Your 2010 Live the Dream Team

Finally after two days of hard work and even more difficult decision making, it's the moment we've all been waiting for...here is your new 2010 Live the Dream Team!

Fabien Perrot (FR)
SchumyFab

Ronny Pickard (DE)
Spadesman

Koen de Bakker (NL)
koendb

Javier Martinez (ES)
elflacokanu

Sigurd Eskeland (NO)
TheBigViking

Viktoria Szilasi (HU)
SexyGirl

Leonard Truche (FR)
leoledingo

Tobias Wagner (DE)
Tobestar11

Thomas Froslev (DA)
DannyMcCoy--

Julien Claudepierre (FR)
Garrincho54

Experience a bit of this once-in-a-lifetime event and watch Team Everest's Cristiano Blanco and Maria Macieras announce the winners in Vienna, and see the winners describe the announcement in their own words.

Before the LTD Team Announcement: Thomas Kremser and Jennifer Joyce

Before the 2010 Live the Dream Team was announced, PokerTube talked to two individuals influential in today's decision-making process. Esteemed international tournament director Thomas Kremser of TK Poker Events and Chief Marketing Officer of Everest Poker, Jennifer Joyce.

Both Kremser and Joyce were very pleased with the outcome of this year's competition and look forward to seeing more of the 2010 Live the Dream Team.

Top 20 Finalists: Leonard Truche (leonlelingo)

MTT and Sit'nGo tournament player Leonard Truche (leolelingo) is so skilled that he actually qualified for Live the Dream twice via the All-France Live the Dream Direct Entry. Leo has had a passion for games since he was a kid -- when he and his friends started watching poker on TV and were soon hooked. Four years ago, Leo discovered Everest Poker with a simple "online poker" search. and stayed because of the user friendly software that enabled him to get started.

He has always enjoyed the combination of online and live tournament play. Online, he recently finished third in the Everest Poker $100K Guaranteed, and has also won both $30K and $25K Guaranteed Tournaments. He also qualified online four times for the Montesino Grand Slam and twice for the SPT Finale in Gran Canaria. He has also played in tons of other live events, including the WSOP, 2007 EPEC (Portugal) and four SPT events.

But Leo isn't all about poker. A former physical education teacher for special needs and disabled children, Leo enjoys spending time with family and friends in Besançon, France. His free time snowboarding and playing handball.

Top 20 Finalists: Davide Rugi (M@t@ciclista)

Italy's Davide Rugi (M@t@ciclista) is a motorcycling enthusiast from Plato, a town near Florence, and one of the most popular players in Everest Poker's Italian community.

Davide first heard about online poker from a family friend in 2006, and he started off playing for free, moving onto real money games in 2007 with an initial deposit of $25. Davide's first foray into real money poker was the Everest Poker's Chip and A Chair tournaments. "I was waiting for 10 minutes before starting for my first online tournaments, even with such low buy-ins," Davide recalls.

Davide has posted a fourth place finish online at Everest Poker’s $100,000 Guaranteed, but spends the majority of his time at the cash game tables (ranging from $2/$4 to $5/$10). Currently, the full-time businessman still manages to spend at least 30 hours per week playing online poker…and also fits in a little time with his girlfriend.

Top 20 Finalists: Julien Claudepierre (Garrincho54)

Julien Claudepierre (Garrincho54) is one of the most well-known and well-respected players in not only the French-speaking, but the entire Everest Poker community. The recent graduate of one of France's top-ranked and highly-competitive engineering programs also worked as an intern for the online poker education website DeucesCracked in New York City.

"I loved living in New York for three months, but it was also very rewarding to spend so much time around world-class poker players."

In addition to numerous live tournaments in his native France, Julien has played in both the WSOP and the WPT Marrakesh and can often be found at Everest Poker's NLHE 6-max and Heads Up tables, as well working on his Pot-Limit Omaha game.

"In 2010, I want to make the successful transition from being a solid cash game player to becoming a formidable opponent in live tournaments around the world."

Top 20 Finalists: Jonas T'Syen (GiveItAll)

Belgium's Jonas T'Syen (GiveItAll) lets his screen name — and tattoo — do the talking. "It's a popular song from the band Rise Against, but it also explains how I am," he says. "I always make the best of it".

