Piqué’s Passion for Poker!

(Photo: Gamblegeek.com)

There’s no shortage of sport stars who can and do play poker, but there are very few who have a track record of actually wining at the game. One who does, however, is Gerard Piqué – the Spain and Barcelona defender whose love for the green felt almost matches his love of the green grass!

His recent PokerStars blog interview has given an insight into not only his poker victories, but also his team-mates love of the game – one which often takes lace in the dressing room before big matches.

With the soccer field obviously taking up most of his time – 400+ games for his beloved Barca after returning from a stint at Manchester United – and a wife just as famous as himself in pop singer Shakira with whom he has two children, poker inevitably has to take a back seat.

However, just last month Piqué showed his talent by finishing 3rd in the $2k HyperTurbo at EPT Barcelona – his €31,700 winnings mere pocket change to the multi-millionaire Spaniard, although it would go some way to paying his €50K entry to the High-roller.

Mixing it with the best is high on Piqué’s list of must-do’s, and also fun, the centre-half declaring:

"I really enjoy it a lot," adding enthusiastically, "I mean, for me I love to compete in many different situations and I always like to compete with the best in everything, in this case against the best poker players. When I sit down at the table and I know I'm against some of the best players at the poker table I really enjoy the challenge."

Quite what the seasoned high-rollers think of facing HIM, however, is less clear.

"I don't know if they play different," he mused. "Obviously it can be a bit strange for them because some of them know me from football, but not from playing poker. So it's kind of a strange situation."

Nerves, of course, are the constant companion for sportsmen, and Piqué is no different in that respect – albeit one who manages to perform at the highest level despite the butterflies.

"I've played over 400 [football] matches, but I still always have this feeling in my stomach and some nerves," Piqué said. "For me, the experience before playing poker is the same as before playing a match."

He continued:

"On the pitch you never know what will happen, which is the same as poker. You can have your strategy and know how you will play, but you never know how the cards will be, and you have to adapt to every situation."

He told the Stars blog about the particular problems facing a defensive role player such as himself.

"During a match you have to make decisions that are risky, and some are not on the pitch. This is the same as poker. You have to control the risk. If you're a striker you can take higher risks, because if you lose the ball you have the rest of the team behind you. If you're a defender or goalkeeper you can't take as many risks, because if you lose the ball you can concede a goal. You need to evaluate the risk and think about the reward."

And what of his Nou Camp team-mates, every bit as famous in their field as Piqué, though perhaps less so on the poker tables?

"They really like it," he revealed. "Our teammates know we come here (Piqué is often accompanied by fellow poker fanatic Neymar Junior), and they always ask how it goes and if we enjoyed ourselves. The problem is they don't know how to play poker and if they did, they would probably come too! We do sometimes play in the dressing room[/quote] obviously not for money, but just for fun. It's fun because everyone loves poker, and not just to play. The players who don't know how to play like to watch."

Describing how there are some “very good poker players in the national team, like David De Gea and David Silva,” he adds that:

"In Spain’s most recent campaign at the UEFA European Championship we had a lot of free time in the hotel, and playing poker is a great way to have fun when we have spare time."

Naturally footballers have to think of that sad moment when they hang up their boots, many going into management and coaching. Will Piqué turn professional poker player when the time comes?

"I love poker as a hobby, and I'll maybe play some tournaments, but not as a professional," he said "When you have a family and you have kids you don't have time to travel all over the world playing poker.”

From football to the felt, Piqué is a proven winner – Barcelona, Spain and his family may hold the most of his heart, but a part of it at least is in the poker world.

"I obviously enjoy it a lot and will always try to play when I have the chance. I do hope one day to win a poker title!"