Marc Goodwin tells us why last year’s runner-up finish in EPT Barcelona was the best result of his career and explains why online players need to get out more
Barcelona was your biggest cash ever. Does that make it your best result?
Marc Goodwin: Probably. All I played this year was the European Open where I came second to Roberto [Romanello]. I hadn’t got
a sponsor and decided that I wasn’t going to spend all my money entering all the big tournaments. I played Manchester to defend my GUKPT, which lasted about an hour. Shortest defence ever! I played Late Night Poker and was first out. And then my first live event as a Littlewoods-sponsored played was EPT Barcelona. I just played really well, I was a lot more focused than usual.
You finished day 1a in pretty decent shape and never really looked back.
If I had started with 10,000 I actually would have gone out when I flopped a set of tens on a 10-J-Q board and the guy had A-K.
I lost about 12,000-15,000 just by check-calling. It’s a much better system now because you start with 30,000, so you have a much better chance of survival early on.
Were there any other pivotal hands?
One was against Carter Phillips (the eventual winner). He came to our table having lost a massive pot on another table and was raising every hand and sitting to my left. He raised under the gun and I just decided to make up the blinds with Js-7s. The flop came J-7-4, all clubs. I checked, he checked and the turn was a 7.
I checked, he bet about 18,000 and I put a massive back-raise in, about 90,000. He called, so now I know he doesn’t think I have anything. I think he’s got the Ac or Kc in his hand and trying to hit a flush. It comes the Kd and as I go to bet 60k, he goes to call. So, instead, I move all-in and he insta-calls me. He didn’t show his hand, he just starts going mad, verballing me.
What did he say?
He gave me a load of stick and then he was talking about his hand and pointing me out to someone, saying, ‘That donk…’. Someone said, ‘That’s Marc Goodwin actually, he’s European No.1’. The next day he apologises. For me that’s the sign of a big man. I completely changed my opinion of him there and then.
Has your chip accumulation strategy changed over the years?
Yeah definitely. I’ve been doing a lot of check-calling when I know I’m winning. Maybe that gives them a chance to get out but it also means I’m never in a position where I’ve got to put all my chips in a race.
I can’t remember the last time in a big competition I ever managed to get all my chips pre-flop with A-K whereas, before, I quite happily would have – a lot of people still do.
Does your table chat still have its uses at the table?
Carter Phillips wouldn’t talk to me because I caught him twice. He made a big bet and I said, ‘I really should call but I know you’re not going to talk to me so I don’t really know what to do. If you just give me an idea, maybe I could pass.’ He didn’t say anything and I said, ‘You know it really looks boring on TV if you don’t talk to me.’ He lifted his head and smiled. I said, ‘Whoops, you shouldn’t have done that – I call.’ He just mucked. He didn’t look at me again.
What happened heads-up?
We did a deal on money and I was playing lots and lots of small pots. He was always slightly in front. I realised, after calling him down several times, that he was outflopping me. In heads-up it’s very difficult to get rid of something if they hit any part of the flop.
How long did it take you to get over the result?
I was really bugged for 20 minutes after and then I thought about the money. I would have taken £200k and gone home.
So it is still very much about the money for you?
As I’m not someone who is rich enough to retire and I’ve got a family of five, money is 80% and winning is 20%. Off the back of that win it’s probably 70%/30%. As the money goes down, it becomes 100% about the money.
What was that comment you made on Late Night Poker about online players?
I said they need to get out more. They sit in their underpants at home – bunch of saddos! That’s the truth. If you’re sitting in front of your laptop for eight hours a day, you need to get a life.
Most people don’t actually go out and spend the money anyway, they’re just numbers on a screen. The biggest spenders are the biggest winners without a shadow of a doubt. All the absolute fruitcakes like Roland de Wolfe. Biggest spender in the world. Give him a million and he’s broke the next day. That’s why he wins tournaments.
What about someone like Full_Flush?
He’s a loon. He’s one of these annoying gits who really make you laugh. He turns up to Late Night Poker like he’s the biggest shot in town. For me he’s so over the top, he’s really, really fun.
Will he still be around in five years?
Yeah, I think so. You can’t win as much as he does online and not be around – he’s too good. His live game isn’t very good by the way. You can quote me on that.
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