We’ve got another intriguing guest in the AMA spotlight. Describing himself on Twitter as “TV writer/producer, poker degenerate. Sometimes one more than the other.”, Matthew Salsberg is widely known in showbiz for the executive producer and writer credits in a hit Showtime series “Weeds”. Over the years, he has participated in writing and producing of various other shows and films, assembling around a dozen credits in all, and even earning a Primetime Emmy nomination for his work.
Matt made his first big splash in the poker scene in 2011 by advancing into the top 100 at the WSOP Main Event and finishing 70th. Since then, he proceeded to make numerous cashes in live events worldwide, having earned close to a million dollars in lifetime cashes and one WPT title, at WPT Rendez-Vouz a Paris 2012 Main Event.
We are greatly honored to have Matt Salsberg for an AMA on February 18, 2014 at 7 PM ET. You can Ask him Anything!
Last edited by givememyleg; 02-06-2014 at 09:16 AM.
What do you think is the funniest line you've ever written? What's the most meaningful one? What's the most prophetic line you've come up with?
What advice do you have for authors trying to get their first book published?
I spend more time playing cards now than writing but I do write a fair bit still. Too much of it is on twitter though. I'm writing a pilot for fox and hopefully one for amazon. I may jump on the writing staff of a new HBO show that just got picked up called The Brink written by Roberto Benabib who was on Weeds. That will curb my poker for a while. I'm not in the book world so I can't offer any advice on that, sorry. As far as most memorable line, On Weeds I wrote the famous joke in season one where Doug and Andy are arguing what the space between the dick and the asshole is called and Lupita walks in and says the coffee table.
As far as most memorable line, On Weeds I wrote the famous joke in season one where Doug and Andy are arguing what the space between the dick and the asshole is called and Lupita walks in and says the coffee table.
Hi Matt Great to have you here Thanks for this great opportunity
- Even if you weren't the executive producer and writer credits in a hit Show “Weeds”...would you still watch it? I mean, is it a tv show you enjoy?
- Your dream for your poker career?
- Do you follow the poker scene in Europe? Any favorite European poker players?
Cheers
I don't watch nearly enough TV. Having written it for so long has made me not give a shit about TV all that much. I used to watch a ton. It's sort of like work for me to watch TV now so I prefer to spend my off hours and downtime being a poker degen. I need to catch up on everything though cuz it's good for me professionally. My dream for my poker career is to win the main event so i can stop writing lol. I love playing poker in Europe. I've obviously had amazing success in Paris with a win and a 12th at wpt paris the 2 times i've played it. Loved san remo and could have won that big one when I played. Had the chip lead with 29 left and ran cold at the wrong time to come 16th. Got 7th in Venice too. So I should basically move to europe cuz I seem to run really good over there. As for favorite players, I'm friends with a bunch of the German sickos, Marvin and Philbort, Fabian etc.. They're all super good guys and insanely good players. Tony G has always been a source of perfect entertainment for me. I got to bust him from WPT Paris when I won and I felt like a kid in a candy store.
Without referring to money ...which was the victory that brought you the most satisfaction?
Any favorite player that you are following and have high expectations for him/her?
If some friends decide they want to play poker with you, can you see it as a hobby or do you always take a challenge?
Winning WPT Paris obviously my career highlight. My deep run in the main event in 2011 got me started in playing bigger buy ins and that was a sick experience to start off with 7000 players and packed rooms and then on day 6 at night to be down to 7 tables was spooky and exciting.
Not sure I fully get your question about friends but I do play with friends at my house some times and always try to crush everyone.
What's what your most memorable read of all time? Can you walk us through your thought process?
One big one that comes to mind was in EPT San Remo in 2012 with around 30 left. I opened with 65cc some guy 3 bet on the smaller side. I peeled out of position. Flop came 865. I check raised flop pretty big and he called. Turn paired the 8 (counterfeits my 2 pair). I checked he checked back. River was Q. I checked and he bombed river. It was a real tough spot for me cuz I was risking a lot of my stack but the line seemed very weird and his sizing was really odd too. I felt like he had to have QQ or air. Very polarizing. He was young and euro and got the body language tell that he was trying to be cool and I thought he would 3 bet small with hands like JT suited and J9 suited and it just all added up to a lot of BS so I called. He had T7hh. It got me off to the races and a top stack with less than 30 left.
