Poker News Daily: Talk about your run as Last Woman Standing in the 2009 WSOP Main Event. How has that experience changed your career?
Leo Margets: My run was amazing, but I was not aware of it until this year. At the time of playing I was completely focused on winning one hand and then the next one, not of my standing in the race.
Placing 27th has definitely changed things in the table: other players act differently, and I have gotten more attention from my sponsor 888.
PND: Your title defense came up short in 2010. Walk us through your run in this year’s Main Event.
LM: I didn’t really feel a lot of extra pressure. I went out with a very polemic hand: I had 98 in the hole and was 3-bet by a very aggressive player whom I knew well from before. There were about 60 Big Blinds on the table, and my options were 4-betting him back or playing after the flop. I decided to flat call and play aggressively post flop, which was 8-9-Q rainbow. I decided to lead out in case he raised, but he shoved with 45 Big Blinds. He had Kings and spiked a Q on the river.
I was very sad to be left with only 5 big blinds, because I was looking forward to a big comeback, but ultimately it’s better to bust in Day 2 than in the bubble!
PND: You’re signed by 888. How did that sponsorship opportunity come up?
LM: Good timing! A few months after I started playing poker I went to the Casino in Barcelona to play a University Tournament, and I won it. 888 spotted me and offered to sponsor me for Spanish tournaments with buy-ins between 100 and 1000 Euros. Then the WSOP was approaching and many friends of mine were going, so I asked 888 if they would sponsor me, even though it was not part of my deal. I was very insistent until they finally said yes, and I promised I would not disappoint them!
PND: How are you treated differently at the poker table now compared to before your Main Event run in 2009?
LM: I get a lot more attention from the media and the crowd – it is so cool to hear nice things and support from the crowd! But sometimes I would prefer to be anonymous at the table,because others like to bluff me more when they know who I am.
PND: How did you get started in poker?
LM: It was completely weird. I was out on a first date, and at the time I didn’t know anything about cards. I invited him for a drink and he declined because he had a poker game. I was intrigued – what was this poker thing that was more important than a date? So I asked him if I could come along and see. This relationship really got me into poker; he was a great teacher and really helped me understand what poker is about. I got crazy about poker and started playing lots online, and the rest is history.
PND:We saw you walking down the red carpet at the Ante Up for Africa event at the WSOP this year. Talk about playing alongside major celebrities and other high-caliber poker pros.
LM: I respect everyone at the tables, but I’m not more nervous when I’m playing with pros. At this year’s Ante Up For Africa I got to sit next to Phil Gordon and Matt Damon. It was nice: I had never met Matt Damon. But he didn’t affect my game. What really affected it was multi-tabling live for the first time in my life – I was playing the $2,500 event at the same time, so I probably gambled a lot more at Ante Up for Africa.
PND: What upcoming photo shoots or other non-poker related projects do you have coming up?
LM: I already did a photo shoot for the Sunday magazine of El Pais [N.Ed.:one of the largest Spanish newspapers] and a couple of women’s magazines. I was also recently approached by either Elle or Vogue – can’t quite remember – but that won’t happen till September because I am taking a little holiday. I also contributed to two books.
PND: We know you’re talented at No Limit Hold’em. Have you tried to learn other poker games? How has that been going?
LM: Before this World Series I was taking Razz lessons with a friend, hoping to be able to play H.O.R.S.E., but I decided to give myself another year so I wouldn’t feel like I was improvising. I was doing a lot better in Omaha, but I missed my event this year because I was still playing another. Next year I will play other variants besides Hold’Em for sure.
PND: Quick quiz: Hottest male poker player is ___ (and why)?
LM: It would not be very original to say Antonius, right? Let’s say my ex who taught me to play poker 5 years ago. He is cute, sexy and smart.
