Tournament Trail Q and A -- Pieter de Korver

He might have gotten lucky to win the 2009 European Poker Tour Grand Final title with a run of seven double-ups to come back from the shortest stack in the event to win the title, but success in the poker world is nothing new for 26-year-old Dutchman Pieter de Korver. He quit his job in 2007 to play poker, and in 2008 he won the Poker Champion of Holland television show. That win scored de Korver a spot on Team PokerStars Holland, and he began to play at EPT events. De Korver made his first cash on the EPT a big one with the Grand Final win, taking home €2.3 million and the most prestigious title in European poker. He and his supporters from Holland made quite the impression in the process with lively celebrations at the final table.

De Korver brought as much enthusiasm to the final table as the rest of his competitors combined. He celebrated each win as if his life depended on it – and it did. He plans to continue playing poker, but he will also invest some of his newfound bankroll into real estate. He also won’t forget the fact that his friends drove 15 hours straight through to Monaco from Holland to cheer him on in his victory. He plans to help one of them start a business with his winnings.

Card Player caught up with de Korver after his monumental win in Monte Carlo at the post-final table press conference.

Question: A major win for you here in Monte Carlo. How does it feel to take home your first major title and win €2.3 million in the process?

Pieter de Korver: I wasn’t even thinking about the money. I was playing cards and I was having fun. I was really enjoying myself. It’s so important to enjoy this game. When I looked at all of my opponents, they were all so focused. I was also focused, but in a different way. I was smiling every time, even when I lost.

Q: It’s fair to say that you were the life of the party at this final table. Is having fun the biggest part of poker for you?

PDK: Yes, if I’m not having fun at poker anymore, I will look for something else; but I’m still having fun.

Q: You played tight at the start of the final table today. Were you hoping that a few guys would bust out ahead of you so you could win some more prize money initially?

PDK: It was really important to me that eighth place went out. That was a huge relief for me, because I didn’t want my friends to come up and see me get eighth. I wanted to bring home a little bit more money than eighth place, and I wanted to get as far as I could. I wanted to let my friends see what I could do.

Q: Describe the emotions that were running through your mind during the run of seven double ups that took you from the short-stack to the chip lead.

PDK: Emotionally, it made me laugh every time. It was like a dream, a dream come true.

Q: Did you ever feel like things were over for you early when you were knocked down to just a few big blinds left in your stack?

PDK: No, I was like I still have chips left, so let’s see what I’m going to do with this. When I doubled up I thought there’s still hope, there’s still hope.

Q: Did you feel invincible during the comeback?

PDK: Yeah, I was thinking I couldn’t lose a flip. I lost one early with nines, but after that I couldn’t lose any flip.

Q: You really got aggressive with your strategy in the heads-up match. What led you to reraise Matt Woodward in so many different spots?

PDK: I had the right cards in the right spots. I was like OK, I have to finish it, and I have to finish it quickly.

Q: How much did it help to have such a large group of your friends and Dutch supporters in the crowd?

PDK: They drove 15 hours for me to Monaco for this final. I wanted to give them some enjoyment; I wanted to give them some entertainment. I’m an entertainer, yeah. I loved it, I think they really enjoyed it, and I think the people are going to enjoy it on television in a couple of weeks too.

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