Zachary Gruneberg Looks to Celebrate Sobriety With a WPT Title

A WPT title for Zachary Gruneberg would cap off more than just an amazing week of poker. It would be a perfect way to celebrate what will be four years sober.

At just 27 years old, the Pennsylvania native has been through more than most people could dream of. In 2009, at 18 years old, he went to Australia, won a prelim event and final tabled a $10,000 main event at the same stop. In just a few days and barely old enough to vote, Gruneberg headed back stateside with about $185,000 in his pocket.

He came back to the U.S. and continued to dominate on the virtual felt. Playing under the screen name “HustlerGrune,” he won several major titles online and won over $2.7 million in online tournaments alone. Unfortunately, a drug addiction took hold of Gruneberg’s life and over the next few years and ruined his bankroll and his personal life. By 2011, he was basically out of poker for a couple years.

“I was pretty much on the verge of death,” said Gruneberg. “I was totally bust and unable to get good results because I was so addicted. You know, there was just a cloud on my brain.”

Fortunately, he sought help. He checked into rehab and got his life back together. In less than a week, Gruneberg will be celebrating his four-year anniversary free from drugs and alcohol.

“I’m coming up on four years sober on February 7,” said Grunberg. “This would be a pretty cool anniversary in terms of sobriety to finally win one of these things.”

As a young kid with a lot of money, it’s easy to assume that they experimented with the hard drugs from the get-go. It wasn’t like that. Gruneberg and his friends were just kids that were just having a good time and that it was sheer ignorance that led to an addiction to opiates.

“We were just kind of into the party scene. Not hard, but just as regular college-aged kid,” said Gruneberg about his younger days. “So, we were just down to part, down to experiment with drugs. We weren’t doing anything crazy, but when I first did opiates, I never, I don’t even think I googled it beforehand. Like what is this? How bad is this? I never saw anyone addicted at that point. I was just oblivious.”

Breaking free from addiction is one of the toughest tasks, both mentally and physically, that someone can put themselves through. Between the withdrawal symptoms and the mental adversity of not succumbing to your desires, it’s a grueling experience.

For many, the experience of constantly being around a casino where there are plenty of vices to go around would only enhance the difficulty of the process. Gruneberg didn’t have that same type of struggle. He knew how awful his life was and never had any desire to go back to that lifestyle.

“I don’t know, man. When I hit rock bottom, I was just done. I was like ‘I’m done. I’m never going to use again. It’s over. It’s just over,’” said Gruneberg. “Since that very moment, I’ve had no urge to use. Ever. […] I just have no urge to use. I’m not envious of people that still do anything, really.”

After getting clean, Gruneberg immediately went back to his winning ways. In 2014, he made the cross country trek to Las Vegas for the summer and made three final tables, earning over $500,000 in just a few weeks. He was back on his feet, sober, and doing what he does best – playing poker tournaments.

Being sober is something he’s passionate about. While he still sees a difference between different drugs, when he spots someone heading down the wrong path, he offers up his own story as a bit of personal advice to try and save others from the same situation he went through.

“I don’t smoke weed personally, but I don’t judge that,” said Gruneberg. “Anyone I see getting into some of the harder stuff, I’m just like ‘Dude, listen, take it from me, man. I was like you.’ They aren’t going to listen, really, but you know, I’m speaking from experience. I’m saving you a lot of pain and misery if you just cut it out.”

With eight players remaining, Gruneberg is continually stacking chips and building a sizable chip lead as they are just a few players away from the six-handed televised final table. It’s been a combination of running good and playing good, but nothing displayed just how good he was running like his double up through Chase Binachi while there were 15 players remaining.

Gruneberg got all in with top pair, top kicker, against Binachi’s bottom set. Gruneberg turned trips and rivered quads to double up through the former chip leader. Given the time, place and situation, it’s not a hand he will soon forget.

“Dude, I mean, like, that was, dude,” said Gruneberg about the hand, struggling to find words to relive the moment. “If there is anything that felt like destiny, there were a couple things that felt like destiny, but in my entire career, not even in like a $10 tournament has a hand like that ever happened to me. And not to mention, that was one of the biggest spots of my career. And I get a queen-queen runout. It was unbelievable. I’m still in shock about that.”

Whether his tournament ends with an unlikely eighth place finish or with his name on one of the most coveted trophies in poker, Gruneberg is at peace with where his life is.

“It’s crazy to think that my life has been so swingy,” he said. “But since I’ve been sober, it’s been awesome. I’m engaged to a beautiful girl, we just got a new place, I just rescued three cats. I’m just chilling. I’m enjoying it.”