Alec Torelli
{{Short description|Italian-American poker player (born 1987)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{Infobox poker player
| name = Alec Torelli
| nickname = traheho
| image =
| caption =
| residence = Las Vegas, Nevada
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|mf=yes|1987|03|24}}
| birth_place = Newport Beach, California, U.S.
| wsop bracelet count = None
| wsop final tables = 2
| wsop money finishes = 5
| wsop main event best finish rank = 11th
| wsop main event best finish year = 2023
| wpt titles = None
| wpt final tables = 3
| wpt money finishes = 3
| ept titles = None
| ept final tables = 0
| ept money finishes = 3
| updated = 2025-05-22
}}
Alec Michael Torelli (born March 24, 1987), also known by his moniker Traheho, is a professional poker player from Orange County, California, who specializes in live high stakes cash games.{{Cite web |last=Arnett |first=Kristy |date=November 26, 2013 |title=Strategy with Kristy: Alec Torelli Talks How to Decide If You Should Go Play Poker |url=http://www.pokernews.com/strategy/strategy-with-kristy-alec-torelli-part-2-16886.htm |access-date=May 22, 2015 |website=PokerNews Global}}{{Cite web |date=April 22, 2015 |title=Hellmuth, Elias, Shak Confirmed for This Weekend's Poker Night in America SugarHouse |url=http://www.pokernews.com/news/2015/04/pnia-sugarhouse-lineupes-21323.htm |access-date=May 22, 2015 |website=PokerNews.com}} Torelli was formerly sponsored by Doyles Room.{{Cite web |last=Murphy |first=Stephen A. |date=August 18, 2009 |title='The Brunson 10' Hopes to Take DoylesRoom to New Heights |url=http://www.cardplayer.com/poker-news/7363-the-brunson-10-hopes-to-take-doylesroom-to-new-heights |access-date=May 22, 2015 |website=CardPlayer}}
Early life and education
Torelli graduated from Woodbridge High School (Irvine, California) in 2005 and became an Eagle Scout at age 17. He attended Southern Methodist University (SMU) in Dallas, Texas on a scholarship but left during his freshman year to pursue professional poker.{{cite web |last1=Dunn |first1=Samantha |title=Do card games teach life lessons? A pro poker player says yes |url=https://www.uniondemocrat.com/lifestyle/article_37f0a9b0-9ad3-11ef-8063-9f85bde529c4.html |website=The Union Democrat |language=en |date=4 November 2024}}
= Personal life =
He is married, holds dual United States and Italian citizenship,{{Cite web|url=https://www.alectorelli.com/bio/|title=About Alec Torelli}} and has visited over 50 countries. He practices daily meditation{{Cite web|url=https://alectorelli.substack.com/p/how-meditation-changed-my-life|title=How Meditation Changed My Life}} and runs “WHealthier,” a wellness investment syndicate on AngelList.{{Cite web|url=https://venture.angellist.com/whealthier/syndicate|title=WHealthier Syndicate}}
Poker career
Torelli began playing poker in 2003 and made his first major final table at the 2006 Ultimate Bet Aruba Poker Classic, earning $39,730.{{Cite web|url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=25263|title=2006 UltimateBet Aruba Poker Classic: Hendon Mob}} He then moved to Melbourne, Australia, where he won the 2007 FTOPS Main Event for $288,000 and ranked 9th among Full Tilt Poker’s top winners with $1.1M in cash game profits.{{Cite web |last=Green |first=Shawn Patrick |date=2007-02-18 |title=Online Poker: Traheho Wins FTOPS Main Event |url=https://www.cardplayer.com/poker-news/1904-online-poker-traheho-wins-ftops-main-event}}
