Valentin Messina

Discovering poker a bit later than most, it did not take long for Valentin Messina to establish himself as a dominant force at the tables. In a little over three years, Valentin went from a casual cash game enthusiast to a champion player.

The devoted father of two from Paris began playing with Everest in early 2007.  After learning the basics and seeding his bankroll in Shasta tournaments, Valvegas soon became a regular in NL2 cash games. By the end of the year, he was playing the NL1000 cash tables and had joined the famed local poker club Montmarte Hold’em.

Valentin was hooked on poker. He furthered his study of the game in online forums and through poker education websites. The student became the teacher, and Valentin began giving poker lessons at Poker Academie.

“My mission was to help beginning players improve their game, while also advancing my poker career.”

Valentin believes the more you learn from other players, the more you learn about your own game. “It is difficult for me to describe my style of play. I adapt to the dynamic of the table and the situation,” he says.  “I do not hesitate to vary my speed. Loose-aggressive players have often called me unpredictable, but I leave nothing to chance. Every move I make is calculated.”

In January 2010, Valentin became the Poker Champion of France in the biggest-ever final of the France Poker Tour, outlasting 635 players and cashing €152,000. Following his victory in Paris, he also made a final table at the SPT Aranjuez. He has also won the $10,000 Guaranteed, $30,000 Guaranteed and the $100,000 Guaranteed, and over a dozen packages to live events online with Everest Poker.

Now a well-known player in France with a substantial, well-managed bankroll, Valentin made the decision to leave his job as a sales engineer and turn his passion into his career. Shortly thereafter, the Champion of France joined Team Everest and made his first trip to a WSOP Main Event in Las Vegas.

“Everest was where I became a poker player. It was where I discovered my love for the game and built my bankroll,” says Valentin. “The tournament structures are the best offered online. There are also more cash players online at any time of day, regardless of limit or game.”

“But most of all, there has always been something special that binds me to this poker room. I believe in the Everest philosophy, as they support the online community.”