One of the largest paydays of the 2010 PokerStarsSpring Championship of Online Poker (SCOOP) went to Mohsin chicagocards1Charania, who came out on top in the $2,100 No Limit Hold’em Two-Day Event for $380,000. The 56th player in the PocketFives.com Online Poker Rankings, Charania owns a Triple Crown title as well as wins in the PokerStars $100 rebuy, PokerStars $200 rebuy, Absolute Poker$1K, and UB.com $150,000 Guaranteed. Charania sat down with PocketFives.com to recap his SCOOP run and look ahead to the 2010 World Series of Poker (WSOP).
PocketFives.com: How much did your experience in live tournaments help propel you through the grueling SCOOP Two-Day Event?
Mohsin Charania: I was the chip leader with about 200 players left and took some really absurd coolers. I was able to be patient and double up, which is definitely live poker experience playing a part. It’s deep stacked and the structure is so good, like most live tournaments. I was also able to play small ball poker post-flop, which you can do live, but not in most online tournaments.
PocketFives.com: You had a lively rail in Poker Discussion. Talk about having the support of the online poker community.
Mohsin Charania: It’s awesome because during all of 2010, I have been running so bad and bitching and complaining about it non-stop to a lot of people including Jonathan Wein (pictured at left), BlackFours, and Jeremy chipsteelaMenard. The fact that they are still there for me and put up with my crap is amazing.
PocketFives.com: Was there talk of a chop at the end of the SCOOP tournament?
Mohsin Charania: I didn't know my heads-up opponent and had never heard of him. Even though he played well, I thought I had an edge. I was playing for Yevgeniy Jovial Gent Timoshenko and Mark dipthrongHerm, so in any chop I make, I have to consider my backers.
Besides, I felt I was a lot better and since my track record is so much better, I expected that he’d be the one who was more worried about the $100,000 pay difference between first and second. The pure confidence that winning something that big outright does for you going into the WSOP is ridiculous.
PocketFives.com: Speaking of the WSOP, what are your plans for the tournament series this year?
Mohsin Charania: I’m staying at Rio and plan to play every single tournament, even the Mixed Games, which I have been working on. I won’t be playing in the $50,000 Player’s Championship, $25,000 No Limit Hold’em Six-Max, or the $10,000 HORSE tournaments. I got 10th in the $10,000 Pot Limit Hold’em Championship last year, so I know I can get super deep in those fields; I just have to close them out.
PocketFives.com: How did you get started in poker?
Mohsin Charania: A friend of mine took me to a dorm game in Champaign, Illinois, where I went to school. I met Ravi govshark2Raghavan (pictured at right) and Babooyahand we would play $0.25/$0.50. Then, I met Faraz The-Toilet Jaka and Andy BKiCeSeth. I finished college early to start a job before law school and still talked to Raghavan a lot. Then, I started talking more and more with Seth and Paul ComeOnPhishLieu. I got a lot of experience and started hitting big scores.
PocketFives.com: You told us before the interview that you’d consider vacating your poker career for a traditional job. Can you explain what you’re thinking?
Mohsin Charania: Unless I make a lot of money this summer, I can't imagine that I am going to be grinding come fall. With poker, when you’re running bad, you’re screwed. When you’re running good, you can't be stopped. For example, I’m good friends with Jason treysfull21Mercier (pictured at left). You can't stop him; he’s so good, so confident, and just doesn't lose.
I’m also good friends with Brent bhanks11Hanks and he is really good, but hasn't caught fire live yet. When he does, he will win everything on the planet. When you’re running good, the confidence you get from it can carry you to so many victories that I can't imagine walking away if I had a big score right before.
PocketFives.com: What would your job be? Do you have something lined up?
Mohsin Charania: Venture capital. Someone I know offered me a really good job. It’s out of town and I want to try something new because I don't see myself playing poker forever. I’m pretty confident that I’m going to have a huge WSOP, though. I think my live game is way too good and the Mixed Games I have been working on will help my chances. It’s so much easier to win bracelets in smaller fields full of live pros that aren't necessarily that good at Mixed Games.