Glen AtwellAussie Millions Poker Tournament - one on one with Howard Lederer at Crown Casino
January 14th 2008 10:54
Sport Talk was lucky enough to spend some time with the Professor, poker legend Howard Lederer, at the Aussie Millions Poker Tournament at Crown Casino in Melbourne this week.
Lederer went one-on-one with Sport Talk, discussing the state of the booming poker industry, online vs real world and much more.
This exclusive interview was conducted the Full Tilt media cocktail party by Sport Talk owner Glen Atwell.
Keep reading Sport Talk in the coming days for more exclusive interviews with some of the world's greatest professional players, including Phil Ivey, Gus Hansen and Chris Ferguson.
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Glen Atwell: Tell me about this almighty poker boom Howard. A few years ago, to some, playing poker sounded as dirty and dingy as a visit to the strippers. In the coming years will we see more growth, or perhaps a plateau in poker-room player numbers?
Howard Lederer: If you looked at a world map, you could track the explosion in poker player numbers across the Earth.
Every year it seems that another country has ‘boomed’. At first it was the Unites States, then parts of Europe, then Australia and last year Denmark.
Even the Chinese have started playing in big numbers. I don’t think we’ll see a plateau at all, player numbers continue to peak and grow and continue growing every year.
GA: You discovered poker in the early 1980s, well before the wheels of popularity began turning, how has the industry evolved in the eyes of Howard Lederer?
HL: I discovered poker in the backroom of my favourite chess club, and at the time, that’s all it really was. Fast forward twenty something years and the accessibility factor is a major contributor to the continued explosion in participation.
The Internet has made poker accessible to everyone, at any time of the day, and is now a crucial aspect of any poker player’s life.
GA: Professional poker players spend can spend between eight and ten months of the year travelling the globe. Has the novelty worn off?
HL: I wouldn’t say the novelty has worn off, but constant travelling is definitely a price you have to pay to pursue a poker career.
GA: A price worth paying?
HL: Absolutely, I’m pursuing a career and earning a living doing something I love, not many people get that opportunity. It does make it easier though, when you come to events like the Aussie Millions in Melbourne, which are absolutely spectacular on all levels, just a pleasure to be a part of.
GA: Howard Lederer, it’s been a pleasure, now how about a game of chess?
HL: I think I’d have you covered (laughs).
----
Lederer went one-on-one with Sport Talk, discussing the state of the booming poker industry, online vs real world and much more.
This exclusive interview was conducted the Full Tilt media cocktail party by Sport Talk owner Glen Atwell.
Keep reading Sport Talk in the coming days for more exclusive interviews with some of the world's greatest professional players, including Phil Ivey, Gus Hansen and Chris Ferguson.
----
Glen Atwell: Tell me about this almighty poker boom Howard. A few years ago, to some, playing poker sounded as dirty and dingy as a visit to the strippers. In the coming years will we see more growth, or perhaps a plateau in poker-room player numbers?
Howard Lederer: If you looked at a world map, you could track the explosion in poker player numbers across the Earth.
Every year it seems that another country has ‘boomed’. At first it was the Unites States, then parts of Europe, then Australia and last year Denmark.
Even the Chinese have started playing in big numbers. I don’t think we’ll see a plateau at all, player numbers continue to peak and grow and continue growing every year.
GA: You discovered poker in the early 1980s, well before the wheels of popularity began turning, how has the industry evolved in the eyes of Howard Lederer?
HL: I discovered poker in the backroom of my favourite chess club, and at the time, that’s all it really was. Fast forward twenty something years and the accessibility factor is a major contributor to the continued explosion in participation.
The Internet has made poker accessible to everyone, at any time of the day, and is now a crucial aspect of any poker player’s life.
GA: Professional poker players spend can spend between eight and ten months of the year travelling the globe. Has the novelty worn off?
HL: I wouldn’t say the novelty has worn off, but constant travelling is definitely a price you have to pay to pursue a poker career.
GA: A price worth paying?
HL: Absolutely, I’m pursuing a career and earning a living doing something I love, not many people get that opportunity. It does make it easier though, when you come to events like the Aussie Millions in Melbourne, which are absolutely spectacular on all levels, just a pleasure to be a part of.
GA: Howard Lederer, it’s been a pleasure, now how about a game of chess?
HL: I think I’d have you covered (laughs).
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