We don’t normally get a chance to talk about high-stakes live cash games here on PocketFives, so when we do, we’re going to relish it. Recently, longtime PocketFiver Jason JAKoon1985Koon (pictured) hit $4 million in career online tournament winnings and although that’s where our conversation started, we quickly moved to high-stakes live games in Las Vegas and Macau. Now, it’s on to the interview with the Run it Once pro!

PocketFives: Awesome job getting to $4 million in career online tournament winnings. Tell us how you’re feeling about it.

Jason Koon: I don’t really keep track of earnings anymore. I just focus on winning the most money and play what games are the best for my hourly and happiness. I don’t play that many MTTs anymore, only on days I’m really feeling it. I still really love tournaments, it’s just a massive commitment to your day.

In order to actually play your best, you need to be ready to sit in your chair for 12 or 13 hours and most days I would much rather play sessions that are around five to eight hours and then do life things and poker side work. Every MTT grinder knows what it’s like to play a session when you’re not feeling it. Some days you can get through it and turn a profit, but most days you will just end up punting.

I have a better understanding of my moods and mindsets now. Hitting any milestone in poker is always good for reminding me that I still love what I do. I get to enjoy all of life’s freedoms and play an incredible game to pay the bills. It doesn’t get much better.

PocketFives: What are you doing instead of playing tournaments?

Jason Koon: I play high-stakes cash games and sit and gos. Both are a work in progress for me, but I’m really enjoying learning all the different variations. I play just about anything as long as I am stimulated and do a lot of off-the-table work on the game.

The past few years I have been playing a lot of big cash, mostly live in Macau or Vegas, but you will be seeing a lot of me in the months to come in the big online games as well.

PocketFives: Tell us about the Las Vegas and Macau high-stakes cash games.

Jason Koon: The games can get very big in Macau (pictured). However, the biggest game I’ve played this year was in Vegas. It was $300/$600/$1,200 in Ivey’s Room at Aria. One guy had over $6 million sitting in front of him.

As for Macau, it’s not what it was made out to be. People talk like it’s a goldmine. Maybe it used to be that way, but honestly, five days of the week it’s a bunch of world-class players and mediocre regs battling it out waiting for a VIP. Most of the big pots I played last trip were exclusively against regs.

The usual game is 500/1,000 HKD, or $60/$120 USD, but it will run up to 10 times that size depending on what VIPs want to play. Some trips are pretty sick because you can grind for weeks against regs and then your profit/loss will mainly come down to one game when you’re playing massive. It’s pretty high-variance, but very deep-stacked in most circumstances and a lot of fun. The last trip, I saw a lot of familiar faces like jungleman and trueteller and a bunch of other strong players frequented the game.

PocketFives: What about the Vegas high-stakes games? How are they different?

Jason Koon: Most of the big cash in Vegas (pictured) is either $200/$400 at Bellagio or $300/$600/$1,200 at Aria. Bellagio was pretty easy to get into this summer during the WSOP. Most of the time at Aria, though, you won’t get a seat. Bellagio’s games weren’t great at all, but I didn’t play a ton of them this summer. I enjoy live poker, but don’t enjoy the politics.

PocketFives: What’s your advice for online tournament pros?

Jason Koon: Remember that every tournament counts. You’re basically laying down a bet. If you aren’t in the mood or feeling well or really tired, etc., that +EV bet becomes a losing bet. Punting one tournament may not seem that consequential, but that kind of thinking is cancerous because of the course of a career, you would have punted hundreds or thousands of tournaments, which is a massive hit to your win rate and well-being.

Try to always make winning bets. You don’t have to grind if your body, heart, and mind aren’t feeling it. Go outside and go for a walk or spend time with friends and loved ones.

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