2015 WSOP - Thomas Cannuli November Nine Profile

November 2, 2015

April 15, 2011 was a day that changed poker forever. Commonly known as Black Friday, this was the day that the U.S. Department of Justice indicted the owners of the three largest online poker sites. Most poker players who were making their living grinding online poker were devastated, including New Jersey native Tom Cannuli.

“It was gut wrenching, like a dagger to my heart," said Cannuli. "I didn’t have many options being under 21. I was in a real tough spot and didn't know what I was going to do.”

Cannuli decided to keep working at the game that he loved despite the online ban. His effort paid off. He's entering the 2015 World Series of Poker main event final table sixth in chips with 12.25 million.

“It’s electrifying, it’s incredible just being there," he said. "A feeling like no other. I’m just a kid with a dream to make it to the WSOP main event final table and I did it.”

Before poker, the 23-year-old always had a knack for games. When he was younger, he focused his energy on basketball, shooting hoops until sunset. He then became enamored with video games, especially Halo 2. Then Cannuli focused his energy on paintball and still loves to play to this day.

When he was 15, he was introduced to poker by his father’s friend, Joey Scarlotta. Nicknaming him Tommy Tog because they used to go Tog fishing, Scarlotta showed him the world of online poker and Cannuli was hooked.

“I saw it one time and immediately loved the game. I felt it was like a chess match and I wanted to make the best moves possible. It’s whose brain is going to out-do someone else’s brain. It was such a thrill. Poker fascinated me.”

Cannuli started out playing freerolls online. After winning one, he started building a bankroll and began playing regularly. Initially playing $10 sit-n-go’s, he graduated to cash games, gradually at higher and higher levels. Eventually, he played in games ranging from $10/$20 heads-up to shorthanded $40/$80 no-limit hold ’em. Steadily, Cannuli built a six-figure bankroll while he was still in high school.

“I realized after a while that the more and more you play, the level of greatness that you can achieve in the game is unlimited as you can always try to get better," he said. "Every year, I've been getting better as a poker player and that is what keeps me coming back. I also realized that I found what made me happy and I wanted to spend my time playing poker.”

After graduating high school, Cannuli decided to forgo college and focus all of his efforts on becoming the best poker player he could be. Shortly thereafter, the worst-case scenario occurred –- Black Friday –- and his bankroll was suddenly locked up in cyberspace. Undeterred, Cannuli still wanted to play poker and found other rogue online sites to grind and build back his bankroll. Cannuli understood he still had a lot to learn about the game, and worked diligently on his chosen profession over the next few years.

“I truly wanted to be a poker player and I was going to do anything in my power to stay in the poker industry," he said. "I totally dedicated myself and I put a lot of time into the game. I didn’t miss a day. I worked a lot and I played a lot and felt that I got so much better.”

When he turned 21, he traveled to The Borgata in Atlantic City and played cash games against what he considers some of the best players in the world. These experiences definitely helped Cannuli improve his live reads.

“Just having to battle with these high stakes players at the Borgata, you are just going to get better," he said. "They definitely helped my live game. The more I would play with these guys, the better I got. It definitely wasn’t easy, but I was definitely learning and improving my game.”

More live experience came at the World Series of Poker, where Cannuli's focus was primarily cash games. He entered a few bracelet events, plus the main event, but the cash games were his bread and butter. Then he took his shot in the main event.

“The WSOP main event is absolutely the best tournament in the world," he said. "The incredible structure allows you to be a skilled player and navigate through the field.”

Last year, Cannuli was one of the chip leader on Day 2 of the WSOP main event. As the tournament progressed, he couldn’t maintain his huge stack and finished a respectable 691st for $18,406, his largest tournament score to date. That successful and equally disappointing result was filled with valuable lessons.

“It was monstrous," Cannuli said of his WSOP main event run last year. "Throughout my life, I have learned though experiences. That is my way to learn. Being one of the chip leaders on Day 2, I will never forget it. I learned that survival is the most important thing in the WSOP main event. I learned to eliminate a lot of high variance spots and didn’t put myself for my tournament risk until late in the tournament.”

This year, Cannuli arrived at the WSOP armed with his experience and a focus to play a total of five bracelet events. He failed to cash in his first four efforts, but utilized his survival mentality early in the main event to build his stack and become one of the chip leaders after the money bubble broke. Having a huge stack for most of the tournament, Cannuli, like many other November Niners in the past, was able to fall back on his cash game expertise.

“I know how to play 100-plus big blinds very well and I was able to just play my game," he said. "In a way, it was similar to a cash game because of how deep I was. I was able to chip up during the main event and not have to show many hands.”

One of Cannuli’s most memorable moments of the 2015 WSOP main event was sitting next to Daniel Negreanu on Day 6. Not just because of his admiration as a poker player, but also since they had met before under different circumstances. Two years earlier, Cannuli graduated from Choice Center and Negreanu was one of the guests.

“On my graduation from Choice, Daniel was there. I have watched him and always looked up to him as a poker player for years. But seeing him off the felt was different. We talked face-to-face and I told him of my dream to make the WSOP final table. Afterward, I didn’t talk to him for three years until he was sitting next to me on Day 6 of the main event. Nobody could understand but me and Daniel, how deep that moment was. It was an awesome experience to have him there.”

His good friend and fellow pro, Jeff Gross, initially introduced him to Choice Center.

“Jeff has always been there for me ever since Black Friday," said Cannuli. "I knew Jeff Gross before he went and after he came back from Choice Center. What I saw in Jeff after Choice was that he came a long way and has his stuff together. He suggested that I attend Choice before my first WSOP and it has made a real difference for me.”

In addition to Jeff Gross, Cannuli's rail will also include Sorel Mizzi and Brian Rast. Cannuli understands how incredible it is to have the support of such accomplished players.

“Everyone is coming," he said. "It is really important to have them all there. They have all been around for years and it feels awesome to have them supporting me. Overall, it is great to just get everyone’s thought process in different situations. There are different approaches and different styles, but having them there, it really means a lot to me.”

Cannuli decided not to fly over to Berlin, Germany to play in WSOP Europe. His decision was to stay at home and prepared for the most important final table of his life. As he prepares to return to Las Vegas, Cannuli is not only ready to be the 2015 WSOP world champion, but also to be the next poker ambassador.

“I think the most important thing is to relax. Of course, I have been playing tournaments online and keeping my game sharp, but I don't want to wear myself out. I want to be 100 percent before the final table.

“If I win the event, I don’t want to be an ambassador just for poker, but I want to be one for young people. I want to tell them that if they have a dream, they can accomplish it if they work hard enough. It is not just poker, it is anything that you want to do. I want to use the WSOP as a means to get this message to the world.”