It was, though, the best place to win if you don’t want to have to spend a lot of money at the bar…
We caught up with British poker star Julian Thew after his phenomenal October tournament success… Lucy: Trying to walk over here with you for the interview, I’ve noticed everyone seems to be congratulating you! Are you still finding yourself in that honeymoon period from the EPT?
Julian Thew: Oh yes. It’s quite funny as in the final at Baden there were very few people that I knew left around. When I won I was like ‘Yes! Now who’s still around?’ but of course I know a lot of the Poker Stars people. It was, though, the best place to win if you don’t want to have to spend a lot of money at the bar…
Lucy: Though I did hear you bought five bottles of Champagne for the English guys left in Baden?
Julian Thew: Yeah yeah I did!
Lucy: Well I’m sure you were very popular! Getting onto the GUKPT, how do you feel the extended London leg compares to the other legs so far?
Julian Thew: I’ve been reading a little bit of the updates and all the big names are here making it significantly harder to win compared to when I won in Plymouth.
Lucy: When you did win in Plymouth, was it the money or the status that meant the most to you?
Julian Thew: I think the money was important. I’d been having a fairly flat year so the money was fantastic. Winning an event like that which is televised too is also fantastic, but when you compare Plymouth to Baden, I was really emotional after winning the EPT. Obviously the money is life changing, but I think winning an event of that stature you kind of think it might happen but on the other hand it’s quite hard to imagine it happening.
Lucy: Well, you’re on a roll. And what interests me is that obviously your nickname is Yo Yo due to your up and down stacks, yet your results are far from up and down right now. Do you think then that in some way your up and down stack helps your game?
Julian Thew: Nah, I think I got that name a few years ago and I’m a bit more solid now. My stack tends to go in one direction – either down or up.
Lucy: So has your game improved?
Julian Thew: Yeah I think so. But as I say I really struggled earlier this year and it’s an easy game in which to question yourself all the time, like: ‘Oh my God, perhaps I need to gamble it up like I used to’. But I think I’ve got the balance right. I’d say at events like this at the moment the style of choice is aggressive so I’ve got a lot of bullets to dodge.
Lucy: Of those bullets you’ve dodged, which player have you rated most highly?
Julian Thew: To be honest up until Plymouth I hardly ever got past a Day 1 so I’ve only been watching it on telly. Obviously Dave Smith made a couple of finals, and there are high profile winners like Dave Coclough and Praz Bansi so I think it’s been a really good tour.
Lucy: Have you feared any of them?
Julian Thew: Yeah, I tell you who has impressed me – Roberto Romanello. I last played him at the EPT London a couple of weeks ago. Some people who play him can say he’s bluffing or he’s got a hand I can’t work it out at all! And he gets everyone laughing…
Lucy: That’s definitely true – so what is it about your play that makes you stand out from the crowd and get the results you’ve been getting?
Julian Thew: You’ve got to remember I’ve got a massive advantage – I’m sponsored. I’m freerolled into all these events. I have skill and results but if I wasn’t sponsored now I wouldn’t be rolling up to all of these as it’s just too much money. Before Baden my bankroll was nowhere near big enough. So certainly, I think my main asset is being sponsored. Without that, you’re not gonna get the exposure.
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