Catching up with Everett Carlton
By I had a chance to catch up with our June MNPokerMag cover boy, Everett Carlton last week. He’s taking a break from the local poker scene to play in the World Series of Poker. Carlton is one of the more interesting personalities on the felt in Minnesota, and he solidified his resume with a WSOP Circuit victory in April.
Last time we chatted (for the magazine), you talked about wanting to finally grab that first major title. You reached the final table of both MSPT events, only to take brutal bad beats. Then you finally broke through down at the WSOP Circuit event. What did that victory mean to you?
Everett: I can’t tell you how much that meant to me. After last years’ main event final table at the Midwest Poker Classic, I knew I had to make some adjustments. I was tired of getting to the final table short stacked and unable to close the deal. Now I’m accumulating more chips and doing a better job of hanging on to them. It wasn’t the money or the ring, but the title. It meant everything to me and gives me confidence going into the WSOP this summer.
Were you discouraged at all after coming so close in the MSPT events?
Everett: Actually, I was more encouraged than discouraged. Getting my money in as a heavy favorite at a final table is what I want to do. If I’m drawn out on, at least I know i’ve done my job. I’m OK with that. What does bother me is when I get my money in bad, or make a move against the wrong player or in the wrong spot. That takes me forever to get over. I was actually encouraged that the changes I made were paying off.
How did your past final table experiences help you at Caeser’s? Or did it really not make a difference?
Everett: Any final table you make helps you at the next one. At Caesars, I entered the final table with a slight chip lead, only to call off most of my chips on a bad read with 4 players left. I was down to 35,000 chips 4 handed with the average at 1.6 million. I stayed calm and was confident even then. I don’t think I could have kept my composure had it not been for the past final table experience.
When you travel for events in Vegas, or anywhere around the world, do you travel alone? How does that work for you? Do you enjoy the travel?
Everett: I enjoy traveling more than poker, golf or anything else. And I love traveling alone. Going alone doesn’t mean being alone. How can you be alone hanging in Paris. There’s a certain freedom that comes with going solo. No schedule. No routines. There’s more ink on my passport than on Dennis Rodman. The summer I turned 16, after having my drivers liscence for only 3 weeks, I asked my mother if I could take her car for a drive. I came back 8 days later, having driven to northern California and down the coast to L.A. because I wanted to see California. The next time I got to use the car, I was 17.
What is your game plan for the WSOP in June? How many events will you play in compared to other years? Playing in the Main Event?
Everett: I’ll be flying out May 30th and will stay there 6 weeks. I’ll enter 14 or 15 events and of course the Main Event. I don’t have a backer, so I manage my money well. I’ll play in all of the $1000 and $1500 events. I think there’s great value there. You tell me where there’s a $1000 event tommorrow with 4000 players and I’ll be there. Where else can you find that.
Last year I entered 14 events, made it through 85% of the field in 8 of those, and only managed 1 cash. I’m confident this will be a better summer.
Have you found yourself getting noticed more at poker tournaments in Minnesota? What’s that like for you?
Everett: I don’t even think in those terms. I’m just another player from Minnesota trying to win poker tournaments. Nothing more. Nothing less. Ther’s so many good players from here. Mike Simon is a WPT champion. Tony Hartmann has been playing all of the games for a long period of time with sucess. Jeremy Dresch wins back to back HPT. Cody Slaughbaugh’s tournament play. And on and on and on. I’m still learning this game.
Do you ever chat poker strategy with anyone? How did you learn to play?
Everett: I really don’t. I know most players talk about how much that improves their game. Then those same players will sit at a table, put on headphones, and miss out on listening to the table talk , which I consider information central. Why would I want to talk poker strategy with someone I’ll be facing at the table. Do chess players who face each other in competition talk strategy? I doubt it. Maybe I’m missing out on something. I learn by playing against the best players, keeping my eyes and ears open and my mouth shut.
I’ve heard you are an avid golfer… Care to expand on that? Where do you golf these days, and how often?
Everett: I love golf. I always played about 150 rounds a year. Then in 2003, I was diagnosed with malignant melanoma from the sun. They caught it early and I’m OK. But that’s when I came indoors to play poker. I still play 40 or 50 rounds per year and have been a member of Indian Hills for about 20 years. We have a group of about 15 guys who love action on the golf course. I think 3-Putts said this same thing for an interview in this magazine. When you’re on the 18th hole and all of the money is on the line and you need to hit a 4 iron tight, a competitor will stick it close. Whether it’s golf or poker, the stronger will to win will usually prevail.
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