One big one that comes to mind was in EPT San Remo in 2012 with around 30 left. I opened with 65cc some guy 3 bet on the smaller side. I peeled out of position. Flop came 865. I check raised flop pretty big and he called. Turn paired the 8 (counterfeits my 2 pair). I checked he checked back. River was Q. I checked and he bombed river. It was a real tough spot for me cuz I was risking a lot of my stack but the line seemed very weird and his sizing was really odd too. I felt like he had to have QQ or air. Very polarizing. He was young and euro and got the body language tell that he was trying to be cool and I thought he would 3 bet small with hands like JT suited and J9 suited and it just all added up to a lot of BS so I called. He had T7hh. It got me off to the races and a top stack with less than 30 left.
One big one that comes to mind was in EPT San Remo in 2012 with around 30 left. I opened with 65cc some guy 3 bet on the smaller side. I peeled out of position. Flop came 865. I check raised flop pretty big and he called. Turn paired the 8 (counterfeits my 2 pair). I checked he checked back. River was Q. I checked and he bombed river. It was a real tough spot for me cuz I was risking a lot of my stack but the line seemed very weird and his sizing was really odd too. I felt like he had to have QQ or air. Very polarizing. He was young and euro and got the body language tell that he was trying to be cool and I thought he would 3 bet small with hands like JT suited and J9 suited and it just all added up to a lot of BS so I called. He had T7hh. It got me off to the races and a top stack with less than 30 left.
Would you say that being a good writer makes your story while playing a hand more believable?
Yes, I think my story telling background helps me pick off a lot of bluffs. And more importantly, all my years in Hollywood where everyone lies all day makes me aware of a lot of bullshit lol.
Hi Here are some questions ... Thanks for your time. You're the best
Name one country where you would love to go and play poker?
Where do you see yourself (professionally) in 20 years?
I believe you must be a movie fan? Any all-time favorites?
I would love to go to Australia. Still haven't been and regret not going this year actually. I want to go Monte Carlo and Berlin too eventually but there's some Borgata wpt conflict potentially this year for monte carlo/no Berlin.
In 20 years I would like to be retired. And have created a hit TV show or won so many big tourneys that I don't have to sweat anything financially.
Favorite all time movies are probably Shawshank Redemption, Breakfast Club, The Player, Swingers, Bull Durham, Back to School
Genuinely impressed with your writing skills and poker skills, you're doing well! But how do you manage to balance it all?
Also what is your favourite tournament you have ever played in? (I imagine it may well be WPT Paris in 2012 but not necessarily!)
Thanks!
Thanks. It's not that easy to balance but also not that hard. If I'm writing pilots, as long as I sell them in LA first, I can manage my time between writing and poker well cuz I can write on planes and hotel rooms and skip a few tourneys if I'm under the crunch. It's much harder with a show in production. On Weeds I was there for 8 years from 2005-2012 and I could never play the main event cuz we were in production but finally in 2011 I said to my boss Jenji who created the show that I needed to play the main event this year. She was cool with it and I went super deep. I also told her that if I won, I would by everybody on the staff a segway so she said ok.
What's the live poker tournament you'd like to win the most besides the ME?
What WSOP and WPT events are planning to be a part of this year?
Do you play online? On what site?
Id love to win the PCA. I'm stuck a boatload over there 3 years in a row! I'm uncertain about my schedule this year. There's a job opportunity I may take soon that will could put a pin in poker for a few months. It's a friend's show for HBO that just got ordered and he's a genius and a mentor and friend and the cast is phenomenal and I'd probably regret showering it just to play poker tourneys. I play on stars and tilt when I'm out of the country or drive to Tijuana on the odd sunday. I play on Bovada sometimes here when I'm bored.
How pathetic do you think it is for people to be discussing how SEC defensive player of the year, Michael Sam, may have a diminished chance of success/draft-ability in the NFL the day after he announced he's gay? How ironic do you think it is that the negative comments/suppositions being discussed by the media are attributed to anonymous sources while his supporters are more than willing to identify themselves?
What do you think of the Copenhagen Zoo killing a perfectly healthy 18 month old giraffe, dissecting him in front of children and feeding his body parts to lions in front of children even though tens of thousands protested and someone even offered to buy the giraffe for $680K?