After turning 21, Torelli moved to Las Vegas, where he finished second in the 2008 WSOP $10,000 Heads-Up event, winning $336,896.{{Cite web|url=https://www.pokerstrategy.com/news/world-of-poker/Kenny-Tran-is-the-new-Heads-Up-Champion_06734/|title=Kenny Tran is the New Heads-Up Champion|access-date=May 22, 2025}} In 2009, he placed sixth in the WSOP $40,000 40th-anniversary event{{Cite web |title=2009 WSOP - Event 2: $40K NLH|url=https://www.cardplayer.com/poker-tournaments/2582-2009-40th-annual-world-series-of-poker/17933/results}} and fourth in the Bellagio Cup V, cashing $329,730 and $271,165 respectively.{{Cite web|url=https://www.pokernews.com/news/2012/04/black-friday-chronicles-changed-priorities-alec-torelli-12369.htm|title=Black Friday Chronicles: Alec Torelli}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.cardplayer.com/poker-news/7225-world-poker-tour-alexandre-gomes-wins-bellagio-cup-v|title=Alexandre Gomes Wins Bellagio Cup V}}
In late 2008, Torelli won back-to-back events at the Bellagio WPT Fiesta al Lago, earning $84,100 and $120,715.{{Cite web |last=Rodriguez |first=Julio |title=Alec Torelli Goes Back-to-Back at Bellagio|url=https://www.cardplayer.com/poker-news/5256-alec-torelli-goes-back-to-back-at-bellagio}}
In 2009, Doyle Brunson selected Torelli as the first member of the "Brunson 10" pros sponsored by Doyles Room.{{Cite web|url=https://www.pokernewsdaily.com/alec-torelli-traheho-signs-with-doyles-room-3388/|title=Alec Torelli Signs with Doyle's Room}}
From 2012 to 2015, Torelli lived in Macau and played high-stakes cash games at the StarWorld and Wynn casinos.{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RU8-EmQ_shM|title=Cash Games in Macau – Alec Torelli}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.pokertube.com/video/alec-torelli--the-poker-scene-in-macau|title=Poker Scene in Macau – PokerTube}} He has also been featured on partypoker Big Game, Poker Night in America, Live at the Bike, and Hustler Casino Live.{{Cite web|url=https://pokernight.com/tag/alec-torelli/|title=Alec Torelli - Poker Night in America}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=go1KCwr28GI|title=HIGH STAKES $25/50/100 - Hustler Casino Live}}
Torelli returned to the WSOP Main Event in 2023, finishing 11th and earning $700,000.{{Cite web|url=https://www.pokernews.com/strategy/alec-torelli-2023-wsop-main-event-run-part-8-46190.htm|title=Making Day 8 at the WSOP: PokerNews}} and followed it up with a 3rd place finish in the 2024 WSOP Mid Stakes Championship earning $517,000.https://pokerguru.in/poker-news/2024-wsop_clementrichez-16072024/
He was an ambassador for PokerStars.it in 2013{{Cite web|url=https://www.pokernews.it/news/2013/09/alec-torelli-il-cash-game-l-italia-e-il-gelato-12358.htm|title=Alec Torelli and PokerStars.it}} and currently represents Phenom Poker, a decentralized poker platform.{{Cite web|url=https://www.phenompoker.com/ambassadors/alec-torelli|title=Phenom Poker - Alec Torelli}}
TV and media
In 2010, Torelli appeared in Entourage Season 7,{{Cite web|url=https://www.buddytv.com/entourage-season-7-preview-and-promo/|title=Entourage Season 7 Promo}} the documentary A Kid’s Game: The Story of Online Poker,{{Cite web|url=https://www.documentarytube.com/videos/a-kids-game-the-story-of-online-poker/|title=A Kid’s Game - DocumentaryTube}} and on Brain Games in 2020. His 2017 interview on motivation with psychologist Bobby Hoffman was later cited in Psychology Today and included in the academic text Motivation for Learning and Performance.{{cite book |doi=10.1016/C2013-0-18335-3 |title=Motivation for Learning and Performance |date=2015 |isbn=978-0-12-800779-2 |first1=Bobby |last1=Hoffman }}
Public speaking
He has delivered talks at USC, Cisco, and the Women’s President’s Organization on topics like decision-making and risk-taking.{{Cite web|url=https://www.alectorelli.com/hire-me-to-speak/|title=Hire Alec Torelli to Speak}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vKc5pm4yGk|title=USC Keynote: Alec Torelli}}
Publications