The manager of a mobile phone store, Jonas hits the 6-max NL cash games ($100–$400) on Everest Poker whenever he's not working. He started playing 5-card draw as a teenager while on a school trip. When Jonas turned 18, he started giving it his all online and began playing NLHE every day.

Jonas began playing with Everest because of the benefits offered through the VIP Summit Club. "The structure of it benefits the more hands you play. For the last two months, I've been in the Death Zone, and receiving about $2000 in bonuses! No other poker website gives you such a thing. I also like the being invited to live events organized for the players, and the better customer support I receive as a member of the VIP club."

Top 20 Finalists: Francesco De Vivo (raffa.de)

Italy's Francesco De Vivo (raffa.de) began playing poker in 2006. The 2007–2008 Italian Champion plays online up to 12 hours a day and considers Everest Poker the best online poker room. "Everest has a lovely MTT structure, and I also enjoy the $5/$10 cash games."

Of course, the full-time poker player also finds time to enjoy life’s simple pleasures when he's not at the tables. "I sometimes find time to do things like normal people," Francesco says with a smile. "I always find the time for girls."

Top 20 Finalists: Ronny Pickard (Spadesman)

German finalist Ronny Pickard (spadesman) spends his days working in a bank and, when he's not playing poker, he also plays midfield on a local football team and analyzes potential patterns in stock market activity. "I'm a real worker", he says and he clearly brings that dedication to his poker, qualifying via the LTD Summit Point Leaderboard.

Ronny first learned poker when he was just 15, playing five-card stud with friends. He is another player who has been with Everest Poker since the beginning, starting on the No Limit Hold'em tables in 2004."Everest was my first room; sometimes the first love stays, so to speak. Everest gives me everything I need. Tournaments, cash games, good stuff." Ronny has blogged about many of his some of his tounament results on his blog.

Spademan's dream is to finally play the WSOP Main Event. He missed it in 2009 due to a last-minute conflict, but this year he's definitely not going out on his shot at glory at the world's premier poker event in Las Vegas.

Top 20 Finalists: Tobias Wagner (tobestar11)

Germany's Tobias Wagner (tobestar11) began his poker career online with Everest just two years ago, grinding away at the lowest cash game levels, eventually graduating to higher-stakes ring games and the top of the VIP Summit Club. "I started playing on Everest and I've never stopped," the Nuremberg resident says. "I have always loved the community, the staff, and the events I've been able to participate in. Even before Live the Dream, Everest had already changed my life in many aspects"

Although he is a hardworking university student majoring in English and Physical Education, and the leading three-point shooter in his basketball league, is spent playing online poker. Everyday, Tobias can be found playing Everest cash games, particularly the NLHE $1000 (6-max and full ring) and $10,000 Guaranteed tournaments, the latter of which he has won several times and frequently makes the final table. Although he describes himself as primarily a cash game player, Tobias plays seven tournaments a week and usually plays an average of 10 tables online every time he logs on.

Tobias' is a two-time SPT qualifier and is active within both the German and VIP Summit Club communities. He was also a member of the winning 6inVegas team, where Everest sent one winner to the tournament and five of their poker-playing friends to cheer them on. Although he didn't win the actual seat, he used this this trip to take his game to some of the Vegas' legendary cash tables at the Venetian and Bellagio. Tobias wanted to Live the Dream with Everest Poker so he could travel to even more of the world's biggest cash games, as well as devote serious attention to developing his live event skills.

"I have won a lot of cash games in Vegas, but I want more. And I want more great live poker tournament accomplishments. Live the Dream can help make this happen and it is why this contract means everything to me."

Blogging an interview with Koen de Bakker (koendb)

Only minutes ago, the Netherlands' Koen de Bakker was named to the 2010 Live the Dream Team!

I was able to interview him as he waited for the results and PokerTube caught a bit of the action.

It is common on TV that people who take part in competitions are usually interviewed in a "Green Room" when waiting for the results. Now Everest Poker's Melinda Green is taking care of the blog on everestpokerblog.com and here is an example on how it works when she is interviewing one of the qualifiers - Koen de Bakker.

