Rivered for millions (on TV). Still shipping. Matt Affleck’s operating system.
In back-to-back years, Matt Affleck was chip leader deep in the WSOP Main Event.
In 2010, with 15 players left and ~40% of the chips in play, he got it in with aces vs. jacks against Jonathan Duhamel… and watched the river end his dream on ESPN.
The image of him walking out — water bottle flying, pain on his face — became one of poker’s most replayed clips.
This is the story before and after that moment.
🎮 From a $480K SCOOP win in college to a high school where seven classmates became million-dollar poker winners.
🃏 The truth about back-to-back Main Event deep runs — including the hand.
🌎 Life after ESPN heartbreak: live cash grinds, world travel, and becoming one of poker’s top coaches.
If you only know Matt Affleck from that river card, you don’t know the full story.
Show Notes
- 0:00 – Intro
- 11:30 – Early poker life: high school full of future pros, online beginnings, first big wins
- 24:01 – Qualifying for majors & discovering the thrill of international travel
- 41:32 – Revisiting Main Event heartbreak & the story behind the famous hand
- 45:04 – Legendary Seattle cash games & their colorful personalities
- 47:05 – Moving for poker & adapting to new scenes
- 51:46 – COVID poker boom, coaching surge, and changes in approach