How long have you been playing poker and how did you start?
I started playing poker at the local snooker club in Rotterdam (yeah, u heard it right, snooker) about 7 years ago, either triple draw or 7-card stud. Very quickly I got the basic grasp of how the game worked, and because of my background in mathematics I quickly saw what I now know is playing hands with positive expected value. After a while I was winning some money and decided to test the waters in Casino's - with mixed results.
How did you get started on PKR?
PKR wasn’t my first love, just like most of the people searching for online poker rooms, I ended up on some of the more 'renowned' sites. I was visiting a friend of mine (a fellow poker-addict) and he showed me this neat software called PKR and I decided to deposit some $$ and check it out.
My first thoughts about PKR were mixed. Relatively small games dollar wise. Took some time to get a game going (Sit & Go). The grapics were astounding. And the player base consisted of 99% absolute fish and 1% Harrington players with a pretty standard TAG approach - thus it was like a mini-heaven.
Where do you live?
I live in Zoetermeer, a small town near to The Hague - the political capital of The Netherlands.
What’s your day job?
Poker!
After I sold my company couple of years back I decided that with the money behind me, I could easily try and maintain a healthy standard of life with my poker game. Although this is impossible volume wise on PKR, I still have some decent profit on PKR and generally get my underflow of cash grinding Sit & Go/MTT and cash on bigger sites.
What do you love most about poker?
Poker is the only game I know of that allows you to change the outcome to some extent. By applying the correct amount of pressure it ensures you (most of the time) take down a pot that would've not been yours in any other game.
Luck is a factor, and yes running hot like some people do on PKR might be nice, but without the correct skill sets (and you keep learning every day you play), you will never become a winning player.
Also, it’s a very easy game to learn, and this might sound clichéd, but it really does take a lifetime to master.
Last, is adrenalin in key spots when you either three barrel air, or go to showdown and take the pot down. The relief and adrenalin that is pumping through your veins is like the best feeling on earth - the downside is when you aren't running well ;)
Do you have a poker goal for 2010?
Well my primary goal is to keep increasing my ROI on the different games I play. In 2008 I hit a very sick downswing and I was blaming everything but myself for it, and after some pointers left and right I started to see that it wasn't only variance that was digging me in, it was my game too.
Instead of having a dream to win the WSOP, I want to play near perfect poker, thus fixing my leaks by analysing all my plays on expected value, and look a lot in the mirror instead of blaming all on my opponents and variance.
Since poker is the only game where you can influence the outcome of a hand by applying the proper amount of pressure - against the type of player you are up against, I think that is my biggest goal for 2010. Apart from that I would of course like to take down the Masters or a WCOOP/FTOPS this year -just because I feel confident enough that I am able to do so.
Who’s the best player you have come across on PKR and why?
I want to divide this in to a couple of sections, because there is no best player on PKR, but there are categories that have a best one.
MTT: There are a couple of players that I respect, but results wise (long-term) I think Mike the fat Greek, aka TheSqueeze is probably the one player that stands out (and please don't edit out the fat Greek part, ty).
Cash: I have come across a lot of players, but I have to say the one that impresses me the most - and we talked a couple of times about poker, is zomgchipriffle and close second imho is wulfy.
Why not Beyne? He tilts too much.
Strategy: This also is a close call, but from what I've read across the forums I think satfat and Vondur are probably the most 'intelligent' players I've come across poker wise - and both of 'em have great sense of humour too.
Sit & Go: In this department I think MRM1983 stands out above everyone else, and second place goes to the fat Greek.
Heads-up cash: I've been railing some games between Beyne and Goldeneyehd and in this department the award goes to the Romanian roulette expert, and for non-regulars I think Holdemgosu and kevboy1 are probably the best.
Heads-up Sit & Go: This isn’t really a tough one, NLALEXMOHNL is probably the only player at higher stakes that I respect.
Luck: Also an asset to poker, and this award goes to PatIvey and samsl - no pun intended, those two just seem to run above any standard deviation that is common, and I hope it lasts for them honestly.
Do you have a favourite PKR tournament?
That used to be the old format of the Grand Prix - decent buy-in and a great ROI. I think now it has to be the Masters.
Anything in the forums made you chuckle lately?
I haven't been very active lately on the forums, but there is one section I like most, and when in run bad I always checkout the bad beat section, just to see how people just don't grasp the effect of variance in hold ‘em.
So if I want a good laugh I try to check out the topics with the most exclamation points possible or terms like donk/fish/moron, MY AA CRACKED, et cetera. Apart from that the 'Ego section' aka the Cash game section is probably a close second.
What’s your biggest poker achievement to date?
Before starting on PKR I played a $300k GTD on another site and won a nice $64k first place. However, although that was my biggest cash I still think my biggest achievement was qualifying for Macau via PKR. Unfortunately I had to miss out on it because I got involved in an accident - that is of course Murphy's Law at its best.
If you could improve one area of your game – what would it be?
Four letters: T I L T. I still tilt too much, and I lack anger management skills, so when I'm running bad or getting sucked out one too many the whole table will feel the terror verbally. It's an area I've been working on for a year now, and I've got to say the abuse has decreased a lot these days. I keep trying to just say, 'WP Sir'.
Other areas I am working on are board textures, representing hands on different boards, thin value betting, betting instead of check/calling and last but not least, dropping my % of going to showdown.
Who would you be sat with at your fantasy table?
On PKR: Beyne, Dunbar, Goldeneyehd, RAISE72OFF, starscreammm, TheSqueeze, BokitoNL, mcoupar (with chat on) and farryboy, not for the skills, but to see who starts abusing first.
Live: Sammy Farha, Tom Dwan, Phil Hellmuth (only for his crying), Patrik Antonius, Phil Ivey, Jennifer Tilly (or is it titty? Just for staring), Luke Schwartz (vs Hellmuth omg!), Tony Guoga and Daniel Negreanu.
What do you like to do to unwind when your not playing poker?
I like to play snooker, workout, my own personal harem of beautiful women, go out and that sort of stuff.