In May 2020, he published The Poker Coach: Practical Strategies to Manage Your Bankroll and Outsmart Your Opponents, a book focused on poker strategy and helping others reach their poker goals.{{Cite web|url=https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-poker-coach-alec-torelli/1136692832|title=The Poker Coach by Alec Torelli |access-date=2024-06-25 |archive-date=2024-06-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240621064641/https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-poker-coach-alec-torelli/1136692832}}
Torelli has contributed strategy articles and commentary to several poker publications, including Bluff Magazine, PokerNews, and CardPlayer Magazine.{{Cite web |title=Poker News - Alec Torelli |url=http://www.cardplayer.com/poker-news/blogs/author/35 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080622175000/http://www.cardplayer.com/poker-news/blogs/author/35 |archive-date=2008-06-22 |access-date=2024-06-25 |website=CardPlayer}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.pokernews.com/editors/|title=PokerNews Editors |access-date=2024-06-25 |archive-date=2024-05-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240511145425/https://www.pokernews.com/editors/}}{{Cite web |title=Bluff Magazine Contributor Index |url=http://www.bluffmagazine.com/magazine/byWriter.asp |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100326080945/http://www.bluffmagazine.com/magazine/byWriter.asp |archive-date=2010-03-26}} In 2015, he launched his YouTube channel, Conscious Poker, where he breaks down poker hands and answers viewer questions.{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/consciouspoker|title=Conscious Poker by Alec Torelli - YouTube |access-date=2024-06-25 |archive-date=2023-01-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230102133538/https://www.youtube.com/consciouspoker}}
Controversy
In 2017, a hand on Poker Night in America sparked allegations of angle shooting after two $5,000 chips were concealed behind smaller denominations. Opponent Daniel Wolf misjudged Torelli’s stack and lost a pot worth $10,000 more than expected.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cardschat.com/news/alec-torelli-finally-responds-to-doug-polks-angle-shooting-accusation-47551|title=Torelli Responds to Polk Accusations – CardsChat}} While Torelli apologized and offered Wolf a future stake, Doug Polk publicly criticized the incident,{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u14IvlJ4T9U|title=Did Alec Torelli Angle Shoot?|via=YouTube}} prompting responses from Torelli{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-rKZpSsHjE|title=Torelli’s Response on YouTube}} and defenses by Daniel Negreanu, Brian Rast, and Charlie Carrel.{{Cite web |last=@RealKidPoker |date=2018-07-26 |title=Daniel Negreanu tweet |url=https://x.com/RealKidPoker/status/1022369755586420736}} Torelli responded on his YouTube channel{{cite web |title=Alec Torelli Response to Doug Polk: The REAL & UNEDITED STORY (Torelli vs. Wolf - PNIA) |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-rKZpSsHjE&t=3s |website=YouTube |date=3 July 2017}} and in an interview on the “Nick Vertucci Show”. Torelli was defended by poker professionals Daniel Negreanu, Brian Rast and Charlie Carrel, who deemed the controversy to be disproportionate and unfair.
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Official|http://www.alectorelli.com/}}
- [https://www.cardplayer.com/poker-players/48280-alec-torelli Card Player profile]
- [http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/player.php?a=r&n=74855 Hendon Mob profile]
- [https://www.pokernews.com/poker-players/alec-torelli/ PokerNews profile]
- [https://www.worldpokertour.com/player/alec-torelli/ WPT profile]
- [https://www.wsop.com/players/profile/?playerid=27173 WSOP profile]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Torelli, Alec}}