Chris Moneymaker’s Letter to The Past

If you could write a letter to your younger self, what would it say? This is part of a regular series from some of the best-known, interesting, and successful poker players in history. 

Dear Chris, 

This is me, older Chris, in the future. I’ve got some things to share with you.

You’ve done pretty damn well for yourself. You really can’t complain too much about anything. Overall, I’m pleased with a lot of decisions that you’ve/we’ve made.

If I had to say anything, the most obvious thing in the world is to buy more Bitcoin.

But outside of that, don’t be as trusting of people. People will take advantage of you. Learn the word ‘No’ earlier on. That’s probably one of the most essential skills I’ve learned in all the years I’ve been in the game.

Learn how to respect yourself more and know what your true worth is. You know, don’t take every deal that comes along, be more selective, and don’t travel near as much.

Poker is a hard game. Study the game. I would say to do that, especially right after you win a big tournament. You might do that eventually one day.

Don’t think that you have poker all figured out after you finish first and second in the first two tournaments you play in your life. Because it gets harder, it does. But overall, you’re going to be really happy. Trust me.

You’ve got a great wife and great kids. You’re lucky. There’s not a whole lot that’s wrong with your future life. I do admit that you will have friends that come and go. A lot of people will take advantage of you. Again, that comes back to saying no more and not trusting as much.

At the end of the day, you’ve done well. I don’t see too many downfalls along the way, to be honest. You will be pretty happy overall. But let me go a little deeper for you.

One of the biggest things that will affect your life is that you’ll get many opportunities. People are going to pay you a lot of money to travel. They’re going to promise you things. First of all, don’t show up until people pay you what you’re worth. People are going to take advantage of you. They’ll prey on your kindness. Your naivety. They will promise you things that won’t develop.

When that happens, you will spend your most precious quantity – time.

You will spend much of your time on the road during the middle part of your life. You have kids. You’re going to miss a lot of the kid part of things. These are times that you can’t get back.

You missed birthdays, sporting events, and many things while your kids were growing up. You will make excuses because you know you have to provide for them to ensure they will be comfortable. But deep down, you know that they are already comfortable. They have everything they could want. But more time with you will be the most valuable thing you can provide them.

One other important thing I can share is don’t be so scared of things falling apart. The poker industry is very fluid. We had Black Friday, then a pandemic (yeah, that happens), where you could only play online. These things affect how you will be able to do your job. They will scare you into working harder.

I would say you should trust your abilities as a poker player more. Opportunities will be there no matter what happens in the poker market. Your legacy will stand the test of time. You are always going to have opportunities. So, don’t take every opportunity that’s presented. My advice is to not invest in other people without them investing in you.

There is one more very crucial thing. The best piece of advice I could give you is to stop drinking. You will drink to the point of passing out, way too many times. I don’t drink anymore. I’m very happy for that. So, the quicker you stop drinking, the better.

You also picked up smoking midway through your poker career. Don’t do that. I quit that too, Please. Don’t do things that will harm your body, you know? As you age, the body, especially when playing poker, deteriorates. You’re sitting at a table or behind a computer all the time. That can be rough on you.

The solution is to take care of yourself. Eat better. Good health cannot be replaced. The moral of the story is to take better care of yourself. Most importantly, take good care of your relationships with your family and friends. Don’t worry about the business side of poker so much.

One more thing. And it’s essential. Know that you are blessed. No matter what you do, things seem to just work out for you. Don’t ever let that change. That’s an excellent quality to have. When bad things happen, good things tend to follow.

But again, most of all, take that extra time to spend with your kids. See them grow up. Don’t worry so much about securing their future. They will be great! Trust me.

Overall, it will all work out. As long as you buy more Bitcoin, you’ll be fine. I can’t stress that enough.