Peter Jepsen: The Interview

By Matthew Showell Mar 17, 2007 | 3 years ago

Peter Jepsen at the final table of the EPT3 Polish Open

In the course of two quick hands on Day 2, Peter Jepsen became the overwhelming chip leader and was able to ride that stack all the way to the final table and an eventual victory. Defeating Farid Meraghni in a drawn out heads-up match, Peter took a few minutes to talk before collecting his cash.

First of all, congratulations on the win. Let's start by talking about the heads-up match. It started out really slowly; it seemed like you were just feeling each other out a bit. What was your approach to playing against Farid?

I didn't really play that long with him before we ended on the final table, but a few guys were saying that he was pretty crazy, and he liked to make some big moves. I also heard that he was a fixed-limit player online, and he plays very high so the money probably doesn't mean that much to him. Then again maybe he makes some mistakes in no-limit that might not be a mistake in limit. I really didn't know what to expect though.

Heads-up at the final table of the EPT3 Polish Open

You mentioned you were waiting for him to make a mistake, and right at the end it seemed like that's what happened.

Yeah, actually earlier, just a few hands before when he went all-in on the river when he check-raised me on the turn.

Tell us about that hand; an ace hit the turn, and I don't think anyone put him on two pair.

Yeah, an ace hit the turn and he checked to me and I bet out, representing the ace, and he re-raised. I had a flush draw and a pair of deuces, so I called him because if the draw hits or I hit two pair or three deuces or even if he checks the river I'm going to move in. But then he moved in on the river, and I just felt so strongly that he was making a move that I called with a hand that couldn't beat him even if a nine hadn't hit.

So all you had was a pair of deuces.

Peter Jepsen at the final table of the EPT3 Polish Open

Yeah, I was calling with just a pair of deuces on the river, but I felt that it was a good call even though he did have two pair. But I still had a lot of chips so I just took it easy from there. I really didn't want to get tilted after that.

Tell us a bit about what this win means to you, for yourself.

It means so much to me. I've been playing professionally for almost three years, and this is what you dream about you know? Every time you see someone win a big tournament you just think how you want to be there. I've played all the EPTs and a few of the WPTs and the WSOPs in the past few years, and I had a big win in St. Kitts recently.

I was going to mention that. We were down there, and you took the biggest part of the chop at that event.

Yeah, with three left we made a deal, and I took the biggest chop, and I guess what I learned there was just not to do deals.

So no more deals?

No, no more deals.

Ok, you mentioned playing a lot of the EPT events in the last while. Tell us about how your game and your career has been developing in the last few years.

In the past year I've basically been playing all the events that have been on European soil - the WPT in Paris, then I went to Vegas. Except for St. Kitts, I really haven't had any great results, but I feel like my game is improving with each tournament, and I felt like it was just a matter of time before I made it to a final table at least.

Do you have more of a cash-game background?

Peter Jepsen Wins the EPT3 Polish Open

Yeah, online I don't like playing tournaments. The structure is different than real tournaments. There are a few each year with high buy-ins that I play, but usually it's cash games. Anywhere from $25/$50 to $100/$200 No-Limit.

You mentioned playing a lot of the EPTs lately; how did this one compare with some of the other bigger ones?

I like the events with about 200 to 350 players, but if it goes much bigger than that, it seems like too much of a crap-shoot. I mean, of course I play the World Series events with thousands of entrants, but beforehand this just seems better.

Do you think that's a mental thing, dealing with the really big fields?

Yeah, it probably is. It probably is.

So how did you get your start in poker?

Well I was actually a soldier before I became a poker player, and I was injured in Iraq, and when I got home all my friends were playing poker. I couldn't move, and I was stuck by the computer, so I started playing as well. My knee was injured; I'm 100% now. For the first five months I lost. I was just dumping money, but then I started reading books and listening to what people had to say. It just improved my game.

Peter Jepsen Wins the EPT3 Polish Open

About two years ago we founded a Danish national poker team. It's called PokerTeam.dk. There's seven players on it, and I'm one of them, and that has helped me. All the other players, their knowledge and discussions with them, traveling around with them, it really helps. When you lose like five tournaments in a row, and you're losing in the cash games as well, it helps to have a support group. It helps a lot to talk things through.

So where are you going from here?

Well I came here from Dortmund, and I think I'm going directly to Monte Carlo.

Awesome, thanks a lot Peter and good luck at the EPT Grand Final.

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If you'd like to read more about all the hands we've discussed here, as well as a full rundown of today's action, go to our Live Updates Page.

Peter played an extremely solid game from the beginning of this event and was able to beat out 284 other players to take it down. Unlike some who seem to be in a state of shock after winning a big tournament, Peter enjoyed this win to the fullest. We were happy to see him go the distance and wish him luck in the tournaments to come.