Online Chat: Ben "milkybarkid" Grundy

Chad Holloway PR & Media Manager

Apr 11, 2012 4 min read

Ben Grundy, one of the U.K.��s most notable poker players, began playing online in 2004 and has amassed approximately $8 million, not to mention his $639,849 in career tournament earnings. Known as ��milkybarkid�� online, Grundy is a regular at the highest stakes.

Grundy��s poker career began to develop in 2006 when he won a package to the European Poker Tour Grand Final in Monte Carlo where he finished in seventh place for $105,815. Not only did that performance catch the attention of the poker world, it eventually earned him the distinction of becoming Betfair��s first sponsored pro.

Since then, Grundy, who is in his mid thirties, has focused on his bread and butter �� pot-limit Omaha. Playing primarily heads up, Grundy has expressed interest in taking on Viktor ��Isildur1�� Blom in PokerStars�� SuperStar Showdown, though that match has yet to come to fruition. In addition to playing both live and online, Grundy writes a blog on SharkStaking.com.

PokerNews recently caught up with Grundy, who was kind enough to tell us a little bit about himself and talk some poker.

How did you learn to play poker?

I learned when I was about 13 or 14 years old with friends. I started playing five- and six-card pot-limit Omaha first, as it was more exciting than hold��em.

Can you tell us your progression in poker? For example, what stakes did you start at and how did you know when it was time to move up?

When I was 18, I started playing in casinos in Cardiff and Bristol. Tournaments with buy-ins between ��20 and ��100 and cash games around the ��1/��2 level where I would sit with around ��500. I played a few times every month while I was in university in Cardiff.

I then went traveling and moved to London. It was about the time the boom in online poker started. I started playing online PLO around the $2/$5 and $5/$10 level and did pretty well. I gave up my job after cashing in Monte Carlo European Poker Tour Season 1. Since then I��ve always played between $10/$20 and $200/$400 PLO. Mainly I stick to the $25/$50 and $50/$100 PLO games.

What��s the most you��ve ever lost in one day? How did it happen? Likewise, how did it make you feel or what did you do?

I��ve lost around $150,000 a bunch of times, maybe six or seven. I still feel really bad when it happens. I normally take a few days off and do stuff to take my mind off poker.

What��s the most you��ve ever won in one day?

My best wins are also around the $150,000 mark. I normally just call it a day when I��m winning that much. I remember one of my most exciting wins was on Betfair about seven years ago. I was down about $50,000 playing $25/$50, and it was a huge figure at the time. I played all night, though, and ended up winning about $80,000. It felt pretty amazing for a few days.

Will you be going to the WSOP in Las Vegas this summer? Will you be playing primarily cash games or tournaments?

I��ve been to Vegas to play the WSOP for the last seven years. I normally go for just two weeks and play the PLO events, have a good time, and maybe play cash games a couple of times.

What is your game of choice online? How about live?

I like playing heads-up pot-limit Omaha most. I like the challenge and I��ll play anyone when I am in the mood. I rarely play live, the cash games that run in London are much smaller than I play online.

Do you ever play mixed games? If not, do you have an interest in learning?

I��ve been playing some mixed games on PokerStars. I��m weak at the stud-hi and lowball, but I��ve got a lot of experience in the other games so I do OK.

Are there any players you highly respect?

Most of the high-stakes regulars play well on PokerStars in different ways. I think I��ve lost the most on Stars to Ben ��Ben86�� Tollerene and Gavin ��Gavz101�� Cochrane, so I��ll go for them.

How did you come to choose the online screen name ��milkybarkid��?

I went for the auditions to be the "milkybarkid" �� the U.K. kid in adverts for milky bars �� so the nickname stuck from that.

Can you tell us a little but about your bankroll management strategy?

I try and be as sensible as possible. I��m really happy with my financial position, so I wouldn��t do anything to jeopardize that. I��m lucky I��ve never gone broke playing poker, even though it's been close a few times especially in the first few years I��ve played. I��d rather get backed and win slightly less, but have a much less stressful life.

What is the poker scene like in the U.K., both live and online?

It seems like I��ve been around a long time. I rarely play live in the U.K., but games run all the time in London. I��m friends with quite a few players, and we always have a good laugh when we go out, especially in Vegas.

Do you plan on playing online poker as a living for an extended period of time, or do you have other career aspirations?

I��ll carry on playing online poker as long as I��m making decent money. I hope there will be another boom that will bring some new money into poker, as the games are just full of pros at the level I play at the moment. I��d like to open a bar/restaurant sometime in the future when I don��t play so much poker.

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Chad Holloway PR & Media Manager

PR & Media Manager for PokerNews, Podcast host & 2013 WSOP Bracelet Winner.

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