Get ready to delve into the life and mind of one of the poker scene’s standout players: Alex ‘King Toddie’ Todd. At just 28, residing in the serene landscapes of Essex, Alex juggles life between the challenging world of poker, moments with his fiancé Beck, and adventures with their dog, Benson.
With an impressive 15 years at the poker tables and a dedicated full-time streak over the past two years, there’s more to Alex’s journey than just chips and cards. Find out how he embraced the ‘King Toddie’ moniker in the digital realm and get a glimpse of his strategies, stories, and what drives him to push the limits every day.
How did you first get introduced to the world of poker?
My dad got me into poker, him and his mates used to play at the golf club when the weather wouldn’t play ball. They then started getting into poker more and would host games at each others houses, this is where I first got to experience playing and fell in love with the game at around 15 years old. By the time I turned 18 I had been wanting to go to the casino to play for quite a while and have proceeded to do so for the last 10 years!
When did you realize you could turn poker into a profession?
After a few years of learning the game and making a lot of mistakes as a recreational, I started to take it much more seriously at the age of 21 and had lots of success in online MTTs on Pokerstars over my first few years of playing. I then put the game down for a couple of years when I first got with my partner (now fiancé) and that was the only period that poker wasn’t a big part of my life. When lockdown started and everyone reverted to playing poker online for a while, my passion came back and I had lots of success playing online games in this period. I was working my bank career from home and making more money from playing poker so in 2021 I decided to resign at my job after 8 years of working in London and finally take my passion up full time.
What was your biggest tournament win, and how did it impact your career and life?
In August 2023 I managed to win Grosvenor’s Goliath poker tournament from a field of over 11,000 players for a score of £178,000 which I managed to take home the majority of after a few swaps with my close friends that I went with. This was by far my biggest result to date from £150 buy in (I did have another big cash in an online event previously but I had a very small percentage of myself)
In terms of the impact of this win, it has changed a lot in my life, given me a lot of validation and recognition which is something I am so grateful for. It has also given me a platform to grow a following and showcase my passion to a wider audience. The whole experience has been incredible, I made a podcast a week after the event documenting how I felt and what it meant to me, which is worth listening to. It has also enabled me to start my YouTube channel and I have already uploaded a video reviewing the final table and giving my thought processes, something else worth checking out. I am really excited to see what else can come of this opportunity.
How does live poker differ from online poker in terms of strategy and skill set?
Live and online poker actually require a very different skill set. In online poker the edge is much smaller as the ratio of pro:rec players is far higher than in live poker. Playing online the edge comes from playing very good fundamentally and playing lots of volume over time to achieve results. Live poker is more about navigating a mind field one hand at a time, there are so many more factors that contribute to the final outcome. Being extremely present in each moment and taking every piece of information around you in to use to your advantage. From the way someone looks to the way they act to conversations you’ve had with them that day, all of this portrays information. Good live players will factor in everything possible to make the best decisions and this is where the edge comes from.
What has been your most memorable win or loss at the poker table?
Most memorable win has to be the Goliath, that experience was once in a lifetime, to make it through such a big field on such a big stage after years of grinding was just an amazing experience.
Memorable loss is a hard one, I’ve played a lot of live cash over the years which comes with bigs losses along the way. Most memorable on would probably be my first proper poker festival after going full time, on the last day of the Irish Poker Open I lost a €3.5k pot where I was a big favourite and lost 2/2 runs and that one hurt after profiting all trip until the final hours, not ideal!
Do you have any specific routines or superstitions you follow during tournaments?
Once I get deeper into a tournament I always like to play with my headphones on, listening to my favourite artists keeps me calm and content at all times however the poker is going. Most of the time you’ll find me listening to my favourite artist Travis Scott.
Are there any travel tips or hacks you’ve developed over the years, specific to poker tours?
Playing online day 1s whenever possible is a great way to lower expenses, sometimes you can play an online day 1 then just go and play day 2 without having to stay over.
If you are travelling for poker a lot, you could even consider buying a camper van as these provide a great solution. I owned a Motorhome last year and it’s a great way to travel around without paying out loads for accommodation.
Do you have a favorite city or casino that you particularly enjoy playing at? Why?
I actually prefer playing online than live usually, just as it’s much more accessible and enables me to have more time at home. When I do travel to play it tends to be to one of the bigger poker stops, the Irish open has definitely been my favourite one so far, I’ve been the last two years and plan to go most years now. Going forwards I’m going to be travelling to a lot more poker festivals and playing the WSOP in Vegas so I will get to see a lot more casinos and cities coming up!
What’s the biggest misconception people have about professional live poker players?
It’s hard to actually know how successful/profitable each player really is as results aren’t always a good representation of this. The best players are the ones you see always showing up and playing their A game regardless of exterior factors, long term these are the people that will have the most success.
Are there any books, courses, or coaches that have profoundly impacted your poker career?
I haven’t actually done as much study as you might think, I’ve never done any paid coaching or training material. I have learnt the game through watching a lot of free content online and talking through my thoughts with a close group of other good players. I’ve taken a lot of inspiration from Patrick ‘Pads’ Leonard in recent years and always find his instagram content so valuable, I plan to do his training course in future.
How have you seen the world of live poker evolve over the years?
Since the pandemic, poker has been booming everywhere! The live poker stops are all getting record amount of runners which is great to see. I think that we will continue to see records broken year on year as poker reaches new audiences. All of the live streams and social media content out there are great for promoting the game. I will be posting lots of YouTube, Twitch and Instagram content coming up. Follow me @KingToddie_Poker to keep up to date with what I’m up to.
As our insightful conversation with Alex Todd, famously known as ‘King Toddie’ in the online poker scene, comes to an end, it’s apparent that poker is much more than just a game for him; it’s a way of life. His perspectives on the contrasting strategies between live and online poker, his memorable wins and losses, and the ever-evolving poker landscape offer a deep dive into the intricate world of poker.
As he ventures ahead, exploring more poker festivals and breaking new ground, you can follow his journey on his social media handle @KingToddie_Poker. With his upcoming content on platforms like YouTube, Twitch, his Podcast and Instagram, the poker community can look forward to more from this poker prodigy.
Thank you, Alex, for sharing your riveting journey with us, and we wish you continued success at the tables!