What do you think of the Copenhagen Zoo killing a perfectly healthy 18 month old giraffe, dissecting him in front of children and feeding his body parts to lions in front of children even though tens of thousands protested and someone even offered to buy the giraffe for $680K?
Other than don't do it, what advice do you have for people who want to become professional poker players?
What other games do you play when you're in a casino besides poker?
If you had to choose between writing professionally and playing poker for a living, which would you choose?
Is it harder for you to make a call against a player who's also your friend when you have the nuts than it would be if you were playing against a stranger?
Other than don't do it, what advice do you have for people who want to become professional poker players?
What other games do you play when you're in a casino besides poker?
If you had to choose between writing professionally and playing poker for a living, which would you choose?
Is it harder for you to make a call against a player who's also your friend when you have the nuts than it would be if you were playing against a stranger?
I dont play many casino games. Ive never played craps or roulette in my life. I'll play a bit of blackjack sometimes but genuinely hate it. I used to play Let it Ride to wind down with a drink after a tourney bust out or something or just with a buddy for fun but it's unbeatable. I don't mind having a cocktail and playing ultimate texas hold em. But if i'm not in a tourney i play a lot of cash games.
Interesting question about career choice. if I could make as much money playing poker consistently as I do writing I would choose poker. But only at this stage of my life. I wouldn't advise poker as a career to anyone. It's a great hobby but it's a self serving endeavor and does nothing to contribute to society at the end of the day unless you become famous and entertain people on tv with your play and personality I guess. Or if you give some proceeds to charity. But if a gun was pointed to my head and said you're gonna make 700k a year and you could only do one or the other I would choose poker. I would lose my mind if i had to write but couldn't play poker probably but not the other way around.
What is your favorite poker game? Do you play Open Face Chinese Poker?
No limit hold em. deepstack tourneys specifically. I do play OFC. I love pineapple with jokers. I play that with Joe Kuether for hours on end at every stop lol.
What is your view on re entry tournaments? Some pros recently stated that they feel they are bad for the game because they give the pros who can fire off multiple bullets an unfair advantage over amateurs who cant afford multiple bullets.
What is your view on re entry tournaments? Some pros recently stated that they feel they are bad for the game because they give the pros who can fire off multiple bullets an unfair advantage over amateurs who cant afford multiple bullets.
I like reentry tournies but not unlimited reentries. I think one per day is ideal or if there's 2 starting days then a total of 2 to be used at your discretion whether you need 2 on 1 day or you can play one on either day. The multiple reentry ones do favor deep pocketed players (who aren't always pros by the way). There's a lot of rich fish who fire multiple bullets and that is good for the game actually. They can accumulate a lot of chips but they are so bad ultimately they won't be able to sustain it and piss them away down the stretch. You need to have them to create bigger prize pools and incentive travel for people. Nothing I hate more than going a long way, busting fast and being fucked. I won't go to certain venues now if it isn't at least one reentry. Too high risk.
What character that you've created/written for do you relate to the most? Which one is the least like you? How did you handle it if an episode/scene wasn't ultimately scripted the way that you would have preferred it to be? What is the next project you'll be a part of? What is your dream project?
When you play against people you consider friends, are you guys/gals able to leave things at the table or do bad beats, etc sometimes carry over into your personal relationships with each other?
When you play against people you consider friends, are you guys/gals able to leave things at the table or do bad beats, etc sometimes carry over into your personal relationships with each other?
That can get tricky sometimes. My girlfriend busted me from a tourney once with 12 left and i wasn't happy about it lol. especially since i staked her. I don't soft play often, my good friends who are poker players are also competitors and you want to beat them. Ive found every time I've ever soft played someone I've gotten fucked by the poker gods because of it so now it's all fair game.
That can get tricky sometimes. My girlfriend busted me from a tourney once with 12 left and i wasn't happy about it lol. especially since i staked her. I don't soft play often, my good friends who are poker players are also competitors and you want to beat them. Ive found every time I've ever soft played someone I've gotten fucked by the poker gods because of it so now it's all fair game.
How did you get started playing poker?
What is the significance in wearing hoodies in all the photos that I've seen of you?
What do you spend your winnings on to treat yourself?
Favorite place to play?
What is your next project, anything similar to weeds?
ARe you a Republican, Democrat or something else?
