Robert Varkonyi Interview Published December 13, 2005
Intro by Eric Sprague:
Robert Varkonyi won 2 million in the main event of the 2002 WSOP. In the process he knocked out Phil Hellmuth with a beat that has become famous. Some of our forum members helped put together the questions below. Hopefully you'll enjoy the questions and answers!
FTR:
1. Your Are You a Closer Card Player article discusses the importance of 9 and 10 player Sit and Go's. It is much easier to get this valuable experience online than in a brick and mortar environment (scheduling issues, delays etc). What other advantages are there available online that are more difficult to duplicate in a brick and mortar environment?
Robert Varkonyi:
Playing in your underwear or pj’s. Playing without offending anyone after eating too much garlic. Jumping up & down and swearing (not in chat) after a mistake or bad beat. Your spouse jumping up & down and telling you that you’re making a mistake as you hit the wrong button.
FTR:
2. Your wife Olga did very well in the main event of the 2005 wsop. At any point in the tournament did you start to wonder what it would be like to be the first couple in history with both husband and wife bracelets from the main event?
Robert Varkonyi:
Yes, we like to dream about the possibility of Olga winning but we’re pretty realistic especially considering the growing size of the field. She’s got the right stuff but luck is always a big factor.
FTR:
3. In your I'd Rather be Lucky Than Good Card Player article you mention 3 great 2002 wsop hands with QT. Over the long run has QT been good to you outside of the wsop?
Robert Varkonyi:
QT has been good to me. Just yesterday I flopped a nut straight with QT in a little no-limit hold’em game and scooped up a nice pot. It’s pretty funny - sometimes people play QT in my honor when they’re playing at my table. They especially like to share their QT hand after they win a big pot…
FTR:
4. What have you been doing since your big WSOP win? Have you been using poker as your main source of income? What percent of your time is spent on playing poker versus other projects?
Robert Varkonyi:
Olga and I play a few major tournaments each year. I made a couple of instructional videos on playing Texas Hold’em. I was one of several players profiled on a poker player documentary. I developed and marketed a new casino game. I’ve been consulting to a software company that develops online gaming software. We play poker as much as our busy schedules allow us.
FTR:
5. Having 2 degrees from MIT, you must have a solid math background. Also, word has it you once named Sklansky as one of your most respected players and he is known for emphasizing math. How much math do you use relative to psychology in most poker games? What about when you are against tricky (defined as "ugly" in your The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly Card Player article)?
Robert Varkonyi:
Before I won the WSOP, my game evolved from being very math based to being a more balanced game where I’ll consider individual as well as the group psychology at my table. I believe the math is more important in the live games where you can get advantageous odds, lose the chips in front of you knowing that you got the best of it and go to your pocket for more chips to keep playing. In tournaments all the math in the world isn’t going to help you when you lose all your tournament chips – you’re just out of contention. That’s why it’s so important to understand what kind of opponent you’re up against and how they value their tournament chips.
FTR:
6. InterPoker has a nice little section on you. Where do you play online and offline? hours/week? tourneys vs ring?
Robert Varkonyi:
Olga and I are part time poker players. Online we play mostly on InterPoker these days. Offline we try to go to Atlantic City and Foxwoods whenever we have a chance. Recently we’ve been playing mostly tournaments but it varies over time.
FTR:
7. What do you feel are your strengths in poker, and your weaknesses?
Robert Varkonyi:
One of my edges in a tournament is that no professional poker player with whom I cross paths has played enough with me to understand my strategy yet. One of my weaknesses is sometimes I expend too much energy in trying to play a tournament perfectly. A tournament is a marathon, you have to pace yourself.
FTR:
8. Who did you most enjoy seeing at the poker table?
Robert Varkonyi:
I enjoy seeing players that are having a good time at the poker table. I don’t mind people who talk and joke a lot as long as it’s all in good fun.
FTR:
9. Are there any big name players who annoy you?
Robert Varkonyi:
Just one but I shaved his head and to this day people are still thanking me for it.
FTR:
10. Favorite restaurant, favorite type of music, hobbies, anything else you'd like to share with the public?
Robert Varkonyi:
My favorite restaurants are various steakhouses around New York.
My favorite music is from bands like the Rolling Stones and Grateful Dead.
My favorite hobby is playing poker.
FTR appreciates Robert taking time from his busy schedule to answer our questions!
Robert Varkonyi
Robert Varkonyi was the last player to win the main event of the world series of poker before it became a widely viewed television event. When he won the main event in 2002 there were 631 entries.
Common misspellings for Robert Varkonyi:
Robert Varkoni
Robert Varkanyi
Robert Varkone
Robert Varkonie
Robert Varkoney
Robert Varkoneye
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