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Curt Kohlberg
Life After
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Life and Success Beyond
Squash:
Curt Kohlberg
What does a high-level squash player do when a persistent
knee injury and the thrust of a surgeon's knife (read:
scalpel) keeps him off the court?
Well, if that squash player is America's
Curt Kohlberg then there are two things: business and
poker.
Although seemingly different endeavours to the sanctity of a
squash court, it seems there's actually a lot of crossover
between Kohlberg's recent pursuits and the game that saw him
compete at the World Masters as well as numerous tournaments
across the US.
Although not quite on the same level as the likes of Mohamed
Elshorbagy or Nick Matthew, Kohlberg could certainly hold
his own on the court when the pressure was on.
In fact, it seems this ability to handle the pressure of
high-level competition gave Kohlberg the ability to find
success in arenas away from the world of squash after his
knee gave way.
Graduating into Poker
Discussing his gaming exploits with
UMASSMAG, the official publication of Kohlberg's
graduating university in Massachusetts, the squash
fan-turned-businessman-turned-poker player explained that
card games were a way to fill a void.
After knee surgery prevented him from playing squash,
Kohlberg decided to look for less physical competitive
avenues and poker seemed to jump out at him. Initially
playing Stud before graduating onto
best known and most popular Texas Hold'em, Kohlberg has
since banked more than $2 million in live tournament
winnings.
Of course, the ability to hit
a backhand drive probably didn't help Kohlberg beat the
likes of Phil Ivey and Daniel Negreanu in famous poker
tournaments, but it did give him the competitive edge needed
to thrive in the game of psychology, mathematics and
bluffing.
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The Start of
Something New
Poker wasn't the only competitive outlet for Kohlberg
following his knee surgery. Using his academic
qualifications to the fullest, Kohlberg went from the
University of Massachusetts to MIT and then onto
Goldman Sachs. Various financial and management roles
followed until Kohlberg eventually set up his own consulting
firm:
Chatham Partners.Now employing
more than 40 staff members and offering market research,
investment banking and consulting strategies for people
across the world, Kohlberg has become as much of a force in
the boardroom as he ever was on the court. Indeed, with a
successful business and a flourishing poker career going for
him, it seems the dreaded knee problems that plague many
competitive squash players was actually a blessing in
disguise for Kohlberg.
A Transference of
Skills
Instead of lamenting on his misfortune and wondering whether
or not he could have made it to the big leagues, the
American grinder took the skills he'd learnt on the court
and reapplied them in new areas. Confidence, tactics,
agility (both mental and physical) and a competitive nature
are not only necessary skills for a squash player but a
player in life. Kohlberg quickly realised his ability to
swing a racket gave him the edge on rivals in the poker
world and in business. Today, the 57-year-old seems to be
happy with what he's achieved.
Would he like to trade shots with the elite on a world
stage? Quite possibly. However, for now, Kohlberg appears
content to travel the senior circuit in the US and revisit
the skills that have seen him rally his way to success in
life beyond the squash court. |
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