Even in 2015 it's difficult to leave the poker floor to get a word in with Patrik Antonius.
As we tried, on Day 4 of the EPT Barcelona Main Event, he was literally getting asked to take pictures with fans every five meters.
We ended up positioning ourselves right next to the door in a far corner of the lobby where he told us about his return to live tournament poker, the disappearing of high-stakes cash games and the ills of tracking software.
Antonius: "Online I Don’t Like My Chances Anymore"
Antonius doesn’t consider himself a tournament specialist which is why he doesn’t play many big events. In fact since October 2011 he only has seven cashes in international events.
Every single one of them, though, was a six- or seven-figure score. The legendary Finnish high roller is still one of the best and most efficient poker players around.
PokerListings: Where do you live these days Patrik?
Patrik Antonius: I spend most of my time in Monaco. I still play poker all over the world but rarely in tournaments.
More big games in future.
PL: Like in Macao, for example?
PA: Not lately. I haven’t been there in about two years. I’m planning to play more big games again.
PL: Some people say Manila is the new hot spot.
PA: (smiles) Well, there are very nice poker rooms in Manila, and the Chinese can’t play in their home country so they like to go to either Macao or the Philippines.
Also, I know that Winfred’s (Yu; CEO of Poker King Club Macau) company has opened a poker club in Manila just like the one in Macau.
PL: Apparently you also have some bonds with the King’s Casino Rozvadov, as you’re wearing a patch.
PA: I have not signed anything. I spoke with the owner of the King’s Casino (ed. note: Leon Tsoukernik) and we were thinking that we might do a couple of things together in the future. So I decided to wear the patch for this event.
PL: Did you take part in the recent high-stakes game at the King’s?
PA: No, I haven’t. I haven’t been there at all, which explains why I haven’t been in that cash game.
But for now I’m very happy to be here. The event is so well organized and I’m looking forward to maybe Berlin or Malta, and also the Grand Final in Monaco.
Apparently was possible to get even more fit.
PL: Why have you played so little poker lately?
PA: The big games I was playing in kind of dried out. In Macau the games moved more and more into private games and the game in Vegas wasn’t the same anymore, either.
Suddenly there was no more game in London and nothing in Monaco. You know, things just change in our industry. So I stepped back and cut down on poker.
Sometimes I didn’t play a single hand for months but I probably would have had there been a proper game. Then again I got to spend more time with my family and on my health and I succeeded in getting in better shape.
I used to have a lot of problems with my back, my shoulder and my hips but now I feel great. And it’s great to be back playing poker again.
PL: Any tennis matches with Gus Hansen?
PA: If he wants to play we can certainly arrange something. (laughs) But I think he’s more into squash now.
PL: What happened to your online poker? We really miss the times when you and Tom Dwan were sitting there throwing hundreds of thousands of dollars around.
PA: You know, it’s a little sad, but it looks like the technology has advanced so much that it’s become a totally different game.
Nowadays players use software that gives them so much information and so much data that it has become more of a game of numbers.
I never used any of these programs. I‘ve never used technology to get an edge. I’m more of a feel player who’s living in the moment.
But the players today know what they’re doing. They are basing their play on what the software tells them to do so it feels like you’re playing against a computer these days.
Software has changed the high-stakes game.
If you don’t use poker tracking software it’s not a fair game anymore. But I still like to play Mixed Games.
PL: There’s no tracking software for these games.
PA: Well, I’m sure some smart people are already working on it and that there will be programs for Stud poker or heads-up 2-7 Triple Draw.
As much as I know Limit Hold’em is now basically solved. (ed. note: well, pretty much) I actually had to quit Hold’em and PLO online.
I lost about a million straight and then I realized that I couldn’t beat the ring-games anymore and that was largely due to tracking software.
I would take my chances against any high-stakes player live but online I don’t like my chances anymore, unfortunately.
PL: You’re all fired up about live poker again.
PA: Yes! I’m looking forward to going to the EPT Malta. I see no reason why I shouldn’t. I have always preferred live poker even though online poker is so much more accessible.
(By this time, another queue of people with cameras and mobile phones has formed and they are behaving increasingly impatient.)
Still adored.
PL: I guess we don’t want to keep you any longer. You have some photo shoots ahead of you.
PA: You know, this is the thing that has surprised me the most this week.
That after all this time I’ve been away there are still so many people who know me and say hello and want to take pictures.
It’s absolutely amazing.
