PKR Live III: Advice from the champ

Danski: Hello Karl. Seeing as you’re a previous champ, we thought we’d pick your brains on what it takes to lift the coveted PKR Live Main Event trophy.

You won $20,000 reaching the PKR Live II main event final tableback in April, beating good friend tigerwing heads-up. Where did that rank on your lifetime poker achievements?

Karl: At the time it was my single biggest victory, and probably the proudest moment of my poker career to date. I played really well (and ran well obviously) but the opponents that I was up against knew my game, so it was a challenge I wasn't used to.

D: Describe the atmosphere at PKR Live compared to other live events you’ve played.

K: The amosphere is sicko. Everyone behaves like five year old school kids, giddy and laughing and joking - ego put to one side. I think it helped that some of the forumites final tabled and two of usreached heads-up, as it kept everyone really interested in what was happening. No disrespect to Philip [PKR Live I winner escalope] or Pokey85 [the runner up who then became a Team PKR Pro], but the vast majority of people there didn't have much of an affiliation with them, and people love to have someone to follow [or /boo]!

D: Describe your journey to the final table.

K: It started off tough. I was down [from 10K] to 2 or 3K early on then got in a big pot for my stack with a guy drawing to two outs for the win and four for a split. From there I got moved to table 15 [the Table of Doom], and if I'm honest that made things easier. Everyone expected me to try and run the table, so I did!

Some nice spots occured, like when mockjock (the Warmup winner) played back at me with KJ vs my KK. One  of my favorite plays was were when I raised, Chivalrousgent who hadn't noticed and announced raise and the dealer informed him he had to raise X amount minimum. As soon as the chips were in, I snap 4 bet him and he shook his head, saying he didn't believe me and folded (I showed off  KTo)

I finished the day as a massive chip leader so I was obviously confident but it didn't start well on Day 2. I lost a bunch of flips or 40/60s and was only third in chips when I got to the final table. I noticed a lot of the other guys were a nervy and apprehensive so I started raising so often it was silly - running the table picking up all the chips. I thought during heads-up I played well with some superb plays, but I had a lot of cards early on to give me the chip lead to allow me make them.

D: Give us a couple of tips for players who may not have played live before, and for whom a $1K live event may be their biggest test yet.

K: Take your time. You don't have a 15 second limit here! Count your chips out before you do or say anything, and say what you are going to do as you're about to throw the chips in. This will stop you making mistakes in chip values. Dont be afraid to look silly, everyone makes moves and bluffs. Just because it's live, don't be afraid to do it and get caught out. Try and stay aware of everyones' stack sizes. If a new player comes to the table I ask him what he has. It unnerves them that you are targeting them and lets everyone know you want their chips.

D: This year’s first prize will be $40K (up from $20K last year). You are the returning champ, and carry a big fat target on your head as a Team PKR Pro and defending champ. What do you think of your chances of going back-to-back?

K: No such thing as a certainty ... until now!

D: Ha ha. Disco, best of luck. I look forward to watching you lose some of the very little weight you have, inside the monkey suit sauna...

PKR Live II footage