Jeff “Mrrain” Banghart is not your typical online poker prodigy. By atypical, I mean he is 45 years old, married with kids, and runs a successful small business that is completely unrelated to poker. In fact, that is where his screen name comes from. Jeff hails from Omaha, Nebraska, where he owns a business that services and installs sprinkler systems. So where does an average Joe like this get off finishing 41st in the WSOP main event for $237,865? Well, Mrrain is no stranger to big scores or playing in large field events, as anyone who plays on PokerStars can tell you.

Mrrain has a win in the Sunday million, a 3rd place in the monthly $1k event, and a 3rd in a WCOOP event, each of which was worth over 100k. He has also won the $100 rebuy on Stars and more than his share of final tables, considering he puts in such a low volume of play compared to the online pros.

Lenny: How many times a year do you play the Pokerstars Sunday major?

Mrrain: Over the course of the year, out of 52 tournaments, I probably play it in the high 30s. If you said 40 it wouldn’t be a lie. It’s a great tournament.

Lenny: Some don’t like the Million because of the huge fields. I’ve heard it called a “donkfest” on more than one occasion.

Mrrain: I just think it’s the biggest, most fun, most action you can get online. How many times can you sit at your desk and play for 100-200k? For a $200 buy-in that’s an amazing value.

Lenny: Did you play any other World Series events this year?

Mrrain: Yes, I was 0-9 in WSOP events going into the Main Event, but the live game action was so juicy in Vegas I was only down about $4200 in my time there. Plus I won a couple seats online, so I was really in those prelims for almost nothing. I’m in those tournaments swinging for the fences, so there is going to be a lot of variance. I can usually count on my live game play to bail me out.

Lenny: What do you play when you are in Vegas?

Mrrain: I mix it up, but on this trip I cleaned up in 75/150 Omaha Hi/Lo.

Lenny: Do you play all the games?

Mrrain: I’m not a big fan of 7 Stud, but I’ll play anything. I cashed in five of the 14 WCOOP events I played last year and I think they were all different games. NLHE is my best game, no doubt about that, but I’ll play them all.

Lenny: What’s your poker background, how did you get into the game?

Mrrain: A bunch of us started playing when we were 12, and I played with that group consistently until I was about 24. We played .5/1 limit Texas HE and NLHE freezeouts. Then everyone got married and had kids and the game pretty much broke up. I just started playing again in 2004.

Lenny: What brought you back?

Mrrain: A buddy of mine got me back into it. We went out to Vegas and I played at the Bellagio Friday night tourney. The first two times playing in 15 years or so, I final tabled that tourney. I got something like a 7th and 3rd, so not huge money, but it was a good experience. It was a real confidence boost to know I could weed through a field to make a final table.

Lenny: Was that buddy from your poker game growing up?

Mrrain: Funny thing about that, three of the guys from that game grew up to be full time poker players/gamblers. A couple of guys are successful businessmen who play a lot of tourneys. I went out to Vegas this time with another buddy of mine, Bob Slezak, who finished 15th in the main event.

Lenny: You just finished 41/6358 players in the Main Event. Tell me a little bit about your experience.

Mrrain: The whole atmosphere as you got deeper and deeper was really exciting. I played sports in high school and college and was pretty successful at that, but this was probably the biggest thrill I can remember. It didn’t shock me, but I didn’t expect it. To be there and feel the environment around me…it was awesome.

My mindset on the ME was that it was the Pokerstars Sunday Million. It is the same number of players, and I’ve made the final table there a number of times, so I can do this. My goal was top 30, and I fell just short of that.

The other great thing was the fact that I met so many interesting people. You’re there for so many days and you see the same faces each day. As you get deeper and deeper you kind of form a bond with these people as you get to know them better and better. It’s hard to say, you meet people playing poker and you just bond with them.

Lenny: What was it like being under the lights and cameras?

Mrrain: Saturday was really tense. There were people everywhere, media and everything, it was a huge rush. You play hours and hours but you don’t get tired because you have so much adrenaline.

Lenny: What about the poker, can you give us a mini-tourney recap?

Mrrain: In the first 42 minutes of play, after I told myself for a week just to be patient and sit tight, I was down to 6,000. I flopped a lower flush than another guy and I lost 9k on that hand. It never got any worse than that for me.

I got up to 35k playing small pots and then I took a coinflip against one guy. I was just in the mood to gamble. There was a crazy Russian at the table, he’d open for 10x and make lots of bets. I didn’t think he was very good but no one had looked him up.

It was in the second level with blinds at 100/200 and he opened for 1600 and I was on the button with AK and I made it 4600, and then he reraised all-in. I thought to myself, “Ok, Russian, if you want to play a big pot, here’s your chance.” I had 33k behind and I called him. He actually had a hand this time with QQ, but I won the coin flip and I never looked back after that. I called with AK for my tournament life. My buddies beat me up for that, saying, “you can’t do that,” but I had a read on this guy and I was ready to dance. I am pretty good at reading people and I play an unorthodox style, but I do pretty well.

Lenny: What about your bust hand? There was a good bit of discussion of that on the boards.

Mrrain: The last hand I played, a lot of people might not play it that way, but I got my money in good and I’m pretty happy with it. Bill Edler is a great player and he was probably priced in with his call. That’s the way it goes.

Lenny: So no bad beat stories?

Mrrain: I’m 45 years old. I’m not going to freak out. People yell about donkeys sucking out on them, but I figure it’s their money, so it’s their prerogative which two cards they play. I love it when people put their money in bad against me.

Lenny: Anything else you remember from the Main Event?

Mrrain: I played with Daniel Alaei and Scotty Nguyen. Alaei is awesome and Scotty’s play is phenomenal. I also played with Jared Hamby and he’s a fun kid. I like his style and I was very impressed with his play.

Lenny: You say you know a lot more now than when you started playing again in 2004. To what can you attribute the growth of your game?

Mrrain: Playing online. I get to play so many more hands and tournaments than I would otherwise. Honestly I learned a lot from Eric Lynch. I’ve never met him, but I watched the replay of his win in the Pokerstars Million. His analysis was on such a higher level that it blew my mind. At that time I had won a little more than him, but he was so far ahead of me mentally it was amazing. My style had worked great for me, but his thinking has helped me take my game to a higher level.

Lenny: Are you a member of PokerXfactor, or any other training site?

Mrrain: I’ve never had a poker lesson or joined a training site. The one time I listened to him [Lynch] I thought he was extremely bright. I respect him and how he presents himself. I think he is a poker superstar.

Lenny: Can you tell us a little bit about how you play?

Mrrain: I play a different game than all the kids play. Everybody plays LAG and if you are going to get anywhere you have to get in there and make some moves. If you are going to compete you have to adapt a little bit to their style. I try to play after the flop. You’re going to get killed if you just sit there and wait for big hands. I can’t really explain it. I guess you can say I’m just smart enough to win.

It is a testament to the place online poker holds in the current poker landscape that Jeff “Mrrain” Banghart had a final table at a WSOP circuit event, as well as other live final tables and his biggest scores were all online prior to this Main Event cash. Jeff has two grown daughters from his first marriage, and is now raising two step sons as well. They are 10 and 12 years old, and they like to watch over his shoulder while he plays. You know you’re bad when a 10-year old calls you a donkey. His wife tolerates his online play, but really enjoys the traveling to the different live tourneys. Her family has also really gotten into poker, and the prospect of seeing Jeff on TV is always exciting. Mrrain has shown again and again that he is more than smart enough to win, and Pocketfives wishes him continued success.