The Dragon from the Valleys

Roberto Romanello hit the poker scene in 2007 and has since received a lot of attention including that of Full Tilt, who became his sponsor in 2008. Known for his fantastic reads, charisma, and Welsh charm, Card Player caught up with the pro at the European Poker Tour Deauville, and then again soon after his PartyPoker.com European Open V victory. It was clear however that his ambition to win that illusive multi-million dollar tournament still pervaded his dreams.

Rebecca McAdam: Tell me all about the high roller event you took part in in Deauville.

Roberto Romanello: I had a difficult start. We had some good players on the table. I just sat back, played tight-aggressive, I was reraising a lot, and it seemed to be working for me, so I slowly built up my stack. I was always around half the average chips, which I was comfortable with because I knew there was a lot of action at the table and people were knocking each other out with some big stacks. It was one big grind all the way through. It was a bit devastating, playing all that time, but that’s the game, you’ve got to get over it — hopefully next time.

RM: Do you play many high roller events?

RR: No, that was my first one and I enjoyed it. It’s a shorter field and you’re playing against really good players. I thrive on that so that’s not a problem for me, I really enjoy playing good players, you can make some moves and get some good reads from a couple of the weaker players.

RM: What did you think of ElkY with all his recent success?

RR: Obviously he’s a good player, you’ve got to respect what he’s done. If somebody pulls off the results he has pulled off, he’s obviously got a good game, which you must respect. He’s running good as well. Obviously he is aggressive — he had a lot of chips so I don’t know what he’s like with a short-stack. He played his chips probably the same as I would have played them if I had a stack that nice.

RM: You don’t solely play poker, do you?

RR: No, we’ve got family businesses back home, we run fish and chips restaurants. We have a few restaurants, we lease two, and the family run two of them, and we invest money into property as well, so there’s a lot to do when I go back home. I won’t give it up, not yet.

RM: Do you think it’s important for players to keep up their former professions or businesses on the side?

RR: Yeah. If you’ve got a good profession and it works, and brings in good money, I would definitely say to keep going, and enjoy poker, have the odd game here and there as I was doing, because I don’t think you can make it pay otherwise, unless you cash a nice big win in a major event. Then obviously you can do what you want with a couple of million. But when you’re trying to grind out £100,000, £200,000, it’s still not enough, unless you’re winning a lot online, so it depends. But in live competitions, it’s tough. Obviously, Full Tilt taking me on has helped big time.

RM: Are you playing a lot online now then?

RR: I am playing a lot more online since I’ve signed up with Full Tilt, but my biggest game is live — picking up reads off players — that’s my strongest game, that’s what I’m known for.

RM: What about America, will you go to the World Series?

RR: Yeah, I’ve been the last three times, I’ve got a good record in the main event. I’ve made day 2, day 4, and day 5. So, I’ll definitely go there. It’s a good game.

RM: When you’ve been playing well and grinding it out but you don’t make the money, how do you deal with it?

RR: It’s tough, I used to get really cut up about it before, I always wanted to win a major event and do something amazing. I believe in my game, and people close to me know that I can play, but I suppose you need that little break.
RM: Speaking of which, you got quite the break at the European Open V, when you beat some great top players to take down your first prestigious top prize which made you $200,000 richer. Did you feel like you were on form from the beginning and that it was going to go your way?

RR: I’ve played about five or six of these TV tournaments. I wasn’t used to it and the structure, and it’s a long way to travel from Wales back and forth to London. With this one I said, “Ok, you never know” so up I went again and played the European Open, the first leg, and I came second. I was pretty devastated because only one winner goes through to the semi finals, but the runner-up gets a second chance in the turbo heat, so I travelled home that night all the way back to Wales. It was a long way home, four hours drive, and I had to come back the next day to play. I won it anyway and went to the semi-finals, and three progress to the final. So, I had a good chance. I was quite confident of making it and when I did I was the shortest stack starting, which doesn’t really bother me that much because I’m a good short-stack player. I got it in good every time in the final, so that was a nice feeling to win it from a short-stack.

RM: It’s coming up to the Irish Open now, and last year’s champion Neil Channing was one of your opponents. How did you find his play?

RR: I thought he played pretty well to be honest. I thought he was one of the best players in the tournament without a doubt. I noticed he’s very good with the structure, he’s one of the players who knows how to play it. I always look at everything that’s going on and try to take something from the game. I definitely took something from being on the table with Neil. The final table was very strong.

RM: How did you find playing Marc Goodwin heads up?

RR: I think we played five hands and I was lucky to win all five. It didn’t last that long, but obviously without a doubt he’s a major player — he’s not European number one for nothing — he’s on good form, so it was a great feeling to actually get heads up with him, and to beat him was just the icing on the cake.

RM: What does your family think of you playing poker?

RR: First of all they were a bit dubious, they didn’t like the gambling, but I think that’s normal. As soon as I started, I had a really good run on the UK circuit and I had a couple of final tables, I was winning over £100,000, and I won the side event at EPT Barcelona. Once they saw that I was getting a few results, and realized that I could play the game, I got a lot of support from my brothers, and my mom especially, she was dead against it, but she supports me now.

RM: Do they understand the game?

RR: Yeah they do, and my Dad’s addicted to poker now since I’ve been playing. He can’t stop playing.

RM: Is he any good?

RR: He’s alright. He’s nothing special (laughs).

RM: Are you giving him any tips?

RR: Yeah I try to, but he doesn’t listen. It doesn’t work. That’s one thing I’d love to do — bring down a major event — and then I know I’d love to bring my Dad with me more to play some big events, because it wouldn’t matter, I could put him in if I won a lot of money. So, that’s one of my ambitions — to bring him with me — I know he’d enjoy it.

RM: How are you feeling now after your European Open victory?

RR: It’s surprising the confidence that it gives you. I’ve come so close so many times and I’ve played a lot of final tables in some big tournaments and never really nailed them down, so to actually nail this one down was really really nice. I went to Copenhagen then and I came 33rd and had a nice cash there, so obviously it does give you a lot of confidence and I played really well.

RM: Your Dad could be coming with you soon enough then?

RR: Yeah definitely. I’m taking him to London with me to the GUKPT. So, he’s over the moon and he can’t wait to play that one. That will be really good.

RM: You sound like you’re in top form!

RR: Yeah good form, good spirits, and I’m looking forward to seeing everybody and getting to play again!