Theo Nerantzinis
published on 08/15/06 at 6:42 am
Theo Nerantzinis has just completed his first WSOP, finishing 89th (out of 2,050 entries) in the $2,000 Buy-in No-Limit Hold’em Event. Several times during the event, “Action” Dan Harrington tapped the table in a sign of respect to Theo’s play. It is only a matter of time before the “Phenom” hits the poker mainstream and is recognized for his outstanding poker abilities.
Who gave you your nickname? What game/event produced it?
My friends gave me my nickname. I started playing in local tournaments in New York last year. I cashed in 90% of the tournaments I entered and won 50% of them, so I got the nickname as a result of my success.
Did you play a lot of games growing up? Who taught you poker?
I have been playing poker as long as can remember. I was raised in a Poker “family,” my father and all of my uncles are skilled players and I have always been around the game.
Reflecting on your first WSOP entry, what part of your game are you going to improve?
I think the one area that I really need to work on is my ability to trust my reads and be able to put my opponent on a hand.
How was the experience different from the poker you are used to? How was it the same?
The field at the WSOP was massive. The tournament structure was also very difficult as your chips were dollar for dollar with the buy in, so you were forced to make a move quickly otherwise you would be short stacked by the time you hit the second level.
Did you play any of the side games in the gaps? How did you find the standard compared to what you’re used to?
I did manage to get some cash games in. I also played a lot of single table tournaments and did very well. I found the standard to be lower than what I am used to. East coast cash game players are usually very skilled and tough competition. The field at the WSOP was dominated by online qualifiers and I found the competition to be inferior to what I am accustomed to back home.
With the explosion of poker, what types of mistakes/tells have you noticed most often?
The two classic mistakes I noticed tended to come from internet players primarily. First of all they over play any Ace. And, second, they marry losing hands. A hand that may have been ahead pre-flop all of the sudden can fall far behind. Even though this may be obvious to someone watching the game, they have a tendency of getting attached to the hand and are unwilling to get away from it.
When you play against a pro or well known amateur does it affect your game at all?
Not really. I prefer to play against pros or skilled amateurs as their play is consistent and the likelihood of getting a bad beat from them is really limited.
What types of limits do play? Your favorite game? The game you want to learn more about?
I prefer No Limit Hold’em. I like to play a lot of 5-10 and 10-20 No Limit as action at those levels is plentiful. I also play 40-80 Limit whenever I can’t get a No Limit game. I would like to spend more time learning the other variations of the game, such as Omaha. I have played a lot of Omaha this last year, but I still have a long way to go.
What events do you have coming up? What goals have you set yourself for the next year?
I will most likely play the next two WPT events coming up in the fall, the Borgata Open and the Foxwoods Open. My main focus and goal, at this point, is to fine tune my skills and increase my confidence in my decisions. To play poker at the highest level is a life long commitment and I am prepared to put in the hours that are necessary to allow my game to mature. My short term goals are to continue to improve and constantly increase my bankroll so that I can step up to high stakes games comfortably.
What is the best piece of poker advice anyone has given to you?
The best piece of advice was given to me by John “The Greek”, who I have been fortunate enough to have as my mentor this last year. The advice was, “there is no such thing as a bad lay down.” This was extremely valuable in tournament play as you are not there to win any particular hand, but rather the entire tournament. You have to be willing to get away from hands from time to time and allow yourself the opportunity to pick your own spots to go all in rather than allow you opponent to dictate your actions to you.
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The Jester
Aug 31st, 2006
Good points in there, thanks. Especially about the lay down, too many players feel like failures when they fold. Its better to fold and still have some chips than to go out in a blaze of stupidity.
Good luck for the upcoming games
Jester