Laaur2 Interview

September 6, 2006

Laaur2 on the right, his friend Christer Ronquist on the left.

Everyone who watch games on Prima have surely seen Laaur2 there, playing on $50/$100, $100/$200 and sometimes even $200/$400 No-Limit tables.

Laaur2
Staale Egenes AKA “Notorious, MrGoodies”
Age 21
Oslo, Akershus, Norway
Plays on: LadBrokes, NordicBet
High School, never worked

How did you start your poker career?

I wouldn’t exactly call it a “poker career”, but I started my gambling career when I was very young. I’ve always loved to gamble, and I tried to gamble everything I could. I used to play with my big brother and his friends, he big brother was my idol. About 3 years ago I started to play Texas Hold’em at Pacific Poker’s sit & go tournaments. A while after that I started to play fixed limit. A few months of fixed limit, and I was already playing $30/$60. My brother was satisfied with the income, but I always wanted more, so I moved to No-Limit tables, and after few days of practice, I was above average at $5/$10 No-Limit tables. From there I just got to the bigger stakes, and now 3 years later I’m on top of NordicBet. Nowadays I teach my brother how to play, and I’m his idol.

Did you get any help in the beginning?

No, I learned it on my own. I’ve always been like that. If I start something new, I won’t stop if I’m not of the best. That goes for everything, not just poker & gambling. I wanted to learn poker on my own, kinda create my own style, without the books that everybody read.

What do you consider as the most important thing for you when you stated?

Definitely the passion for poker. I’ve always loved to play and still do. And of course the “winner instinct” I told you about. I’m good at reading people, and I have already had people around me who I could discuss poker with.

How much do you play poker nowadays?

I used to play all day long, actually I played 1 year straight! About 8 hours a day for the first year. Not as much now as I used to play, but still more than average.

What was the hardest thing for you when you started, aside of knowing how to play? Is there anything you possibly could have done any different?

I think I’ve always learned more if I made a mistake, so probably wouldn’t change a thing. The hardest thing for me was my family, they didn’t want me to play. And they really didn’t like when I told them I would play poker for living. But they have nothing against it now, we Laaur2 an♦ ♥i♠ brot♥er are giving them money and vacations all the time.

Is your brother a big player too?

He doesn’t play as high as I do, but he’s a solid player and makes good money.

How have you done recently? Were you at the WSOP?

I’ve had some rough times lately but what goes around comes around. That’s why I’m starting up at some new sites, because of Prima has very good players nowadays, and I could use some change, been on Prima for so long. No I didn’t go to the WSOP, but I’m planning to play a lot of live games in the future, for example the EPT-tournament at Barcelona.

Where does your nickname Laaur2 come from?

I know, it’s really bad. My friend’s last name is laauratzen, and we made him an account which was named Laaur. Then I asked my friend to create me an account, he didn’t figure out a nickname and couldn’t reach me because I was on vacation in Italy, so he created Laaur2. I was so pissed off, it’s the worst nickname ever!

What is the most you have won/lost?

I have won $180,000 in one session, and lost $90,000, those are the biggest ones.

The best/worst things when being a poker pro?

I can decide when I want to work, no angry boss yelling at me if I’m late. All the money is a great thing, I can do basically whatever I want. I love to travel, that’s great. As the bad things I would say that my days aren’t very functional, and the surreal way of handling money.

So what do you plan to do in future?

Well I have some things going on at the moment that I can’t speak of, but they will probably come up in the next interview. It’s a very interesting project. I will play Texas Hold’em, that’s for sure, I really love the game. And probably will move to Vegas with some friends in the future.

Laaur2 Interview

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