He "Won" $50K at 15. Then Lost $200K Before 21.

At 15 years old, Aaron Mermelstein won a $50K online tournament...and PartyPoker wouldn’t even send him a hat.

From that moment on, poker had its hooks in him.

But before we start, We’re GIVING AWAY $175 per week in August! And all you’ve gotta do is play poker. (Might we recommend a little 1-hour session while you grind this episode? 🤑)

This week on The Table 1 Podcast, Merms sits down with us for a raw, hilarious, and sometimes brutal story arc — from online prodigy to WSOP chip leader…to selling his watch just to get home from Vegas.

💸 How he lost $200K to "table game tuition"
🏆 The tournament that made his dad finally respect poker
🔥 Why running an LA home game isn’t what it’s cracked up to be

This one’s personal. And wild. And if you’ve ever felt like you were this close to a breakthrough or a breakdown — you’ll relate.

👇 Watch or listen here:

▶️ YouTube: https://youtu.be/0zPtDhoP1M0

🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/34igH69c2SB7xSRFleafXB?si=DsNEVRliQ9qIE5OTgVhgyw

Show Notes:

• 00:00 Video Games To The Varkonyi Effect

• 03:18 Freeroll to Bankroll

• 07:10 Finding Table Games

• 11:57 Working vs Going Pro at Poker

• 19:12 The $100 Date

• 23:13 NY Poker Games & Backing Deals Gone Right

• 29:08 The Borgata WPT & Tourney Breaks

• 37:58 Post WPT Tourney Circuit

• 39:38 The Home Game Scene

• 44:34 Poker: The Great Equalizer

• 46:36 COVID & Game Running

• 49:45 Miami Life & The M Casino

• 48:42 Chip On The Shoulder High Roller

• 1:02:21 WSOP Main Event Run

• 1:10:38 Post Main Event & The Future

📌 Subscribe for more high-stakes poker stories & interviews! (And so we keep making these!)

Cheers,

Art and Justin

PS: Want to play high stakes poker in a game that prioritizes fun? Play with us at Table 1