7 days to London - Meet Raigo Aasmaa

9 days to London – Meet Pontus Dargren

March 21, 2016

5 days to London – Meet Silje Nilsen

March 25, 2016

Published by Alexander Nilsson on March 23, 2016

Tags

Cash Game Festival: Hi Raigo! Could you start by telling us what you do for a living?

Raigo Aasmaa: I’m a pro poker player since the last 6 years now. Before that I studied IT and poker was just something I did for fun on the side. After a while my „salary“ from online poker got bigger then I could earn from a regular job, so i decided to go full pro in December 2010. It’s a decision I don’t regret, because I have managed to stay successful even when I was having bad downswings.

CGF: How long have you played poker and what made you start playing?

RA: I would say for roughly 10 years, starting off by playing with my friends as a random fish for first 3-4 years. But i was a better fish than my friends, so I still won some money from them

I started by doing some sports betting, which was lots of fun, and was something new for me. On the same bettingsite they also had poker. I did not have a clue what it was, how to play, the rules etc. My only poker experience was oldschool 5 card draw poker, like in the western movies.
I remember when i downloaded the poker software, everything was a mystery: flop, turn, river, check, bet, chips etc. I had no idea what these words meant. I googled the rules and started playing $0.01/$0.02 to $0.05/$0.10 (NL2-10).
I won some money and always cashed out my profits. When i went broke, i deposited a small amount and grinded it up to €10-50, then cashed out again. At that time, €10-50 was big money in Estonia. Back then €10 = 1 night out and I was around 20 years old. But nowadays a club ticket is like €10-20, champagne €100, rum/coke €8-10. Damn! 😀
Anyways, I started playing live with my good friend. We were like the two guys in the Rounders movie (not scamming obviously). We played as much as we could, because others were SO SO bad and we needed money. I still remember those „Rounders-days“ when I had like +€50 grinds. I went out for a little shopping spree and after that it was party-party-party!! :p

Then I started grinding online, because I wanted to win more. I failed a few times, but after buying HEM1 in 2010, everything changed. 6 months later i went full pro.

CGF: Talking about going pro. You also have a sponsorship with one of the festivals main partners. Tell us more about that deal…

In 2010 Olympic Casino started Estonias first legal online casino. It was called Olympic-Online and I joined their team in May 2010. At that time they only had two sponsored players in the team, i was number three. At our peak we had 5-6 pro players at the same time. Currently we only have two members and I’m the only professional.

In 2013 they changed their brand name to OlyBet and I got signed because I was a very active player then. I had quite successful blog and played a lot. At that time I was one of the most known Estonian online players and I’m guessing that’s why they signed me.

We have had great partnership and I think we both are really satisfied. Thanks to Olybet I have played in a few EPT’s, and in one of them I scored really big. In 2011 I got 3rd place for €110k in EPT Tallinn Main Event (€4250 buyin) and few months later i won GSOP Prague for €100k (€1100 buyin). That was a crazy year, it was a big boom for me and for them.

My job is to promote Olybet, wear patches and represent Team OlyBet in every event i play/go to. When I go to Tallinn, I always get a free hotel room, in the casino I get free food and drinks, even champagne…hehe! They take really good care of me!

And in a few months Olympic Casino will open their newest and Estonias biggest casino in the new Hilton Hotel. Sounds cool and can’t wait to play events for Olybet there!

CGF: How would you classify yourself as a poker player? Strength/weaknesses? Different approach in cash games/tournaments?

RA: When I’m in the zone, I think I read people very well. When I play live poker, i always try to find that little live tell, it always helps.
A weakness, when I’m on tilt, i might get too loose and spew off my stack. Not always of course, but it has happened. And I’m still trying to get rid of it fully.
In online games, I play only cash games. I have banned online-MTTs, because they are so tilting and stressful. I usually play PLO, but sometimes when PLO has killed my brain, I play holdem a few days. When few days has passed, when I realize again how boring the 2-card game is…I return to PLO. I especially love playing headsup because there is lots of action. Nowadays pokersites are killing HU-games, so its really hard to play HU.
But when playing live I also like to play tournaments. Live MTTs are fun. Lots of funny people with different background and stories to tell and keep you entertained.
Lately i have started to play more live cash games, because they are really soft compared to online.
Online poker is constantly getting harder, so I try to play as much live cash as I can. I really look forward to the Cash Game Festival in London for these reasons.

