Boris Becker - The interview

Boris Becker belongs without any doubt one of the most famous faces of PokerStars.com who presents the poker room at different events. In our interview he answers the questions of the PokerStrategy.com community.

Boris Becker is without question one of the most popular faces in German sports and renowned around the world.

Following his career as a tennis star, he sought new challenges for himself and found one within poker.

After setting up his own charity foundation and moderating for various sports shows, he discovered his passion for poker, and was able to extend this when PokerStars chose him as their new spokesperson.

Since then, he's been representing PokerStars in commercials, tournaments, and in TV shows as well.

PokerStrategists had the opportunity to ask the former tennis pro Boris Becker about his poker career in this forum thread. Here are his answers about all the topics the community was interested in.

PokerStrategists ask, Boris Becker answers

biank: The easiest way to win a ball in tennis is by scoring an ace, but when dealing with poker you usually need (and sometimes is enough) to have pocket aces. So does tennis have anything (else) to do with poker except aces?

Boris Becker: In order to win in poker as well as in tennis, you need endurance, discipline and patience first of all. Additionally, the last ace - or the last card respectively - can be decisive in both sports.

Boris Becker as an official representative of PokerStars.com

daphunk: Which do you think takes more effort in terms of time learning and practising to be able to compete on the top level, poker or tennis?

Boris Becker: There is no difference between tennis and poker in that aspect. In order to be successful, you need years of practice and experience in both sports. A high degree of willingness to perform is thus extremely important.

gadget51: Do the psychological approach and preparation you used for a tennis match varies from your poker strategy?

Boris Becker: There is indeed a difference: while you only have to deal with one opponent on the tennis court, you find yourself facing at least eight, who all have their own strengths and weaknesses, at a poker table. Accordingly, I deal more with my own game than with that of my opponents when preparing for a poker tournament.

tspill: What’s more nerve-wrecking, match point or all in on the bubble?

Boris Becker: They are both very stressful, there is no difference.

tomsnho: If a beginner wants to know what’s important to play poker – what would you tell him?

Boris Becker: Beginners in particular should exercise their patience. It’s not the first hand that’s decisive, it’s the last. Accordingly, I recommend to only play very few hands during the first hour - if any at all - and to focus on observing in order to collect as much information about the opponents on your table as possible.

sallamc: Which of your background is more helpful in poker: the will to win (the psychological component) or the calculus from your experience as a businessman (mathematical component)?

Boris Becker:  Both of them together are extremely important. In poker, you will not advance without psychological calculus, nor will you without the unconditional will to win of a successful businessman.

"It's all about the passion for the game"

shibbyx1: What are your future plans regarding poker?

Boris Becker: My absolute highlight in the near future is without question to play the EPT Germany in Berlin. This is my first EPT event on German soil, and therefore I will be entering the race very motivated. Besides that, I would like to play in as many EPT tournaments as possible – and I would of course gladly take part in the WSOP in Las Vegas.

d4nid4nsen: How do you estimate the development of poker and its reputation in Germany, and what feedback do you get as ambassador and prominent poker player in the society?

Boris Becker: I think that not least because of the work accomplished by PokerStars, poker has gained a higher profile year by year. I hope that I can also contribute by giving my face to poker in TV spots and various media appearances. The limit is however still far from being reached.

Boris Becker at the PokerStars.com Carribean Adventure 2010

humanplayer: Do you have any prominent poker player as an idol?

Boris Becker: During my poker carreer, I might often have had the luck to sit on the same table as word class players like Phil Ivey or Daniel Negreanu, but I wouldn't go as far as designating these top performers as idols. They are, however, the best players I’ve competed against.

ryyti: Where did you get the idea to start playing poker?

Boris Becker:  Over the course of my active tennis carreer, I have spent a lot of time traveling or I had to wait in the changing room for the beginning of the match. I have spent this time with games like backgammon, chess or even poker. That’s how one thing led to another.

djeymoo: What do you think about all these celebrities who start a poker career?

Boris Becker: In this case, I wouldn’t talk about career, but rather about a passion for this sport. It does however make me happy that poker profits when many celebrities also reach for the cards.

javi2332: In tennis, you need training, discipline and talent. Do you think you need the same things to play poker?

Boris Becker: Absolutely. Without discipline and training it doesn’t work - a bit of talent naturally can’t hurt, either.

mak123:  I remember you as an aggressive tennis player, are you also aggressive while playing poker?

Boris Becker: I strive to act as aggressively as possible in poker, but when doing so, I always wait for the right opportunity, that’s why I have to bring more patience to the table than in tennis.
 
letchlord: Are you as dedicated to poker as to tennis and how much time you spend daily to play poker?

Boris Becker: Absolutely. In my active tennis days, during rain breaks or journeys, we already played a lot of poker. I simply think that it’s a magnificent sport to stay mentally fit. Nowadays, I still play poker as often as time allows it and I even have my own poker table at home which is frequently used for games with friends.