Tournament Trail Q and A Part I: Noah BoekenBoeken Talks about Life on the Road and his Future as a Poker Professional |
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Noah Boeken is a familiar face on the international tournament circuit. The thing is however, he cannot be classed as just another young hot shot who shows up at numerous events guns blazing, only to bust out days before the money. The reason he can be separated from this rapidly expanding group is the list of hefty cashes he has taken home year after year. He has proven himself to be a consistently outstanding player, and at only 27 years of age, has a lot to offer the poker world both online and on the felt. Card Player caught up with him at the latest European Poker Tour in Prague, and spoke about his busy life as a pro and his passion for the game.
Rebecca McAdam: What events did you play and how did you get on?
Noah Boeken: I played the main event and I busted out on day 2, and then I played the €2,000 event and also the €1,000 event because there was nothing else to do as the weather was cold and I’m ill, so I was like “let’s just play poker”, but I didn’t do too well.
RM: What do you think about Prague?
NB: To be honest, this time I didn’t see much of it. I have been here like three times before when I was younger, and I really enjoyed it a lot. But this was the first time it was winter, and because I’m ill, I was like, “Oh whatever. I’m staying in!” But it’s been fine, it’s cool, a lot of Dutch people came here for the tournament, so it’s pretty nice just to have dinner with them. It’s a pretty relaxed atmosphere.
RM: What would be your favourite EPT location?
NB: Barcelona and Bahamas. Bahamas just for the weather, but there’s not much to do there. I think my favourite above all of them is Barcelona. I used to live there for half a year a while ago because I liked it so much, and I was always there for poker. I started to play poker there maybe about eight years ago in a casino when it just came out there. I travelled there with some friends. We had like €2,000 as our whole bank roll. We played cash games together — splitting, and sometimes one guy would have to sit out because we didn’t have enough money to keep playing. But in the end we all made a profit so that was real cool. Barcelona is just good weather, a lot of good nightlife, good food, good atmosphere, lots of action, so I like it a lot.
RM: Where are you heading to next then?
NB: I’m heading home. Christmas at home, then New Year’s Eve at home, and on the 1st, straight from the party we go to the airport to fly to Miami, and from Miami to the Bahamas for the EPT.
RM: Do you still love what you’re doing?
NB: Yes I really do. I like it a lot, although sometimes ... you know how poker is, when you run bad, you come all the way to play an event and get your aces cracked, or get it all-in and lose, but you get used to it, and you just can’t expect too much. Still, you have to give it your best, and always play your best. I love to travel the world and play poker.
RM: So you’re still passionate about it?
NB: Yeah. It’s not the same as when you just start out, when everything is new, it’s different. From season one, I missed maybe three EPT’s since the start, because I had some other commitments. I still enjoy doing it, and every time before a tournament I am really ready to win it, but it’s tough, like there are 600 players and even though the field here is weaker than other fields, it’s still difficult because those people are unpredictable. You see, at the end, at the final was some inexperienced players, but they can make it that far too.
RM: Can you generalise the different fields at these events, like can you say for instance, it’s easier here than there?
NB: Oh yeah! Obviously, Scandinavian EPTs, like Copenhagen are way tougher because all those people play for a living. And in Italy or Barcelona ... all the French, Italian, or Spanish who just play for fun and want to play a tournament, and are not as professional as we are, they don’t play 40 hours a week, we have a big advantage over them. So, those are the good tournaments to go to for us — to play against the people who don’t make a living out of poker. If you’re all making a living out of playing poker, then it’s going to be the toughest tournament you can be in.
RM: Do you see poker as your job, or do you still see it as a hobby?
NB: Right from the start I’ve been doing business. I like the business aspect of it because it’s a steadier income, and when you have that you’re more relaxed to play the tournaments, but luckily I’m sponsored by PokerStars so I don’t have to worry too much about my buy-ins and stuff. But still I want to do well, I want to win the big prizes. Right now the prizes are so huge, so you want to win a big one, and that’s what I’m trying to do. I’ve a feeling it’s coming because I haven’t been doing too good lately, but things will change.
RM: How long do you see yourself in this scene?
NB: I think poker is something you’ll never quit, you’ll always keep playing. I might not keep attending the tournaments but I think either if I’m sponsored or not, I’ll always keep playing a few big tournaments a year just for fun, just for the competition, because it’s something — when you’re competitive — that should never leave you, especially in a game like poker. You’re always ready for a new tournament. I mean, if you like it now, then when you’re 40, you’ll still like it, because there’s still the challenge to beat the players, to make money, and it’s just the whole experience of the poker tournament that makes it so great.
There’s a lot of adrenalin, some plays you make or some spots you get in will be scary for you, or you will be a little uncomfortable or scared for the outcome, but that’s what makes it such a good sport because there’s a lot to it. Every game is different — different cards, opponents, flops ... and the best thing about it is by studying, and by starting to know your opponents, you can be better in the game, and be better against them. So, it’s never a game where you can say, “Ok I’ve mastered it now.” Nobody ever masters it — that’s the beauty of the game, and I see me playing this until the end of time. Not as much as now, but I’ll never stop playing.
RM: Can you switch off — like when you’re home for Christmas will you play poker?
NB: It’s tough actually because I’ve been thinking about that. Like online, I play a fair bit and it’s easier for me to quit when I’m doing well than when I’m losing, not because of the money, but I just can’t stand losing. So, when I lose to people, and I’ve a feeling if I play better I should win, then I want to play as much as I can against these guys to win the money back. But then on the other side, you could just be running bad, and that’s what poker is all about — you either run good or you run bad.
If you look at the final table of this tournament, it was really interesting. I was reading all of the bios of the people, and like five out of eight people did really well in tournaments prior to this one. One won a tournament, another made a final table at the LAPT, another won two tournaments in a row, so it’s all about form. Those people have great form, they play well, and that’s what you need to get far. You could be the best player in the world, but if you don’t have form you’re not going to win it. You need good timing, so all you can do is make the right plays at the right moment, and then hope to get lucky with it. But I can get away from poker, like for Christmas, I said to myself I’m not going to play any poker until the Bahamas, but we’ll see.
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