Everest Team Aims for the Top
Jul 1, 2008By: G.L. Hodges Many teams strive to reach the top of Everest - and Team Everest on Everest Poker is no different.
Representing Everest Poker, are 13 amateur players who will be trying to top some of pokers best professionals in some of the world’s biggest tournaments this year.
These amateur players won’t be rookies for long, as you will see when you check out their biographies and blogs on Everest Poker. Many of these young guns already have some impressive tournament wins under their belts, with more surely on the horizon.
Get to know the line-up of Everest Poker pros:
Stefanie Bergener : sunni
A blue eyed blonde with a degree in accounting making her home in Germany. She has been playing poker for almost two years. Her biggest poker win to date was $11,500 in a tournament on Everest Poker. Her Poker motto is, “I play to win” of course. Besides Texas Hold'em, Stefanie enjoys Omaha, Pot Limit Hold'em and Backgammon.
Cristiano Blanco: lalanco1
A 27 year old from Italy, he classifies his play as tight-aggressive and wants to be “the best poker player ever” he says. Cristiano discovered poker when in 2006, a friend won $500 at a cash game online and told him about it. He has been playing Texas Hold'em ever since, with his biggest win so far being a second place €380,000 payday at the EPT Dortmund 2007.
Cristiano’s advice for new players? “You are not Gus Hansen; remember it.” His favorite game besides Hold’em is 5 Card Draw and Razz.
Simone Coppari: babbolone
This 31 year old Italian has been playing poker for two years. His biggest poker win was over $15,000 in two ‘Live the Dream’ qualifiers. Besides Texas Hold’em, Simone can be found playing Omaha. He advises new players to, “Just register with Everest Poker and you'll find a lot of friendly people at the tables. After a while, they'll become your second family!”
Romain Despres: blindmaster
Playing on Everest Poker since 2006, this 23 year old from France says his style is tight-aggressive. In 2007, Romain won $8,000 when he received 21st place in the Everest Poker Avalanche Finale. What advice would he give to beginner poker players? “They should always believe in themselves in any occasion but never play above what they are able to. I started two years ago with zero and now I've succeeded. My story should give them hope and should make them want to go out and succeed and write their own story!” Besides Texas Hold’em, he likes Omaha Hi, chess, backgammon, and card games in general.
Fernando Festas: N4nn0
Representing the country of Portugal, Fernando is 26 and has been playing poker for about a year. It has only been within the last four months he says, that he has “really been learning, playing and discovering this amazing game.”
In his first live event, he came in an impressive third place. His advice to beginning poker players? “Understand the dynamics of the game through tutorials and poker schools. Start off playing in freerolls and play money tables so you can apply what you've learned and test your skills.”
Machou Ghaouti: machou.G
This 30 year old from France has only been playing a year and a half, but has already booked a nice $9,000 win. Machou also enjoys chess when he is not playing Hold’em and advises new players to, “Be patient, follow your instincts.”
Wooka Kim: icebeer
A 27 year old, dark haired beauty from Japan, Kim has been playing poker for almost 2 years. Her biggest win so far has been $12,000. Her advice to new players is, “Try as many different games as you can so you can find out what you like best.” Her favorite poker player? The one and only Texas Dolly-Doyle Brunson. Besides Texas Hold’em, you can find Kim playing Omaha on Everest Poker.
Maria Maceiras Lapido: .may.
Maria is a 27 year old who holds a degree in accounting. When she was little, her dad taught her how to play poker. Two years ago she discovered Texas Hold'em and online poker. She classifies her playing as tight-aggressive and says her biggest win was, “when I won the Spanish Championship twice. I was the first woman to win it and the first person to win it twice!” What advice would she give to beginner poker players? “Don't try to go too far too fast. Just enjoy the game and learn as much as you can.” Besides Texas Hold'em, her favorite games are Nintendo Wii and PS2 video games.
Pablo Ubierna Martinez:morpheo
This 24 year old from Spain has been playing poker for 3 years and has won a few online tournaments. His favorite player is Daniel Negreanu and besides Texas Hold’em he likes to play Omaha. His advice for new players is, “Don't set out to win money. When you enjoy and learn the game, that's when you'll make money.”
Otto Richard: 2kewl4school
A 24 year old from France, Otto has already been playing poker for four years. His biggest poker win was $65K at the €1,000 No Limit Hold'em Rendez Vous à Paris in 2007. His advice for new poker players is, “Remember that the easiest way to win a huge pot is to have the worse hand and suck out. You also need to observe other players, find their weaknesses, exploit them, and add their best moves to your repertoire.”
Voitto Rintala: RandomEyes
Decribing his play as “Tight Aggressive with crazy gear” Voitto is from Finland and has been playing poker for five years. At the ripe old age of 30, he is one of the “senior” members of the Everest Team and his biggest win so far was $80,000. He says new players need to know, “Self knowledge is the key. Know your strengths and weaknesses then work on them. Always remember: poker should be fun, if you're not happy you should take a break.” His favorite poker game besides Hold’em is 7 Card Stud Hi/Lo.
Daan Slütter: krul
At only 27 years old this native of the Netherlands says he learned to play poker because, “In our family playing cards was very popular. I had never played Texas Hold’em until I played my first game at the birthday party of a friend of mine. I liked the game so much that I searched the internet to find a place to play the game online. This is how I found Everestpoker.net.”
Daan’s biggest poker victory so far was when he won the $100,000 guaranteed prize pool on Mansion poker. His advice to new players is, ”In my opinion you can play poker in two different ways. You can see it as an entertaining game or you try to become the best in the game and beat everybody at the table. While both are good, you have to choose based on your personality.” He adds, “My favorite player is Daniel Negreanu. Not because of his great results and his great game, but because I love the way he can entertain people.”
Steven van Zadelhoff: Viktor
Another native of the Netherlands, Steven is 29 years old and has been playing poker for six years. His biggest poker win to date is placing 7th in the WPT Barcelona and 11th in the $20,000 WSOP Europe in London. He thinks new players should, “Take your time and don't rush” and his favorite player is Phil Ivey. Besides Texas Hold'em, Steven enjoys the game of Chinese poker.
The next time you play at Everest Poker, look for these members of the Everest Poker Team and jump in a game with them, you just may learn a few things!
