15 Bigs: Charlie Carrel

The British player tackles our tricky teasers… with surprising results.

Ask anyone who enjoys a poker tournament what their least favorite part of the event is and they might tell that they find going down to 15 bigs hard. It’s push-fold territory, the edge of tournament life and tournament death. One coinflip can be the difference between winning the tournament or missing out on a min-cash.

We’ve taken the concept of ‘15 Bigs’ and applied to questions about poker. This week, we spoke with British high roller and long-time poker professional Charlie Carrel. From being stranded on a desert island to what his last meal would be if he was shot at dawn, we’re putting Charlie to the test, so will he double up… or be blinded away?

There’s only one way to find out!

You’re on a long-haul flight and can only choose one TV Show or Movie to watch on repeat, which is your pick? 

Kill Tony. It’s a stand-up comedy show.

If you were stranded on a desert island with one book for company, what would it be? 

Probably The Bible or the Bhagavad Gita. I’m not religious, but I’d at least have a lot to learn and think about.

What’s the song you could listen to on repeat forever?

Gayatri Mantra, maybe the Deva Premal version.

What’s your favourite place to play poker and why?

Vegas, the atmosphere is electric and the people are so diverse.

Las Vegas
All human life is there – the magical Las Vegas atmosphere (photograph courtesy of PokerGO)

If you were to be shot at dawn, what would be your last meal and drink? 

I’d have some ayahuasca and some fruit with it.

Where’s your favourite non-poker holiday destination? 

Egypt, although I don’t agree with the concept of ‘favourites’.

You can play poker every day for a year or play no poker for a whole 12 months – which do you choose? 

No poker – freedom is everything.

Who is the person you don’t have around anymore that you miss the most? 

My spiritual teacher, she’s too busy.

Which person would you most like to meet but never have?

Tesla, if I can choose dead people.

Nikola Tesla
Nikola Tesla even looks like a poker player.

When’s the last time life put you on tilt? 

This morning. I have chosen the most chaotic and beautiful life with my wife.

If you couldn’t play the WSOP Main Event next year, which family member would you put into the action in your place? 

My wife, for the memes. She doesn’t know the rules but is probably better at reading people than 100% of the top poker players. She just wouldn’t know what to do with it.

What’s your best poker skill? 

Reading people and live reads – I’m the best in the world, in my opinion.

And your biggest leak? 

Patience.

If you could make one rule change to poker, what would it be? 

I’d introduce more formats of poker, wouldn’t change anything about the current formats

You have just ten seconds with the person of your dreams… what do you say?

“Hey Hannah, good morning.”

Love and peace might make the world go around, but they’re also the right way to beat 15 Bigs like that. Charlie Carrel is forever working his way to victory in the heart as well as at the felt, and like in poker, he keeps winning. That’s a slam dunk win for the British poker professional.

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