Top 20 Finalists: Niels van Gent (Nielis)

The Netherlands' Niels van Gent (Nielis) plays on Everest Poker alongside his brother, fellow Live the Dream qualifier Mysticus1. The 29-year-old Personal & Labor student from Groningen has won every big tournament he has played on Everest Poker — all except one.

"Every time I have played the $100,000 Guaranteed, I always get in the money. But then there is a big suckout and I’m gone. It gets frustrating." Niels' biggest live achievements include a fourth place finish at the SPT Valencia, qualifying for the WSOP Main Event twice, and winning several smaller tournaments in his native Holland.

"My passion for poker comes from the feelings to always want to be the best. Money comes second. My goal is still the same as when I began playing — to win a major live event and to be one of the best. And if you want to be the best, you have to play the best."

Since observing an increase in the popularity of Omaha throughout Europe, Niels has also been developing his skills with a steady schedule of online Omaha tournaments. "If you look at big television players, they play more online Omaha than Holdem right now."

"I like the action of Omaha, its an aggressive game, its a swing-related game. Harder to maintain steady bankroll when you play Omaha."

When he's not grinding away online at Everest Poker, Niels can be found spending quality time with his girlfriend, whom he lovingly points out is his biggest fan. He also is a prolific reader and makes sure he squeezes one book into his busy schedule every week.

Top 20 Finalists: Norson Shinti Saho (JenniferWood)

Brazil's Norson Shinti Saho (JenniferWood) discovered poker after a very successful career playing Age of Empires professionally. The 2004 Age of Empires World Champion and former game tester for Microsoft is now a full-time poker player, and also offers his services as a poker coach one day a week.

Norson selected JenniferWood as his screen name because it was a very general, natural-sounding female name. It is common for players to use a distinctly feminine name in order to throw off their opponents, which is precisely why Norson chose his particular online moniker. A fan of the deep stack tournaments at Everest Poker, Norson started out at the S&G tables before moving onto MTTs.

"I started playing freerolls on Everest 3 ½ years ago," says the Sao Paulo native and avid football fan. "I deposited $20 and began playing $2 S&Gs. I never made another deposit. I ended up going from $5 to $10 and eventually $500."

A keenly intelligent and analytical player, Norson knows his game of choice is more about skill than luck. "I see poker as an investment. It's not a gamble. It's an investment."

Top 20 Finalists: Shingo Nozaki (-45-)

A former professional mahjong player, Shingo Nozaki (-45-) is already one of the best-known poker players in Japan. "We believe in his limitless potential in the Japanese market," says Everest Poker's Japanese Manager Lina Yamazaki and Team Everest's Kim Wooka. As part of a new generation of Japanese poker players who have emerged onto the scene within the past year, Shingo is an exceptional cash game player and makes over $100,000 a year from online ring games alone. Since there are no land-based casinos in Japan, he often travels to Las Vegas and Korea for live events, including the WSOP.

"I play with Everest Poker because it is the best online poker room in Japan. They are the most famous, and they have always provided me with better Japanese support whenever I have needed anything."

Why did Shingo give up a successful professional mahjong career? He felt poker presented him with limitless challenges and possibilities. "Poker takes more skill and is easy to access online. It is more fun. In mahjong, you are always limited to only 4 players," he says. "What I love about poker is that you can play with one other person, or you can play with hundreds of thousands of other players. This is what makes poker a special game."

Top 20 Finalists: Marco Cesar (XT@TX)

One of nearly 20 Brazilian qualifiers and one of two in the Top 21 Finalists, Marco Cesar (XT@TX) comes to Vienna from Indaiatuba, a small town located approximately 200km from Sao Paulo. Well-known within the Everest Poker Brazilian community, Marco came to Austria with fellow Brazilian qualifier, ADOLPH88. Although they have played together and kept in touch online for some time, their trip to Live the Dream was the first time they had met in person.

A prolific online tournament player, Marco qualified via the Live the Dream MTT Leaderboard during the first week of qualification. Technically, he qualified another SIX TIMES. Marco began playing poker five years ago after watching the WSOP on ESPN. Upon learning one of the players qualified online. So he looked up poker online and found Everest Poker. He downloaded the free poker software, started using the online tutorial and then...well, the rest his history.

