Toro! Carlos Mortensen at the 2007 WPT Championship

By Matthew Showell Apr 27, 2007 | 3 years ago

Carlos Mortensen on Day 5 of the 2007 WPT Championship

Going into tomorrow's final table second in chips, Carlos Mortensen is as close as anyone's ever come to winning both the WSOP Main Event and the WPT Championship. In addition to his year as world champion in 2001, El Matador won the main event at Festa al Lago here at Bellagio on Season 3 of the World Poker Tour.

All told, Carlos has taken down close to $4.5 million in his career as a tournament player. He's been a force in the closing stages of this event and I managed to have a few words with him this evening.

Carlos, you're sitting with a really nice stack right now. How are things going for you?

Carlos Mortensen playing on Day 5 of the 2007 WPT Championship

Well, at the moment, everything's going perfect for me. In fact in one hand, a $4 million pot, when Paul had two queens and I had a set of fives, he bets on the flop and bets on the turn. He could have had a flush, so I didn't raise him on the turn. I could have doubled up there; I think maybe he calls me.

Do you regret not pushing that a little harder?

No, no, it's better to be safe. Tomorrow maybe.

Kirk Morrison all-in on Day 5 of the 2007 WPT Championship

There are some tough players at the table. How do you feel about your reads on your opponents?

I feel very confident in my game. I think the game is working excellent for me.

We see you at the table a lot with your PSP and Ipod, and also doing some creative things with your chip stack. Is that just to keep from getting bored?

Carlos Mortensen on Day 5 of the 2007 WPT Championship

Yeah, something like that. The Ipod and playing with the chips helps. The last two days I didn't use the PSP. I normally play chess when I'm bored, or I lose a big pot. It passes the time, playing sudokus or chess or doing pyramids with the chips.

What's your plan going into the next level?

Just waiting to see what happens you know? I have chips, I have over $3 million. I'll just wait for two more players to get knocked out.

You've had a lot of success in your career. Having won the world championship and a WPT event how do you look at a chance like this? Is winning this event about the money or about the prestige?

Carlos Mortensen playing in Day 4 of the 2007 WPT Championship

Well absolutely you have it right. This is very important to me because no one's won the Main Event of the World Series and the WPT. But also it is $4 million. Everything is perfect in this tournament; I'm really happy. I'm going to try as hard as I can to win this tournament.

Paul Lee has a big chip lead going into tomorrow. How do you plan to deal with him?

I feel good; I think I know how to play him. I feel very comfortable.

Thank you Carlos, see you tomorrow.

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Carlos is in good shape heading into the final table but, out-chipped almost two to one by Paul Lee, he has his work cut out for him to become the first player to have won the two biggest championships in the world. Less than 24 hours from now El Matador will stack up his $6.5 million in chips to try to earn himself another page in the record books; join us then to find out how it all goes down.