IS YOUR ONLINE POKER PREDICTABLE?

18 January 2008

Everest Poker has a bit of fun with national stereotypes


Stereotyping by national characteristics is a risky and largely unscientific technique to size up an online poker opponent, but Everest poker had some fun with it over the weekend anyway, announcing that after extensive observations of its online poker room tournaments, promotions and live events, it has discovered that a player's nationality can have a 'profound' affect on their style of play.

Everest Poker's European Event Coordinators have apparently spent the past 6 months observing the characteristics of each nationality during poker tournaments, both at live events and online, to see if national characteristics can be discerned in the way the game is played.

The result is an interesting perspective on playing styles, which the company shared with players.

Robert Dahlström, Everest Poker's Swedish event man, said that contrary to an outwardly cool and calm demeanour, Swedish players tend to be very aggressive and enjoy taking risks. "Sweden was one of the first countries where the online poker boom really took off so they have had a head start," he said. "You often hear Swedish players comment on a perceived weakness in play in Southern Europe. Swedish players still enjoy respect on the continent but the gap is beginning to close and there is an increasing danger of complacency."

The Spanish are relatively new to the game of poker but are catching on fast, says Paloma Benito, Spanish event coordinator for Everest. This is due to the fact that many Spanish poker players come from a chess background and their analytical skills are very strong, he opined. "This is not what other nations expect from the otherwise passionate Spanish and as a result Spain is quickly becoming one of the stronger poker playing nations in Europe," he said.

German coordinator Olaf Schimpf says that his countrymen are also relatively new to the poker scene, but players in his country often play above their skill level to gain valuable experience and diligently improve their game. "Thousands of poker books have been sold in 2007 and they take their learning very seriously," he said. "German players often prefer to play against the professionals, knowing they will lose some money, but gain knowledge and experience," he said.

Flair, elan and verve dominate the French poker playing style, not unlike the national rugby style says Julien Brecard, Everest Poker's French event coordinator. When this style works the cash-out is spectacular, but when it doesn't the penalty can be expensive and harsh, he claims! "Many of the new generation of French poker players have also come across from the fantasy card game, Magic: The Gathering, where understanding the odds of certain cards is important," Brecard said.

In the United Kingdom, the famously restrained, disciplined and stiff upper lipped Brits generally run true to stereotype, says Ed Pownall, an ex-Blue Square exec now working as Everest's European PR manager. "Like the national stereotype, players from the UK are reserved and cautious, especially early on, and take their time to get into a game. While this can be a good tactic, if there are particularly aggressive players the lack of risk-taking can cost the Brits in tournament play," he said.

Be wary of the Italians, said Marco Trucco, Everest Poker's man in Italy, who claims his countrymen tend to be "quite impulsive and unpredictable" poker players. That tendency to be loose and bluff often comes from their mastery of Italian 5-card draw. "Italian players love the action, rate as super-aggressive players and play to win big," Trucco said.

In The Netherlands, many Dutch players are young, highly educated and take their poker very seriously, preferring the scientific approach in order to succeed, says Mariken Hogenhout, the coordinator in the region. "The Dutch have the reputation, perhaps surprisingly, of being particularly emotionless and careful," she said.

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