Top 20 Finalists: Koen de Bakker (koendb)

Chances are you should be a little scared if you end up in a Sit & Go with the Netherlands' Koen de Bakker (koendb). Topping the S&G Leaderboards was how he earned his ticket to Live the Dream. Just last year, Koen qualified for the WSOP Main Event by climbing the Everest Poker Steps alongside Team Everest's Steven van Zadelhoff. “We played a bunch of Step 6 S&Gs together until we both qualified,” Koen says.

Splitting his time up between the tournaments and the cash game tables, koendb has always been dedicated to improving his all-around poker skills. Like many of Everest's top players, Koen honed his skills at the Shasta freerolls, steadily built his initial bankroll with tourney play for about six months until graduating to $25 NLHE and eventually $1000 NLHE 6-max cash games.

“I've tried other poker sites, but always came back to Everest. For me, Everest Poker is like home,” says Koen. “I enjoy the variety of the tournaments, the cash games, and especially the live event opportunities offered to players.”

In addition to playing his first WSOP, Koen took his seat in nine other international tournaments spanning the globe from nearby Amsterdam to far-away Asia during 2009.

In the relatively short time Koen has been laying the groundwork for a solid career in poker, he has also been working towards the completion of an economics degree. It's not difficult, Koen says. Because it has made him a better student. “Poker sharpens my mind. It helps me study better by keeping me focused. And there are many things about poker and economics which are similar.”

Top 20 Finalists: Thomas Frøslev (DannyMcCoy--)

23-year-old university student Thomas Frøslev (DannyMcCoy--) may be finishing his economics degree in May 2010, but he has already secured himself a $100,000 sponsorship with Everest Poker.

DannyMcCoy-- is one of most formidable ring game regulars at Everest Poker. Twice qualifying for Live the Dream via the Cash Game Races, he prefers playing shorthanded and heads up NLHE games up to $10,000 (blinds 50/100) for the constant intensity. “It forces you to play more. You have to think,” says the Esbjerg, Denmark resident. “At a 10-person table, you can get away with playing as few hands as possible.”

Although Tomas played seven events in the WSOP and played 14th in an ECPT event in 2009, Thomas believes that an Everest Poker sponsorship will help him achieve his current goal of gaining more live event experience, as well as using what he's learned from others to help novice players. “I want to give my knowledge back to the poker community, because if it weren't for poker forums and high rollers, I wouldn't never have gotten this far in poker.”

Like many young players, he got hooked during the “poker boom” of four years ago, and honed his basic skills in home games with his friends. But for Thomas, poker less about money and more about the strategy, competition, and the relationships he's cultivated with other players. Although he has enjoyed much success as a cash game players and has posted impressive finishes in some of the biggest online guaranteed tournaments, at the end of the day, the only thing that matters is that he is having fun.

“But when it comes down to it, enjoying life is what matters and when I play poker, I enjoy life,” he says.

Top 20 Finalists: Mark Willeke (razello)

Germany's Mark Willeke (razello) was once an aspiring politician, but he gave up a government job to pursue his dream full time. He is very committed to teaching and both studying poker, and devotes several hours a day to both activities in addition to playing online over six hours everyday. You can even check out a bit of Mark Willeke's video poker blog on YouTube! Within the Everest Poker community, Mark is well-known and a master at social networking, and one of his favorite parts about qualifying for Live the Dream was that he got to reunite with many of his poker friends.

Mark plays at Everest because he loves the live event offerings, the MTT structures, the VIP Summit Club, and most of all his fellow players. "I love the community, and everything Everest stands for," says the WSOP, SPT and Montesino Grand Slam qualifier. "Everest is not only where I started playing poker, but it is also where I have gotten to know many of the players, who I now consider my friends."

Top 20 Finalists: Viktoria Szilasi (SexyGirl)

With her outspoken intelligence and alluring screen name, Hungarian player Viktoria Szilasi (SexyGirl) always gets noticed. But once you sit down at a table with her, you'll soon realize that she is a force in which to be seriously reckoned. She proved it at the 2009 WSOP, Victoria turned in one of the top 5 female performances, playing in three events and cashing $40k in one, and is very well-known in her home country of Hungary.

Viktoria got her start in poker when her now husband taught her the rules and then proceeded to take her for quite a large sum. Viktoria was hooked and decided to learn everything she could to be a winner. Not only did Viktoria fall in love with her husband, she also fell in love with poker. Although her husband prefers to play live cash games, Viktoria is a skilled tournament player with great results both online and live.

