Throughout EPT Praguethe PokerNews group had been in a position to chat with a number of PokerStars ambassadors corresponding to Sam Grafton, Rafael Moraes and Dare2Stream winner Sebastian Huber.
Along with these names, we had been in a position to discuss store with PokerStars Twitch streamer Steve Enriquez. the Spanish poker participant had fairly a journey previous to taking over poker full-time and is one other instance of how the sport welcomes anybody.
For a lot of youngsters rising up internationally, turning into knowledgeable soccer participant is the dream of many and Enriquez was in a position to simply try this. His profession spanned for 14 years and in that point he performed for the “greatest groups within the North of Spain,” like Osasuna Athletic Membership and Actual Racing Membership de Santander amongst others.
Ever the aggressive, it was throughout this time he fell into the world of eSports, earlier than it was the phenomenon it’s right this moment. Then whereas enjoying his beloved CounterStrikehe got here internationally of poker.
“I used to be enjoying CounterStrike 1.6 model, not CSGO. And I used to be making some cash out of there enjoying the tournaments in Spain whereas enjoying soccer as effectively,” Enriquez instructed PokerNews. “And one man instantly instructed me, hey, you bought to test this poker web page. You bought $50 for you without cost.”
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And like a number of tales of gamers discovering on-line poker, he began off with a really humble bankroll however discovered success early on and by no means regarded again.
“I bought the $50 and I simply multiplied it by like 20 occasions. So I used to be like, okay, I am earning money with this whereas I used to be enjoying soccer. I noticed that I may make some cash enjoying playing cards whereas having enjoyable,” Enriquez added.
Enriquez then regarded to construct on his recreation by becoming a member of the PokerStars Faculty in 2011. The beginning of his poker profession centred round money video games earlier than he transitioned to enjoying multi-table tournaments in 2014. It proved to be a fruitful choice as he would go on to win the Spanish Poker Championship in 2016, and shortly adopted that up with a second-place end in a Excessive Curler in Marbella on the Stars Poker Tour.
Whereas honing his expertise on the felt Enriquez additionally turn into a broadcaster and commentator for the Spanish PokerStars EPT webcasts in 2013, a task he nonetheless does right this moment when he is not enjoying.
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On the time of sitting down with Enriquez, he was an hour away from starting Day 2 of the EPT Prague €5,300 Major Occasion. The Spaniard had managed to outlive the primary day regardless of being in esteemed firm.
“I joined [the Main Event] in stage 4, I believe I had one of many hardest tables with all the highest regs like Niklas Astedt and Stephen Chidwick on there,” Enriquez stated. “I bought by with 53,000 at the very least, virtually double my stack, which isn’t unhealthy for the desk. And right this moment I’ve a extremely powerful desk once more with Teun Muldersome Brazilian execs and in addition Ben Heath. So it’ll be fascinating.”
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Enriquez was eradicated earlier than the paid locations within the Major Occasion however remains to be aiming to go toe to toe with poker’s elite in 2022.
“This 12 months goes to be big and I wish to be a part of each large event sequence that occurs on the earth. I am making an attempt to journey world wide.”
Clearly, one vacation spot all poker gamers head to is Las Vegas and it seems Enriquez will not be any completely different. With the 2022 World Collection of Poker quick approaching, he’ll be trying to emulate fellow compatriots Adrian Mateos, Carlos Mortensen and Leo Margets in getting his fingers on some WSOP {hardware}.
“I will be in Vegas as effectively and we’ll see what occurs after that. However I believe it’ll be a 12 months filled with stops for PokerStars as effectively. I do not know if all the things is revealed proper now, however you will note.”
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Enriquez joined the PokerStars model in Could 2019 as a Twitch Streamer and remembered simply how awestruck when he was approached by the platform.
“In Spain, we all know of poker due to PokerStars as a result of we’ve got these EPTs and all of the exhibits they’ve placed on previously,” he recalled. “After they [PokerStars] method you to be part of them, it is like, wow, I will help poker develop. So for me, it is one motivation – to assist make poker a greater setting.”
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With a smile on his face, Enriquez rounded off the interview by saying, “The sensation is unbelievable. I can not clarify it to you. It is like, okay, they need me. I keep in mind after I was youthful watching these episodes and watching these stay streams and now I would be the man who helps PokerStars to enhance.”
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Editor & Reside Reporter
Calum has been part of the PokerNews group since September 2021 after working within the UK vitality sector. He performed his first hand of poker in 2017 and instantly fell in love with the sport. Calum’s proudest poker achievement is profitable the one event he has ever performed in Las Vegas, the distinguished $60 Flamingo night occasion.
