Interview With Josip 'JozinhoPP' Simunic

Poker players emerge from all walks of life and with all kinds of experience – but partypoker pro and ambassador Josip 'JozinhoPP' Simunic has a rather unique background.

PokerTube caught up with the Austrian to find out the best and worst things in a poker pros life, what the perfect online tournament looks like, and why Vienna and LeBron James are among his dream choices!

Q: From handball to poker, how did that change happen Josip?

I used to play handball for over 20 years and there was a time when I felt I could do both, play poker and handball. But I had to realise that if I wanted to become successful in poker I had to invest a lot more time in to it, so I had to quit handball at some point.

Q: You played on many online sites, how did the partypoker sponsorship come about?

At the end of 2017 partypoker contacted me and asked me if I want to join Team partypoker.  Of course, I agreed and since then I have been happy to be part of such a great team of partypoker pros.

Q: What is the best thing about being a professional poker player?

It might sound a bit strange but I don’t see poker as my job. It’s still my biggest hobby and my passion. As a poker player you have a lot of freedom because you can divide your time yourself and do what you want with it, but it is also a very big responsibility.

Q: And the worst aspect?

Probably variance... I think a lot of people underestimate the variance in poker. The luck factor in a single tournament is very high. You also have to cope with the big swings and work a lot on your mental strength.

Q: You can choose anyone in the world to play in your home game: who do you invite and why?

Hmmm... I think I would go with Lebron James. As a former athlete, I naturally admire other athletes. He is simply the epitome of perfection for me. I just admire so much what he did in his career.

Q: Which tournaments online are ‘must-play’ in your weekly schedule?

I really love the Bounty Hunter tournaments. They’re just so much fun and if you go deep you have nice sweats for big bounties. They are also great value on partypoker because they recently announced they would stop charging rake on the bounty element of PKO tournaments. So, I definitely try to play as many of these as I can.

Q: partypoker make you big boss for a day – what do you do/change?

I think that the partypoker team are already doing a very good job. But one thing I would add would be to probably try to organize a live event in Vienna. I think Vienna is just a great city and deserves a partypoker tournament stop.

Q: Do you have a group of friends you discuss/study poker with?

Yes I have. Since my neighbours also play poker, we talk about it very often. Of course, this helps your own development. It’s always good to have someone to discuss how you played hands and learn from each other.

Q: Which tournament is on your bucket list to a) play and b) win?

I think every poker players’ dream is to play and win the WSOP Main event. It’s the biggest and most prestigious poker tournament. I’ve been lucky enough to play it already but it would be a dream to win it.

Q: Design your own perfect partypoker tournament – what does it look like?

A 5k single re-entry partypoker Millions Online event. It would be 7max no limit holdem, 25% prog. KO with big antes. Let the games begin!

Q: How much money would you have to be offered to give up poker?

I’ve never thought about it because it’s not really all about the money for me. As long as I have the drive to compete in poker I will continue playing.

Q: Outside of poker, what brings you most enjoyment in life?

I mostly enjoy spending time with my girlfriend. Travelling is a big passion of mine and I love seeing new parts of the world. I also really enjoy spending time with my friends.

Q: What is the most memorable/ridiculous/amazing poker experience you’ve had?

That was definitely the EPT Deauville High Roller. I started the final day with 3 big blinds and then won the tournament. That day I had for sure the run of my life. It was a really special moment.

partypoker may not have a Vienna stop this year for the Austrian with over $1.3million in live cashes to his name, but the MILLIONS Europe in nearby Rozvadov this coming August will almost certainly see the 35 year old looking to add to his already impressive poker resume!

You can follow Josip’s poker adventures via partypoker or at his own personal blog here.