Her transition to professional poker player wasn't always easy. Her parents really didn't understand poker or how their cherished daughter could choose a career as a professional gambler. She laments, "It was sad, but when it changed and I started winning more in tournaments and becoming more well-known in Hungary, my father started to become very proud."

One of Hungary's biggest names in poker could very well be one of the next great players. And if Viktoria gets her dream, well, this is only one part of the equation. She is already thinking about the WSOP bracelet she plans on claiming sometime very soon.

Top 20 Finalists: Fabien Perrot (Schumyfab)

Talk about taking your game to another level. Fabien Perrot (Schumyfab) decided to change up his game by spending more time in the MTTs than he did at the cash game tables. Not only did he meet more fellow players within France, Germany, and in the greater Everest Poker community, he also also posted victories in the $500,000 Guaranteed -- Everest's largest-ever online guarantee tournament -- and won a trip to Las Vegas, but also won the $50,000 Guaranteed during Everest Poker Winterfest.

"I met more players when I started doing the MTTs. There is not enough time to talk in cash games, but you can chat in longer tournaments," says Fabien, who speaks French, German, English, Spanish and Italian fluently. "I decided to play more of these not just because of the money. The deep stacks on Everest mean are the perfect size, and you can play very high-quality online tournament poker."

If chosen for the 2010 Live the Dream Team, Schumyfab hopes to improve his live tournament skills. If he does duplicates his online success, its safe to say we could be looking at top professional contender.

Top 20 Finalists: Sigurd Eskeland (TheBigViking)

An schoolteacher and doting father of two young daughters, Sigurd Eskeland (TheBigViking) took the invaluable experience he gained with a world championship career playing both Diplomacy and Magic the Gathering before setting his sites on the game of poker.

Sigurd has already played and cashed in several WSOP Events, including the 2008 Main Event, but his life as a poker player have been anything but dull. Since he began playing five years ago, TheBigViking has not only encountered poker's most intimidating players, but has also endured some frightening experiences in his quest to play the game he loves.

"A couple of years ago, I was in the final table of a large Norwegian tournament. There were only five of us left and out of nowhere, two men entered the building and held us up." Although he escaped unharmed, the terrifying incident kept Sigurd from playing live poker in Norway for well over a year.

The stories of armed robberies at poker clubs in Norway are now legendary, and as a sponsored player, Sigurd hopes to open up discussions about the dangers he and his fellow Norwegian players once faced. But it did not take armed robbery to make Sigurd appreciate the things he treasures most in life.

"I have never felt unlucky," he says. "Luck is impossible to measure. I do not ever complain about anything. I have a good life — I am able to do the thing I love AND get paid for doing it."

Top 20 Finalists: Jerome Senac (jeje130014)

France's Jerome Senac (jeje130014) has been with Everest Poker from the very beginning -- almost six years ago! He credits the easy-to-use Everest software with enabling him to get started and quickly build his skills. Since then, he occasionally checks other poker sites, but always finds himself coming back to his home at Everest, where he is a well-loved fixture in the French Everest Poker community. Jerome was looking for a new challenge and recently shifted his focus from cash games to multi-table tournaments. "I wanted to try something new," he says. "Lots of his friends went to MTT. Winnings are higher, even if its more work to win, but it is also more of a strategic game. And I like that."

Jerome's "day job" doesn't allow much time off for live events, so Live the Dream is his chance to take a sabbatical from the hardware store in Marseille and the opportunity to translate to his online successes into cashes the major live poker events in Europe.

Top 20 Finalists: Gavino Bechembauer Virdis (bechembauer)

Named after the famed German football player, a close friend of his father, Gavino Bechembauer Virdis (bechembauer) comes to Vienna from the beautiful island of Sardinia. An Everest Poker (and online poker) player since 2005, he is also the owner and chef of a Mexican Restaurant in Sassari. While it keeps him busy, he still makes time to hit the MTT circuit online at Everest. I play for 4-5 hours until leaving for the restaurant in early afternoon," says the All-Italy Live the Dream Direct Entry winner. "I keep a computer in the kitchen so I can play when it's not busy."

