Paul Vogel may not have cashed in this week's 2024 World Poker Tour (WPT) Seminole Rock ‘N’ Roll Poker Open Championship at Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood, but that hardly matters to the ClubWPT qualifier. After several years away from poker, the 57-year-old Merrick, New York resident was just happy to be back at the table.
Vogel won a WSOP Circuit ring in 2010 before stepping back from poker to focus on raising his family of seven. He doesn't get to play often and made the most out of the trip to South Florida by hopping in every satellite, side event and cash game he could find.
PokerNewscaught up with Vogel in one of those side events to talk about his recent return to poker, which included a cash finish in the 2022 WPT World Championship in Las Vegas.
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Married at 19, Vogel has always put family first. He won $61,599 and a Circuit title in Atlantic City but decided to go for something more stable in the wake of Black Friday.
"I had to drop out," he told PokerNews. "I've got five kids and a wife. And I make all the money for my family, so I kind of had to take a little break for a while ... I dropped out for like six, seven years. I was just working hardcore ... I had to pay for my house."
Despite his passion and talent for the game, Vogel said his wife "hates cards" and "never wanted to come to Vegas" or other poker stops. That gives Vogel the freedom to focus on the cards when he does get a chance to play. "It's perfect that way,"
When PokerNewsmet up with Vogel in the Hard Rock ballroom, he was grinding away in a $400 side event. He kindly stepped away from the table after playing his button, darting back every few questions to see if he had been dealt a playable hand.
"I feel like I'm back," he said. "I want to play some cards."
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Vogel won his trip to the RRPO Championship on ClubWPT, and it wasn't his first deep run on the site. When he finished second out of 1,454 players in a $5 million Freeroll satellite to barely miss out on a free seat to the biggest freeroll in poker history, he said it was more exhilarating than a bracelet run he made at the 2021 WSOP when he finished 15th for $16,491.
"That night when I came in second place, holy sh**," he said. "I know the money is so much different and all that, but it's what you're into at the time."
Vogel was in high spirits as he played the second starting flight of the Championship event, which he failed to cash in.
Vogel left on Wednesday and is going back to family life in Merrick. But he'll likely be smiling about his Florida poker getaway until Christmas.
*Photos courtesy WPT