By Sean Chaffin
Ryan Laplante is originally from Brainerd, Minnesota, and has $1.56 million in live tournament winnings, including a World Series of Poker bracelet. When the WPT Bobby Baldwin Classic kicked off at ARIA Resort & Casino, the poker pro was in the field and WPT.com caught up with him to kick off a new series called “On the Button” where we will fire off quick questions in a simple, question-and-answer format to so you can get to know players, industry members, and more a little bit better.
If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?
“I’d love to spend about a month in Japan. In fact, that’s where my fiancé and I want to do on our honeymoon. A couple weeks, I think, to Japan where we spend about 10 days in Tokyo and then a couple weeks outside of Tokyo.
“I enjoy the culture a lot. I’ve been a huge anime fan for a long time, and I’d like to learn more about the country’s history. It would also be a very unique and different experience compared to anywhere here in the U.S., which very, very different.”
If you weren’t playing poker right now, what do you think you would be doing in life or as a career?
“Running a business of some kind. Something that I would have control over and creative input in, and something that would enable me to provide for the world and not just for myself.”
What’s your pet peeve about poker players and why?
“Anyone who’s just mean to someone, whether it’s mean being tilted or mean just being rude. Especially to the recreational players, but even to the pros, it’s just not needed at the poker table. It just doesn’t do any good. It’s just causes a hostile and toxic environment.
“The game is just so much more fun and so much better for everyone when everyone just at least tries to be friendly and nice or at least quiet. If you’re going to be a dick, just don’t say a word instead. Much better.”
What would someone be surprised to learn about you?
“That I was in the Civil Air Patrol for about six years. I went on search and rescue missions. I got my solo glider license at 15 and solo in powered airplane at 16.
“As a teenager, I went on ground search and rescue missions like if a black box is going off in an airplane. We would go find it. Majority of the ones that we did were all just false alarms.
“I love flying. Flying’s great, it’s a lot of fun. Especially small airplanes, it’s so much fun.”
What’s one of the best pieces of poker advice you’ve ever been given?
“Try to be happy.”
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