If chosen for the Live the Dream Team, Gavino hopes to build his live tournament experience and represent his favorite poker room throughout not only Italy and Sardinia, but also the world. "My favorite part about playing at Everest Poker is that I've built up a very good network of friends, close to home and beyond."

Top 20 Finalists: Javier Martinez (elflacokanu)

The 2008 Campeon de Espana, Javier Martinez (elflacokanu) learned the game of poker while attending university with his close friends, the Ubierna brothers (Everest Poker players Morpheo and Luigy). "We started out at the Shasta tables, eventually going up in limits." Together, the friends created a popular Spanish poker site, From Flop Turn The River.

The civil engineering student plans on finishing his degree within the next few years, but right now, he is happy making poker his full-time career. Cashing in many online multitable tournaments and sit & gos, elflacokanu has also cashed at the World Series of Poker and made the final table of multiple stops on the Spanish Poker Tour.

Top 20 Finalists: Thibaut Durand (popotib)

Thibaut Durand (pototib) is one of France's rising poker stars, going from the Shasta tables at Everest Poker to earning $280,000 in live events and cashing $200,000 online. One of the Everest's weekly MTT leaders, the former engineer discovered he was a better tournament than cash game player not long after he began his poker career four years ago.

A highly observant and strategic player who fell in love with the game because of its mathematical and psychological nature, popotib has the drive and focus to become one of the world's best players. In June 2009, pototib made the final table of Event #51 of the World Series of Poker, cashing $115,817 and finishing in 6th place.

Who will win a $3500 WSOP Prize Package?

This morning, Team Everest's Voitto Rintala said no one would bust him out of today's $10,000 Live the Dream side event freeroll, but he received much competition from some great Everest Poker players.

"I look at it as a learning experience," says Voitto, the eventual third-place finisher. "I went up against a lot of good players today.

In the end, Brazil's Lucas Morias (LucasTheKid) beat out Germany's Mario Hellmich (Marcho007) for the $3500 WSOP Side Event Prize Package. (Hellmich, Voitto and the thirteen other top finishers each received a Step 5 token for their valiant efforts.)

Congrats to both LucasTheKid and Marcho007 and all the freeroll participants for providing the Palais Auersperg with exciting tournament poker on this Sunday afternoon

How do the final Live the Dream auditions work?

What is Everest Poker looking for in the next Live the Dream Team? How does the process work? Learn a little more about the final day of competition from some of the Everest Poker staff.

Live the Dream Scoring Breakdown

This year, Live the Dream contestants were scored on a 100-point system. The were four parts to this year's voting:

Online Poker Skills (35 points)
Live Poker Ability (25 points)
Popular Voting (20 points)
Ambassador Quality (20 points)

These are the scores.

Live the Dream: End of Day 1

Another long but exciting day in Vienna! 200 players qualified and 21 were selected. Today, the finalists are meeting with the decision-makers for the last time, participating in 20-minute interviews with a jury of Everest Poker and international poker luminaries, as well as shooting a quick video interview, taking photos and going through yet one more interview for their player biography.

Understandably, most of the players will return to their hotel for a well-deserved nap before returning for tonight's big decision. Just think, in only several hours, there 2010 Live the Dream Team will be announced!

Live the Dream "Side Event" -- $10,000 Freeroll

Not a bad turnout for 9:00 on a Sunday morning. Approximately 100 Live the Dream players registered for today's special freeroll for the chance to win a 2010 WSOP Side Event Prize Package worth $3500!

The 15 runners up will each receive a Step 5 token ($336+24). Team Everest players Voitto Rintala, Steven van Zadelhoff, Maria Maceiras and Kim Wooka are also VIP bounties in today's event. Knock one of our pros out and you will also receive a Step 5 Token.

Play has begun and we're almost to our first break of this deep-stack freeroll (players start with 10,000 chips) with blinds increasing every 20 minutes.

Team Everest's Steven and Voitto talk about their lives since Live the Dream

Original Live the Dream Team members -- and current Team Everest players -- Steven van Zadelhoff and Voitto Rintala discuss their lives since winning an Everest Poker sponsorship nearly two years ago.

Steven van Zadelhoff (viktor)

Voitto Rintala (RandomEyes)