Victor Ramdin is just realizing that he is no longer 20-years of age, which is a good thing for the PokerStars Team Pro, but not necessarily a good thing for his opponent’s at the poker table.
He has a new goal. He wants to send his kids through college without the crippling debt of school loans. To accomplish this goal Ramdin has to make sure that he is a winner, and he has some tough decisions to make to reach that mantle.
The toughest decision he faces presents itself because of his make up. He is a self-confessed old school gambler, who loves to get lost in the No-Limit Hold’em (NLHE) and Pot-Limit Hold’em (PLO) cash games; and is downright addicted to Open-Face Chinese Poker. It cannot continue. Something has to change.
“I have an addiction for open-face Chinese poker and I have finally had to put a closure to it. I am not getting enough sleep for what I am supposed to be here for which is to win a bracelet. So I have quit playing it live so I can get some sleep.” Ramdin commented before continuing, “I am a complete fish in some of the NLHE and PLO cash games. It takes a lot of heart, and balls, to tell people I am a fish but I am. Eight out of nine poker players will tell you that they are great tournament, and cash players, and they are f*&%ing lying. There are a few select people who are great in both formats of the game and I am not one of them.”
The former World Poker Tour (WPT) Champion is approaching $4 million in live tournament earnings. He has cashed in five events at the series this year meaning he is dead even in terms of profit with just a few weeks left to run.
“I am in a great frame of mind heading into the WSOP Main Event. I don’t want to be stuck $50-60k heading into the Main because it puts pressure on you.” Said Ramdin.
He is talking to me during the break in Event #42: $1,000 NLHE. The event that attracts more amateurs than most, so what advice does the old tournament stalwart have for the beginners?
“In the early stages when the blinds are 25/25, you are raising to try and win two antes. You need to be able to change your style of play early. Try limping and trapping a little a bit at the beginning of these events. Try to get the ultimate value from your hand. Do something a little different. Learn to trap a little bit and have a different style.” Said Ramdin.
That strategy has not done the old school gambler any harm. There is 49-players left in the $1k and the name of Victor Ramdin stands strong with the best of them.
