends, then loaded some money on Stars and went from there.

PocketFives: Is there any meaning behind your screen name?

Joe Kerins: The name is an inspirational thing, the struggle from the bottom to the top. I don’t care if you play poker for 5 cents or 5 million dollars. At some point, you thought, “I can get rich from this.” Therefore, when and if do, I figured the name would suit the come-up well.

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

Joe Kerins: 888 I have to give credit to. It always runs well and the program itself is smooth. They give me 35% rakeback just because, which I honestly think is because they like how I dump in PLO and fill games. But, that also could be my blasting going to my head. Party I enjoy the series at. They are always a good time minus the obvious hiccups and it seems you can use the points for more on there than you can at Borgata. All in all, I think all four sites are good and solid. I’m not one to complain. I am just happy to not be waiting for checks on the black market.

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

Joe Kerins: No cash really in general was overly memorable. I haven’t won a decent one yet more than $10K, so I am still chasing that in New Jersey. I won the 888 Sunday a couple of times. I enjoyed being at the final table of the $200 six-max in the last Party series. But, like I said, I am still chasing a score worth taking a day off of work for.

PocketFives: How many hours do you dedicate to poker a week?

Joe Kerins: It varies from week to week. I own my own business, which is weather-related, so I play more in the winter than in warmer weather. I try for 20 hours or more a week since it’s a hobby I enjoy.

PocketFives: What do you do away from poker?

Joe Kerins: I enjoy the outdoors. Fishing is a good time. Camping/Hiking is great. I am always building things like cars and boats. I start school on the 30th of March for commercial diving, saturation diving, and underwater welding, so that will be an interesting change in life.