Ankush Mandavia has been playing poker for the better part of the last decade, but it wasn't until a couple years after Black Friday that the online specialist made the successful transition to live tournaments. The 31-year-old has since become a regular in the high-stakes events, and has a third-place finish in the $100k buy-in PCA super high roller for almost $800k.

The University of Georgia graduate also has a WSOP bracelet, having won the $5k turbo event a couple summers ago. He currently has $4.5 million in live-tournament earnings to go along with the millions more he won online.

Highlights from this interview include eight trips to Jacksonville, getting weeded out, observing the yellow sub, running up big rolls online, five-minute nerves, gunning for buy-ins, getting even chops when short-stacked, being a low-tabler, swapping etiquette, scorpions and chicken broth, and the problem with day 1 tanking.