ClubWPT Qualifier Moshe Nizan Blends Into the Day 2 Madness

By Matt Clark

“You gotta put your neck out sometimes. It’s very dangerous out there.”

If you didn’t know any better, Moshe Nizan looks and sounds like a professional poker player. An erect table presence coupled with a methodical, aggressive approach to the game has Nizan playing the part on Day 2 of the Season XVI WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown Championship.

A ClubWPT qualifier, Nizan is in his second career World Poker Tour event. His experience dates back 10 years and the father of six frequents the card rooms near his home in Tampa.

“I play usually three times a week, live,” Nizan said. “Online, four or five times a day. I play small-stakes tournaments to get ready for the big one, like this. I do it at home, in the Tampa Bay area. There’s a lot of facilities where we play $150 buy-in entry fees and you get a feel for how crazy it is at the table.”

Crazy is the vibe at Table 14 where Nizan battles with Brian Hastings and WPT Champions Club member Zachary Smiley.

Nizan is self-aware of his image at the table. The generalization of “old and tight” is serving Nizan well so far as he’s doubled the 46,500 chips he came into play with.

“I’m starting to get what they call ‘the respect,’ so it makes it easier,” Nizan observed. “They are folding a better hand to a good-sized bet with the understanding that I have the goods. You have to choose your spots and you have to choose the opportunity. You better not have total garbage because then you are going to get caught and everyone is going to laugh at you after you leave the table.”

Tha image Nizan puts forward works so far near the end of Level 14.

Nizan moved all in on a coordinated board of  in Level 12 for 60,000 into a pot of about 40,000 with only ace-king against two opponents. Both folded right away and Nizan repeated his common occurrence of picking up chips uncontested.

Day 1b featured Nizan near the top of the leaderboard until the last few minutes of the night. Nizan lost a 200,000-chip pot to Ryan Olisar when his pocket queens lost a preflop all in to Olisar’s two kings.

The setback didn’t bother Nizan beyond the individual hand itself. Nizan chose to view the cooler from a philosophical point of view and let it escape his mind before Day 2.

“There’s no ifs, no buts, no maybes, everything is predetermined,” Nizan said. “Cards chose, this is it. I have seen too many hard beats to lose any heartbeats.”

When the chips came out of the bag inside the Hard Rock Event Center, Nizan geared up for what he expects to be a 12-hour grind. His hours of play in smaller tournaments give him the preparation he feels is necessary for the speedbumps involved in a WPT.

“I just came with the understanding that I am going to struggle, but I have plenty of time,” Nizan said. “The table, as you can see, there were three big stacks. So, it makes it a little bit easier because you have an opportunity to force the issue. We have eight hours to go, if you think one hand forward, you are going to be totally out.”

The WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown is less than 100 players from the money bubble. Nizan is in his assigned seat until at least then. Legs crossed under the table and barely any movement from his body, the 64-year-old looks like another traveling pro. Just the way he planned it.

Click here for more coverage from the Season XVI WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown Championship.

Looking to win your way to a World Poker Tour event for your shot at becoming a WPT champion? Play for your chance on ClubWPT.com, where eligible VIP Members can play for over $100,000 in cash and prizes each month, including seats to WPT events, no purchase necessary.