Interview with GTO LAB Subscriber & WCOOP ME Champion Gilles Simon

Fresh off his WCOOP Main Event victory, Gilles Simon sat down with us, to talk about his journey from discovering poker on Twitch to becoming one of PokerStars’ biggest success stories.

In this conversation, Gilles opens up about what keeps him motivated, how he studies, and how GTO LAB fits into his preparation as a professional.

Hello Gilles! For those who might not know you, can you tell us a bit about your background and how you got into poker? What keeps you motivated these days?

Hey! A very short summary of the early days of my career is that I stumbled upon poker on Twitch around my 18th birthday in 2017.

I started with a $500 bankroll and began a small challenge that I shared on Instagram. After about six months, I started streaming on Twitch, and toward the end of that year, I entered a PokerStars streaming challenge after growing my bankroll to around $5k. I ended up winning that challenge and a Platinum Pass which was huge for me.

I sold some action for the $25k PSPC that was supposed to take place in Barcelona in 2020 to build a healthier bankroll, but then COVID hit. That’s when I decided to stop streaming and focus entirely on playing professionally and I haven’t looked back since.

As for motivation, I wouldn’t say I’m driven by the desire to be at the absolute peak of competition. What I really enjoy is the process of climbing steadily, improving over time, and pushing myself out of my comfort zone.

I also want to prove to myself that I can stand the test of time that I’m not just another guy who got lucky once. I’ve had great results, including two major titles, but I’m still not at the level I aspire to.

You’ve been a GTO LAB Pro subscriber for a few months now. How did the tools fit into your preparation leading up to your WCOOP Main Event win?

Actually, it was Leonard Maue who convinced me to get a GTO LAB subscription. He mentioned he was releasing a new PKO series on your platform, and that sparked my interest. I had tried Practice Mode before and liked it, but I was used to other tools at the time.

Once I got the subscription, I started using GTO LAB more and more especially the Practice Mode. I now use it as part of my warm-up routine, for interactive coaching sessions, and to review preflop or final table spots. The product quality really convinced me to make it a core part of my study process.

That said, for this particular run, I didn’t use GTO LAB much just for browsing some deeper-stacked setups. Most of my risk premium simulations I ran myself in HRC. But I’m really looking forward to your upcoming Post flop cEV, can’t wait to try it out.

For online grinders aiming to take the next step, what areas should they focus on? Are there common mistakes that tools like GTO LAB can help fix?

I wouldn’t say there’s one specific mistake these tools “fix.” It’s more about developing a stronger fundamental understanding of the game.

Using sim libraries helps you get a feel for baseline strategies, but I also recommend running your own sims experimenting with different sizings and parameters. That’s how you learn what truly drives certain decisions and patterns.

Once you’re comfortable with that, using libraries becomes much more efficient. You can quickly compare spots, understand how stack sizes shift strategies, and save tons of study time.

But for most players, the real key is efficiency. Learn to optimize your study routine. Surround yourself with people who work as hard or harder than you do. Outsource what you can, and don’t try to do everything alone.

At the end of the day, the number one thing that moves you up in stakes is showing up, putting in volume, and doing it consistently without burning out.

Thanks so much for your time, Gilles. It’s been a pleasure hearing your story and insights.

My pleasure! I really appreciate your interest and the thoughtful questions. Always happy to share my thoughts and experiences with the community.

If you want to study like Gilles Simon and start improving your EV today, use the code PATH at checkout to get $25 OFF on your first GTO LAB subscription.