CGF: Do you have any other game or sport interest as a hobby/profession? And if so, does that interest help your poker skills in any way?

I used to play football for 11 years. Then i found poker and quit playing. Last year I started again with my old football friends and we managed to advance from 4th division to 3rd. This year will be much more tougher, we’ll see what happens. I love football, because i’ts lots of fun. When I’m not playing, then I try to watch world class games on TV like Champions League, Europa League and Premier League.

I’m 27 years old now and I have a non-stop sitting work, so I need to move my ass little bit. I try to be fit, but it is really hard, because when I’m traveling to some poker event I love to try out lots of restaurants. I love good food, beer and wine. Fine dining is my little weakness. That’s why I have to play football or sweat in the BodyPump classes. 🙂
I also like sports betting. It’s like a bad habit, but lately I have learned, that it’s better to make one large bet, than 5-10 smaller ones on random games. When I will loose, I don’t bet for a while. When I win, it’s enough and I can use the money to travel. So football and sports betting are my two hobbies.

CGF: Can you tell us your favorite poker destination(s) and why that is the best stop/place?

RA: Las Vegas by far! This upcoming summer I’ll be there for the 5th year in a row. I usually play 3-6 WSOP events and 100+hrs of cash games. But I love the Vegas lifestyle and it has everything! In the morning you go to the pool, have 4-5 cold beers. You enjoy them more than usual because outside it’s like +45 degrees! NICE!

Then you go for a lunch somewhere, do the city, look around, shop etc. In the evening you will play cash games or go to a nightclub with world class DJs. This is the perfect life for me!

I also love Barcelona. Fresh seafood, nice weather, warm sea breeze and the local poker players are the best reasons for me to visit this city! Barcelona’s local players are pretty loose and they are not scared to get it in LIGHT! 😉
So these are my two favorite city’s and must stops in the summer. And in the winter – PRAGUE Prague is so different from Vegas and Barcelona. You have a perfect winter weather around +5 degrees. They have great local beer, lots of locals and german players. Czech food is also good. When the average Estonian gets their Christmas meal in 23-24-25th December, then I’m getting mine around 5-15th December in Prague. Its like pre-ordered Christmas! 😀

CGF: John Scanlon, Warren Lush, Enri Orav and Martin “Franke” von Zweigbergk are all involved with the Cash Game Festival in London. Choose the one(s) you have some sort of relationship to and tell us about them and how you see their impact on the poker scene/industry?’

RA: I know both Enri and Franke very well. They are doing a great job by promoting cash games that usually aren’t promoted at all and this format needs some new ideas/blood. They both do everything to please their players and qualifiers needs. They arrange different kind of „side events“ at every Cash Game Festival stop. Drinking, dining, playing poker and having fun is their number one priority! Every night there has something to do and there is never a boring moment with these guys. EPT Player party is like kindergarten compared to Cash Game Festival players parties!

CGF: What do you think about the concept of a cash game only festival compared to the standard tournament festivals where cash games isn’t the focus?

RA: For me it’s great and completely different. Now there are lots of cash game tables with different stakes and format. Also the fun around it gets a bigger focus. The drinking, dining and gambling with others whilst also having a fun time.

CGF: What did you think about the past events in Tallinn and what do you expect from London?

RA: Last stop in Tallinn was a blast, but hopefully London will be much crazier and of course it’s a bigger event with many more tables and options. The location is very good. I have been in Aspers Casino once before, and I know that there are few hotels near the casino, which is important for me. Location is important, because you want to have a metro station nearby, taxis, shopping, dining etc.

And I know it will be different for me, because I can’t be in London every weekend like in Tallinn, where I know every player and I have seen all the sights. In London there will be many new players to get to know, lots of good food and things to see. In daytime you can make a selfie with Big Ben and in the night you will make selfie with your Big Stack. Or at least try to make that selfie! 😉

I will also try to score some tickets to watch the football game between Arsenal and Watford. That would be a great way to finish a hopefully successful cash game week! 🙂

CGF: Thank you Raigo for taking the time and good luck in London!