Poker X Takes Sides: Is Matt Berkey a Bully or Justified in His Verbal Attacks?

3 months ago

Two things are clear: Matt Berkey is passionate astir nan crippled of poker, and he seems to regularly find himself progressive successful societal media occurrence wars pinch his peers. But has nan Solve for Why founder's caller actions connected X gone excessively far, aliases do nan group he's trashed person it coming?

That's not for america to decide, truthful we'll alternatively stock nan opinions of those who've chimed successful connected poker X, and nan reply to nan mobility appears to beryllium yes, but besides no.

Before getting to nan poker community's response, here's a little summation of nan events that person led to Berkey taking immoderate power connected societal media: Berkey criticized his poker coaching competitor, Jonathan Little, complete poker strategy.

He's gone aft Little, who runs PokerCoaching.com, a fewer times successful caller months. Daniel Negreanu past stepped successful to take sides Little and bash Berkey, and past it each conscionable benignant of spiraled retired of power pinch seemingly everyone connected poker X taking sides.

Check retired Jonathan Little's PokerNews Strategy Articles here!

Negreanu Has Some Advice for Berkey

Negreanu had a spot of proposal for Berkey connected really to grip nan conflict pinch Little, who is simply a PokerNews Strategy contributor. He said nan Only Friends podcast big should person treated Little pinch "respect" and "build a span that could thief his ain business flourish since Jonathan is incredibly successful successful nan coaching space."

The GGPoker ambassador past referred to Berkey's behaviour arsenic "obvious jealousy" and argues that Berkey is "in nary position to beryllium an authority connected what is bully aliases bad for poker coaching" because "he does not person nan resume."

Berkey, arsenic expected, wasn't conscionable going to disregard nan remark from a poker subordinate pinch complete 550,000 X followers. He defended his criticisms of Little by writing, "I'm ne'er 1 to wound my tongue, but I'm besides not 1 to onslaught someone's characteristic (undeserving)," and past went connected to explicate that he hasn't taken individual shots astatine Little, but simply disagrees pinch his messaging astatine times.

"This is conscionable Daniel's bruised ego lashing out," Berkey argues.

Negreanu didn't extremity astatine ripping connected Berkey. He took what appears to beryllium a sarcastic attack successful a consequence to Landon Tice, a friend of Berkey's and a chap Only Friends podcast host, by encouraging nan young poker pro to "break free of nan handcuffs" from Berkey and get immoderate poker coaching from Alex Foxen and Chance Kornuth, nan 2 biggest names progressive pinch Chip Leader Coaching.

Tice, who is still successful his early 20's, does person immoderate awesome tourney results, however. With astir $800,000 successful cashes recorded by The Hendon Mob, he's surely connected way to having a stellar career.

Mixed Bag from Poker X

Immediately aft Negreanu posted his captious tweet, poker X began to return sides. Many came to nan defense of Berkey, while others agreed pinch nan critique.

Poker writer Jennifer Newell based on that "Berkey is very clear erstwhile he is needling vs. insulting. And erstwhile he's wrong, he admits it. DN, connected nan different hand, he's nan constabulary of each things he claims shouldn't beryllium policed (And he's ne'er wrong. Ask him)."

Patrick Leonard besides came to Berkey's defense, and referred to nan "hate" connected Berkey arsenic "so bizarre," and said successful a short video astir nan conflict that he doesn't spot his chap poker pro arsenic a bully.

Not everyone, however, appreciates Berkey's societal media behavior. Some judge he's gone a spot excessively far, and they aren't conscionable talking astir his attacks connected Little.

"It's your tone. 'You don't do it successful a, 'I'm disagreeing and here's why' type way, you do it successful a 'look really stupid Jonathan is, let's mock him relentlessly' contempt nan truth that, trading aliases not, he's intelligibly been specified a affirmative driver of our game," @1T_Poker tweeted astatine Berkey.

"Are you being serious? Nearly ever retweet you’ve made astir Jonathans contented appears to effort to make him look bad aliases dumb. Own it, apologize and past you tin move on. But again moreover this station attempts to deflect taking ownership and put it connected personification else," @GamesNRoses85 had to say.

"I’m starting to ponder nan truth that you are really a bully… you chose a verbal way and it was ugly, you travel crossed arsenic a cognize it all… these characteristics besides constituent to narcissistic behavior. But past again if you don’t consistently spot nan statement you take," @nycPokerBum directed astatine Berkey.

Now let's spot what you person to opportunity astir Matt Berkey. Vote successful nan canvass beneath to stock your voice.