When Brock Wilson walked away from his analyst job at Merrill Lynch in 2018, it wasn’t because he didn’t excel at it. In fact, he had what most would call a “dream setup” with a prestigious position in New York real estate finance, the culmination of years of hard work that included graduating with honors from Fordham and interning his way up the ladder.

But the problem was passion.

“On weekends, my colleagues wanted to network or study finance,” Wilson says. “I wanted to drive to Foxwoods or Atlantic City to find a tournament. I realized I was competing in finance against people who wanted it more than I did. In poker, I was that person.”

Wilson had been playing since middle school, sharpening his skills online and in regional tournaments. By his mid-twenties, he’d built a strong bankroll on the side on his way to the world’s toughest poker tables. “One quote that stuck with me was that people regret the things they didn’t do more than the things they did,” he says. “I knew I’d regret not going all in on poker.”

A Head Start and a Fast Rise

Wilson wasn’t starting from scratch. He’d been playing since middle school, and in his early twenties, he was already supplementing his income with online and live results. By the time he made the leap, he’d saved enough to take a calculated risk, and he had friends who believed in his game.

“I was fortunate to have people willing to buy my action in $10Ks and $25Ks I couldn’t yet afford myself,” he says. “I was known as the guy who studied, really got into solvers early on. That gave me a head start in understanding the fundamentals needed to compete with strong pros.”

That early adoption of theory wasn’t just about memorizing outputs. Back in 2013, before solvers were mainstream, a friend “crushed” him at college after he’d dominated home games. The loss sent him deep into range construction, thinking as much about his own holdings as his opponent’s. “If I’m balanced, no one can make perfect decisions against me. That’s always been the appeal — making it hard for anyone to win a lot from me.”

His initial high-roller results were also boosted by good variance. “Running well early matters. It’s much easier to stay confident in your big bluffs and tough folds if you’ve had spots go your way before. Poker is as much a battle with yourself as it is with your opponents.”

The “New School” Approach

Now one of the most respected young minds in the game, Wilson blends structured off-table study with a keen observational game at the table. As a coach for PokerCoaching.com, he’s quick to point out that tools are only half the battle.

“Solvers are great, but you have to feed them real-world assumptions. If I see players betting too many medium-strength hands on the turn, I’ll lock that into a solver and figure out the optimal counter. That’s the bridge between theory and practice.”

Collaboration is a big part of his edge. “I’ve always had a circle of sharp players to bounce ideas off, guys like Justin Saliba, Chris Brewer, or Shannon Shorr.”

Online and live play each offer unique benefits. “Online gives you volume and fast feedback. You see trends sooner. Live requires emotional control. Imagine you’ve flown somewhere, registration’s closed, and one bad bluff could end your day. You’ve got to know when your biases are creeping in.”

Lessons From the Trenches

Some of Wilson’s most valuable lessons came from being wrong. “Early on, I made too many assumptions that people thought like me. I’d see a big bet and think, ‘polarized,’ but recreational players don’t always follow that logic. Sometimes they don’t know what they’ll do until they’re there.”

His advice: stay open. “You can learn from anyone, even someone you think you’re better than. Ask them why they made a play. They might give you a perspective you’d never considered.”

If starting in 2025, Wilson’s blueprint would be simple but strict:

• Play a lot. Review every day.
• Mix study types with solvers, trainers, and hand reviews.
• Always compare theory to what actually happens.

“Pure study without play leaves you blind to real-world tendencies. Pure play without study leaves you repeating mistakes.”

Mindset & Skills Solvers Can’t Teach

In Wilson’s view, the difference between “very good” and “elite” isn’t just technical. “Anyone can crush when the cards are falling. The elite have an A, B, and C game. They stay level when losing. They’re deeply self-critical. They’re not copycatting plays they’ve seen since they understand why those plays work.”

That self-awareness extends to recognizing variance. “Winning a bunch of pots doesn’t mean you played them all well. Losing a bunch doesn’t mean you played badly. You have to keep an unbiased perspective.”

One of Wilson’s favorite live tips is deceptively simple: watch every showdown. “One hand can give you huge amounts of data, not just what someone had, but why they played it that way. 

Maybe they avoided betting the turn because they didn’t want to face a raise. Maybe they only bluff with hands that have equity. That’s the kind of stuff you can only learn if you’re present.”

As a PokerCoaching.com instructor, Wilson values how teaching sharpens his own poker strategy. “If I can’t explain a spot clearly, I don’t understand it well enough. Students bring different strengths. Sometimes they see a bet in a way I never would. That makes me test it in a solver, tweak my strategy.”

He also emphasizes the “why” over memorization. “You almost never face the exact same spot twice. Different positions, stack sizes, board textures, you have to understand principles, not just patterns.”

Patience and Perspective When Moving Up

For mid-stakes players eyeing high stakes, Wilson warns against rushing. “You need to be okay with busting 70–80% of the time without shame. If you’re not ready for that mentally or financially, you’ll play scared and make worse decisions. Poker’s not going anywhere, there’s no need to force it.”

For those considering leaving a traditional career, his guidance is blunt: weigh more than your bankroll. “Think about your obligations, your relationships, your willingness to travel. Make sure you love the game, not just the freedom from a boss.”

That advice includes smart shot-taking. “If you can’t sell enough action or the field feels tougher than you want to face, skip it. Don’t chase losses firing bullet after bullet. There will always be another tournament.”

He also stresses community. “Trying to be a lone wolf in poker is tough. Groupthink is powerful when used well. Friends multiply your experience; they’ve played spots you haven’t.”

“No matter how good you are, you don’t have it all figured out. The game changes constantly. The best players I know are always learning.”