Lee Davy sits down with the recent World Poker Tour (WPT) National Brussels winner to find out what makes the Dane tick.
When you watch Lasse Frost play poker he has an aura. You know the one I am talking about. The confident edge that makes you believe that he has been doing this ever since he was weaned from the breast.
And yet he is a relative baby in live tournament terms with just 12 cashes stretching back to 2009.
So what makes this man tick?
Where does this confidence come from?
I caught up with the recent World Poker Tour (WPT) National Brussels winner to find out.
How did you get into poker?
“I was taking a year’s leave two years ago to study a full time MBA. Then during that time I went to EPT Berlin and finished third and everything changed. I just wanted to keep riding the wave as they say in Denmark. I skipped Vegas but played all the EPTs and have done really well.
“I never played online that much, but have played a lot in my local casinos in Denmark. I always did well, but never thought about playing poker for a living, and still don’t.”
What were you studying?
“I have a background in finance and was a broker for seven years. Then I had to do something different because a Nordic bank is not the hottest place to be working during the financial crisis.
“So I spoke to my girlfriend and decided to take a year’s leave to do this MBA then Berlin came along and the rest is history.”
When you had that score in Berlin it must have crossed your mind to take poker up professionally?
“Obviously it did. When you make a final as big as that you think that you are doing something right. You have this confidence that is so important in life. You have this attitude at the tables and you aren’t scared of anyone. It doesn’t matter if you are playing your A or B game you are shining…it has a big effect. The Brussels win has come almost a year since Berlin, but I still made four final tables last year so when you consider the amount I play that’s very good to me.”
What’s the key to your success?
“I discuss a lot of hands with Danish pros and I think some of the things I do different than most of them centers around my belief that I don’t care about the hand in the moment if I feel that in the long run that this table is going to give me more of an edge later on, and so I don’t screw up too much to begin with. I take one hand at a time and enjoy being here playing poker with these amazing guys.”
What does your girlfriend think about all of this?
“She thinks it’s crazy. We are getting married this June so a big chunk of the Brussels winning is going towards that. She is obviously excited for me, very understanding and I really appreciate that otherwise I wouldn’t be able to travel so much. It’s really important that your family is behind you in everything you do.
“It’s important to remember who you are.”
