Player profile - zanzibax

A profile of and interview with one of PKR's leading MTT and community lights

By PKR_Danski on Sunday 12 Jul 2009 15:00


Flemish, Stella Artois and fine chocolate - these are what spring to mind when we think of the country once called 'the cockpit of Europe'. Now it has another fine export, PKR Masters runner-up and scourge of cash games, zanzibax. I caught up with zanzi, real name Erwin, to hear about his journey from poker rookie to PKR star...

zanzibax's My PKR page

Name: Erwin
Age: 31
Location: Hamme, Belgium
Started playing poker: May 2007
Joined PKR: May 2007
Tournaments entered: 2,471
Cashes: 470
Final tables: 239
Wins: 37
Notable results: 2nd - PKR Masters ($16,688), 1st - PKR Bounty ($3,300), 2nd - Springfest #12 Bounty ($2,335)
All-time Money List: Currently 3rd ($90,935)
MTT rank: Currently 4th

Danski: Thanks for talking to us, Zanzi! As we can see from your stats above, you started playing poker on PKR - a great story, and we're glad you've had so much success. After Zeorbok's profile last week, it's difficult to find someone with similarly great stats, but in you we've found someone. Firstly, tell us about your offline results.

Zanzibax: I played one real tournament and that was PKR Live II this year (where I finished 20/150 ). For the rest, some live games with friends, nothing special actually.

D: What's your favourite hand?

Z: Favourite hand: J-T suited - easy to fold when you don’t hit and a big winner if you catch something good.

D: Least favourite hand?

Z: A-J offsuit - a dangerous hand, you can easily be dominated in a raised pot.

D: Favourite poker format?

Z: 6-handed NLHE cash games

D: Least favourite format?

Z: Double Thru SNG’s - just too slow and boring!

D: Most feared/respected players?

Z: There are a lot of poker players that I respect at PKR. To name two: Sicklife is great cash game player; For MTT: Kusken777 is really solid.

D: Least respected player?

Z: I really don't know, I respect them all lol!

D: Poker high and low points?

Z: High point - well I have had a lot of great moments at PKR, but if I have to choose one it’s my 2nd spot in the Masters (in May). As for a low point - December 2008 was awful, I had suckout after suckout at the cash tables, and also MTTs went totally wrong. A very hard time, but I learnt a lot from it :D

D: Favourite PKR MTT?

Z: The Masters. Slow blinds, big stack to start and big prize money! However I also like the speed/turbo MTTs -  they give a lot of action and finish real quick.

D: Poker goal?

Z: I want to play the WSOP in Vegas. I’ll do my best to get there next year. And also my dream is to become a sponsored player :)

D: What is your cash game experience?

Z: I started playing cash games 10-handed (low -midstakes). I mostly play four tables at a time, then i switched to 6-handed, where there is more poker and more fun in my opinion then 10-handed. I’ve some decent experience in mid-stakes now ($1/2, $2/4 and sometimes $5/10). I’ve been a Diamond member for quite some time now. The main things to be succesful for cash is tilt-control and patience. Stop playing when it’s not your day and keep going if you are on fire, and not vice versa as many do ^^

D: Sounds advice! Give us a player to watch for the future

Z: Hanne20! ;)

D: Finally, what are your hobbies?

Z: A lot of poker of course, and besides that, spending money and partying.

D: Zanzi, thanks for letting us into your poker world, and we hope to see you go one position better in this month's Masters!

Watch zanzibax's PKR Masters 2nd on PKR TV. (Coming soon!)


Comments

/flirt

Comment by OLD_Waswini - 14/07/09 (Report)

I agree, he's a rock

Comment by Flurk - 13/07/09 (Report)

very nice Zanzi !

Comment by ShakeRaise - 13/07/09 (Report)

Wow Zanzi, I had no idea you have had so much success while i've been slacking. I'll catch up soon. GL at the tables.

Comment by Kloonike - 12/07/09 (Report)

The best Belgian pokerplayer on pkr... Zanzi will take a bracelet on the Wsop one of these years i think :-)
only playing poker for 2 years now but he plays like he has never done anything else.
So gogo Zanzi

Greetz
Broeckie

Comment by Broeckie78 - 12/07/09 (Report)

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