What do you think of Obama Care? Gun control? Gay marriage?
I'm still a canadian so I can't vote here but I'd be a democrat. I think gun control is necessary. this country is sick when it comes to guns and people are fucked in the head. I think gay marriage is as terrifying as straight marriage and they should both be abolished!
What's the worst move you've ever made in a game? What's the dumbest thing you've witnessed someone else do? Waht's the hand you'd most like to replay if you could? What do you consider to be your best accomplishment in life to-date? What achievement do you plan to follow that up with?
Matt,
Do you only play tournaments; or do you venture on the strip to various poker rooms, trolling for the "fishy" table full of armchair self proclaimed poker pros in town for a business convention. If so, or you know of pros that do, what is the tactic for finding that "juicy" table?
This information would be greatly appreciated, as I will now know where NOT to go!
Matt,
Do you only play tournaments; or do you venture on the strip to various poker rooms, trolling for the "fishy" table full of armchair self proclaimed poker pros in town for a business convention. If so, or you know of pros that do, what is the tactic for finding that "juicy" table?
This information would be greatly appreciated, as I will now know where NOT to go!
I play cash games but I don't specifically troll around looking for marks. I play 10/20 at Bellagio usually when I'm in Vegas. Or the wynn has a decent 5/10 game. I played 10/20 at aria once but there was the most obnoxious guy at the table I've ever sat with and he's a reg there I think so I couldn't take it anymore lol. I think he goes by Muhaha. Biggest POG I've sat next to.
I played 10/20 at aria once but there was the most obnoxious guy at the table I've ever sat with and he's a reg there I think so I couldn't take it anymore lol. I think he goes by Muhaha. Biggest POG I've sat next to.
ARe you a Republican, Democrat or something else?
What do you think of Obama Care? Gun control? Gay marriage?
Allow me to field this one if you will...
1) Conservative Republican
2) It sucks
3) Absolutely Not (not withstanding a few minor requirements)
4) Who cares, do as you will
Allow me to field this one if you will...
1) Conservative Republican
2) It sucks
3) Absolutely Not (not withstanding a few minor requirements)
4) Who cares, do as you will
PS: was the AR in "ARe" significant? If so, well done.
Are you de-sensitized to winning and losing large sums?
Who first taught you to play the game?
Do you think all online poker is rigged to a degree?
When and/or how did you realize you had what it takes to compete with pro players? How long did it take you to get there?
Would you rather sit at a table with a couple of pros so you can tell your friends you played at the same table with .... (example: Chris Ferguson) or would you rather sit at the table with the regular poker players
What games still offer good players the biggest edge in bigger live tournaments like the WSOP?
When stars talk about the "biggest" games, to what limits are they generally referring in your opinion?
Other than "play, play, play", what advice would you give someone hoping to become a great player? Any recommended reading?
- If you were given $100 billion, what would you spend your time doing?
- Where do you see the game of poker in 10 years?
- What are your thoughts on the way US online poker is heading? Do you think more states should follow NJ, and NV? Or would you prefer some kind of federal license?
- If you were given $100 billion, what would you spend your time doing?
- Where do you see the game of poker in 10 years?
- What are your thoughts on the way US online poker is heading? Do you think more states should follow NJ, and NV? Or would you prefer some kind of federal license?
If I had 100 billion I don't know what i would be doing besides smiling a lot. Not that money buys happiness but 100 billion would take a lot of stress away although I'm sure it would add some new ones. I'd like to help out a lot of people I care about who are struggling. I would be very generous and charitable. Hopefully poker continues to grow in the US. We need to get online poker back here for the growth of the game. so many young people play it already and while it can have some detrimental effects I'm obviously in favor of it. I do think we need it global though and not just on a state by state or even federal level. The beauty of online poker is that you can play against the world. I get excited at the giant prize pools on sundays.
Oh and one last question. I've noticed one of my biggest weaknesses when I'm playing these days is I often go on tilt and try to chase losses when I lose a big hand early. So if within the first hour I drop 1-2 buyins, all I can think about is getting it back. How would you combat this kind of tilt?
Do you have any tips to share with an aspiring writer? What do you think makes the scripts or books sell? Let's suppose I have a good story, how do I write it up?
Matt Salsberg AMA
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Originally Posted by BankItDrew
Great to have you here 
