Winner of The Wynn Summer Classic tournament in Las Vegas, in June 2019, when he defeated Stephen Song in the finals and won several finals of the Pokerfest tournaments, Adrian Sorel State is a complete poker player, perfectly adapted to both live and online style. We invite you to read this interview which manages to give you detailed information about his life as a professional poker player.
Adrian Sorel State
Please tell us a few words about yourself (age, occupation – if you do anything other than poker, hobbies)…
Hi! I’m 35 years old and I don’t have any other occupation than poker yet, except that I’ve been a dad for about 2 years, but I can’t necessarily call it a second occupation per se, because my wife gives me as much time as possible to deal with what I like.
What were your first steps in the world of poker? How and why did you start?
I remember the first time a dear friend introduced me to this game while I was in the 3rd year of the Police Academy and it instantly charmed me. I wanted to play non-stop. Later I saw a poker show on TV, and at the lower left side of the screen, where the players’ cards were displayed, I saw that each hand had a winning percentage. Then I had the first, and I think the biggest, AHA moment in poker. A year after I played my first game, I remember telling my friend that I was going to resign from the police at some point and I will dedicate myself to poker full time. He called me crazy!
Online or live, which style do you prefer more and why?
I prefer to play live because I played a lot online and I like to vary. At the same time, it is extremely beautiful to travel to different countries, compete against real opponents, have fun and meet new people.
How would you characterize your style of play? Is there any difference between your online and live style of play?
I think that the style of plying of every poker player is a reflection of his personality. It’s important to realize when to hit the gas very hard and when to put on the brake … and to act accordingly when you finally understood that. So my game varies quite a lot depending on the stage I’m in a tournament and, yes, it’s a pretty big difference between my live game and the online one.
Is it possible to make a living from poker right now in our country? What does it take to make poker a “job”?
Sure, but I think this game is not for people who can’t cope with the pressure. There are many situations and especially periods of time when things, although you do everything right, just do not work out. Then you have to understand that the game is so built that you can’t win 100% of the time and you need a lot of patience and perseverance. I believe that no matter what you choose to do, if you dedicate yourself 100 percent to that goal, you can’t fail.
What was your biggest win in poker? (if you want to answer…) Or the win that you enjoyed the most…
I had 2 similar results (one of $88,000 earned online and one of $92,000 earned live). And the win I always enjoy the most has been finishing in first place in a tournament, no matter the prize.
Was there a key moment in your poker career?
There were several, but the very important one was when I meet and joined a group of very strong poker players who took my game to another level.
How do you see your future in poker?
I hope to become a recreational player in the future.
What are the 3 most important tips you could give to a player who is now playing poker?
Love of the game, discipline and a clearly defined schedule.
In Romania, (until the beginning of the pandemic) poker has experienced a remarkable development, what do you think can be done to make this phenomenon thrive in our country?
To promote poker more in order to be truly known and to abolish the custom that still exists in our country (the one related to the old 5-card poker where you lose your house and your wife), and poker games not to be “ruined” by very high participation fees and all sorts of altered forms of organization that deviate from the classic poker tournament.
Regarding the poker, what are your plans for the near future?
To stay curious in order to stimulate the pleasure of playing and being up to date with the evolution of poker.
A tip for young players and not only them…
Patience, patience, patience…!
