For greater than twenty years, John Arne Riise battled to maintain opponents away from his workforce’s web for soccer golf equipment like Liverpool, Fulham, and Roma. As a brand new CoinPoker ambassador, the Norwegian soccer star now has his sights on maintaining opponents away from his rising bankroll.
The previous defender was a part of a Champions League-winning squad from 2001-08 and can also be most-capped participant for the Norway nationwide workforce after showing in 110 video games.
Riise, 44, lately talked about his life within the recreation, which included receiving some suggestions from Daniel Negreanu and about coping with large coolers in World Sequence of Poker primary occasion.
Actually, Riise loves the sport a lot that he additionally explains why profitable a WSOP bracelet would imply greater than a medal in soccer, revealing that he will get extra nervous enjoying poker than he was even earlier than the league remaining in 2005.
What’s the most memorable recreation of poker you’ve performed in?
[It doesn’t get bigger than] the WSOP primary occasion in Vegas. I’ve performed it just a few instances. It was all the time a dream to go there and see 6,000 to 7,000 individuals enjoying. (10,000 this yr!) You watch it on TV, however you don’t see every thing behind the scenes.
One yr, I made it to day three, after enjoying for 12 to 14 hours over the primary two days. Time flies whenever you’re enjoying poker for that lengthy. It was such a tremendous expertise on the most important stage. Late on day 2 nonetheless, I had pocket kings and I ended up calling an all-in, however the man had pocket aces. If I’d gained that hand, I might’ve been within the high 10 chip leaders, however it wasn’t meant to be.
The frustration was big. I used to be pondering that is my time, however that’s poker. It offers you pleasure and may crush you on the similar second.
There was additionally a World Cup soccer (soccer) event between poker gamers, and that’s the place I met Daniel Negreanu.
Daniel was representing Canada and after that I met him throughout a soccer occasion. He has a robust shot and we’ve saved in contact ever since. He is a good man and I’m a giant fan of his. He’s been useful together with his suggestions and recommendation. He’s just like the Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo of poker.
What recommendation did Negreanu have for you?
He defined that for the highest gamers, it’s all about positioning and studying the sport. They think about every thing earlier than making a transfer, together with who’s sitting subsequent to them and the way large the guess measurement is.
I used to only take a look at my playing cards and play, however these guys suppose 10 steps forward. He spoke so much about endurance. In tournaments, he can sit for 4 or 5 hours with out enjoying a single hand. In my world, that’s insane.
He additionally stated you probably have a robust hand, play it laborious. It’s higher to lose enjoying the appropriate approach than to lose enjoying the mistaken approach. He additionally stated it’s higher to win small than lose large.
What’s the most up-to-date event you performed in?
I lately performed in an area Norwegian event that some influencers performed dwell on their YouTube channel, and I ended up profitable that one, which was good.
I really like touring round Europe and enjoying. I identical to sitting on the desk, speaking about various things, and also you meet individuals from all around the world. It’s a good way to socialize, and it’s aggressive, which is why I prefer it. I get pleasure from having one thing to play for and feeling the strain.
The poker atmosphere is wonderful in Norway. Now we have a lot enjoyable collectively. For me, it helps my mindset and psychological well being, as a result of all of us have day by day struggles, however for me poker, paddle, and golf are my methods to relax. Poker is my peace and quiet place.In Norway, we have now the )Norwegian Poker Championship_, however there are [betting] limits, as you possibly can solely lose a specific amount.
How would you examine enjoying poker with enjoying skilled soccer?
With poker, it’s simply you. While you play soccer, you rely in your teammates, so it’s a bit completely different. However after soccer, golf has been a giant a part of my life, and recently, I’ve actually gotten into paddle.
That’s extra aggressive, just like soccer, the place you play towards somebody and need to apply to get higher. I really like sports activities the place it’s important to put the work in to enhance. Poker although, is extra of a relaxed atmosphere. You’ll be able to sit down, chill for hours, and discuss to individuals.
Persistence is my weak spot when enjoying tournaments, because you may sit there for hours with out getting good playing cards, however I benefit from the social facet of it. It offers you calmness. Most individuals acknowledge who I’m, so it’s simple to start out a dialog, no less than with individuals who like soccer.
It’s aggressive but additionally simply chilling, not fascinated with the rest. Any time I’ve an opportunity to journey the world to play poker or get invited to tournaments, I all the time say sure.
Are there any shared feelings between enjoying soccer and enjoying poker?
On the subject of tournaments, like within the Champions League, you play so many video games and get to the quarterfinal or semifinal, after which lose – it’s fairly related. You get so disenchanted.
You’re so near going all the way in which, and then you definitely lose on the finish. More often than not in soccer, it’s due to a private mistake. I scored an personal purpose towards Chelsea within the 2008 Champions League semi-final. That was the worst feeling I’ve ever had on a soccer pitch.
It’s sort of the identical with poker. You’re so shut, and one mistake simply kills it. In poker, you may have a robust hand, you’re feeling prefer it’s your second, after which one thing occurs.
Behind the scenes at Liverpool, did you guys play playing cards to calm down?
On bus journeys, we largely performed Mario Kart competitions on small consoles, however typically we performed playing cards. We liked competing, whether or not it was ping pong, pool, or playing cards.
It’s simply pure for athletes. We’ve spent our complete lives competing to be the most effective, so it’s simply a part of who we’re. We used to play three-card poker. Michael Owen (striker for Liverpool, Actual Madrid, Newcastle United, Manchester United, Stoke Metropolis, and the England nationwide workforce) was fairly good; Owen was fairly good at every thing. He was sensible when it got here to playing cards. He was simply good; he didn’t attempt to trick you.
However on the finish of the day, it wasn’t concerning the cash, it was concerning the feeling of profitable and competing, fascinated with one thing else on the way in which to the resort or simply getting our minds off soccer.
How does making ready for a giant poker occasion examine to the Champions League remaining nerves?
I’m one hundred pc extra nervous going right into a poker event, as a result of it’s not my area. I bear in mind going to my poker desk, shaking, and feeling nervous, pondering, “what if I don’t know the foundations?”
You begin doubting your self, and also you’re enjoying towards people who find themselves actually good. I get nervous in large video games in large tournaments as a result of I haven’t skilled for it my complete life. However in soccer, for any remaining, it didn’t trouble me.
I knew what I may do, how good I used to be, and that I deserved to be there. In poker, it’s extra about attempting to not mess up, remembering guess sizes and tips on how to play your playing cards. I’d simply take a look at what different gamers have been doing and attempt to mimic them.
*Images courtesy of John Arne Riise on IG (@jariiseofficial)
