Interview with Leo Margets

Poker News Daily: Talk about your run as Last Woman Standing in the 2009 WSOP Main Event. How has that experience changed your career?

Leo Margets: My run was amazing, but I was not aware of it until this year. At the time of playing I was completely focused on winning one hand and then the next one, not of my standing in the race.
Placing 27th has definitely changed things in the table: other players act differently, and I have gotten more attention from my sponsor 888.

PND: Your title defense came up short in 2010. Walk us through your run in this year’s Main Event.

LM: I didn’t really feel a lot of extra pressure. I went out with a very polemic hand: I had 98 in the hole and was 3-bet by a very aggressive player whom I knew well from before. There were about 60 Big Blinds on the table, and my options were 4-betting him back or playing after the flop. I decided to flat call and play aggressively post flop, which was 8-9-Q rainbow. I decided to lead out in case he raised, but he shoved with 45 Big Blinds. He had Kings and spiked a Q on the river.
I was very sad to be left with only 5 big blinds, because I was looking forward to a big comeback, but ultimately it’s better to bust in Day 2 than in the bubble!

PND: You’re signed by 888. How did that sponsorship opportunity come up?

LM: Good timing! A few months after I started playing poker I went to the Casino in Barcelona to play a University Tournament, and I won it. 888 spotted me and offered to sponsor me for Spanish tournaments with buy-ins between 100 and 1000 Euros. Then the WSOP was approaching and many friends of mine were going, so I asked 888 if they would sponsor me, even though it was not part of my deal. I was very insistent until they finally said yes, and I promised I would not disappoint them!

PND: How are you treated differently at the poker table now compared to before your Main Event run in 2009?

LM: I get a lot more attention from the media and the crowd – it is so cool to hear nice things and support from the crowd! But sometimes I would prefer to be anonymous at the table,because others like to bluff me more when they know who I am.

PND: How did you get started in poker?

LM: It was completely weird. I was out on a first date, and at the time I didn’t know anything about cards. I invited him for a drink and he declined because he had a poker game. I was intrigued – what was this poker thing that was more important than a date? So I asked him if I could come along and see. This relationship really got me into poker; he was a great teacher and really helped me understand what poker is about. I got crazy about poker and started playing lots online, and the rest is history.

PND:We saw you walking down the red carpet at the Ante Up for Africa event at the WSOP this year. Talk about playing alongside major celebrities and other high-caliber poker pros.

LM: I respect everyone at the tables, but I’m not more nervous when I’m playing with pros. At this year’s Ante Up For Africa I got to sit next to Phil Gordon and Matt Damon. It was nice: I had never met Matt Damon. But he didn’t affect my game. What really affected it was multi-tabling live for the first time in my life – I was playing the $2,500 event at the same time, so I probably gambled a lot more at Ante Up for Africa.

PND: What upcoming photo shoots or other non-poker related projects do you have coming up?

LM: I already did a photo shoot for the Sunday magazine of El Pais [N.Ed.:one of the largest Spanish newspapers] and a couple of women’s magazines. I was also recently approached by either Elle or Vogue – can’t quite remember – but that won’t happen till September because I am taking a little holiday. I also contributed to two books.

PND: We know you’re talented at No Limit Hold’em. Have you tried to learn other poker games? How has that been going?

LM: Before this World Series I was taking Razz lessons with a friend, hoping to be able to play H.O.R.S.E., but I decided to give myself another year so I wouldn’t feel like I was improvising. I was doing a lot better in Omaha, but I missed my event this year because I was still playing another. Next year I will play other variants besides Hold’Em for sure.

PND: Quick quiz: Hottest male poker player is ___ (and why)?

LM: It would not be very original to say Antonius, right? Let’s say my ex who taught me to play poker 5 years ago. He is cute, sexy and smart.

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Poker talk:

UNDER THE GUN - The position that has to act first in a round of betting.
FREEZE-OUT - A table-stakes game that continues until a small number of players (possibly only one) has all the money. The major event in The World Series of Poker is a freeze-out game.
FIFTH STREET - In stud poker, the fifth card to be dealt to each player. Sometimes used to refer to the last card dealt in Hold'em, although the more common term for this is RIVER (q.v.).
NO-LIMIT POKER - A game where there is no maximum bet; a player can wager any amount (perhaps above some minimum) up to whatever money is on the table in front of him.
OVERCALL - To call a bet after one or more players already called.
MIDDLE POSITION - Betting positions approximately halfway around the table from the first player to act.

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