In-Depth With Lex Veldhuis

With so many Dutch players in the WPT fields, both in the DeepStacks and the Main Event, it’s no surprise to see Dutch member of PokerStars Team Online Lex Veldhuis here at Holland Casino. Veldhuis was entering Day 1B alongside fellow PokerStars Team Pros Chris Moneymaker and Jake Cody (pictured above), and we caught up with him before he took his seat in Day 1B of the Main Event to talk about Amsterdam, Rob Hollink and how his SCOOP grind is going.

WPT: Hi Lex, thanks for chatting to his before you start playing. Tell us how important the WPT is to Dutch players, especially with the Master Classics of Poker later in the year.

Lex Veldhuis: Well the MCOP has always been one of the favourite tournaments for Dutch players. But there’s always the need for international attention here in Amsterdam. I’ve always wondered why there aren’t more big stops here. I feel that the WPT, now in its third year, really sets a precedent and I hope it’s the start of many more.

WPT: And Amsterdam is such a lovely venue for a poker tournament!

LV: Yes, the city is such a big pull. The poker tournament is one thing, and people will always want to play them. But there’s also Amsterdam, which people want to see as well! So why not combine the two. I think there’s always been a lot of potential for tournaments here in Amsterdam.

WPT: You don’t live too far away from here do you?

LV: It’s actually so perfect for me. I live one and a half hours drive away. I was grinding online yesterday, and now i’m playing today. And if I bust out of the Main Event there’s always a side event, but if I wanted to grind online I can drive back and I’m online in two hours.

WPT: How has the online grind been, especially now in the middle of the Spring Championship of Online Poker?

LV: It’s been a busy time grinding SCOOP. This tournament just feels like a perfect break from online. I couldn’t make it to Monte Carlo, but with the WPT Amsterdam it was really good for me personally.

I play so much online, and grinding before SCOOP I didn’t want to take time to travel [to Monte Carlo]. It’s going so well online that I didn’t want to do that. With the WPT on my door step, I knew it would only take a day if it goes poorly. And if it goes better than that, then that’s great also!

WPT: Yesterday Dutch poker legend Rob Hollink took down the WPT High Roller. How did that make you feel as a fellow Dutch poker player?

LV: Oh it was awesome. He’s one of the biggest legends for me in the game. He had a very important impact on my poker career. When I was younger I was erratic and wild, and he would pull me aside and tell me to calm down. He just understood my personality and he definitely mentored me.

I don’t know if he sees it like that, but for me he definitely said some things which stayed with me so he definitely had an important part in shaping how I am now. Just to see him win a tournament was great. i saw the picture and I had this big smile on my face. I was texting people saying “Holy shit; Rob won!” Everybody loves Rob.

WPT: What other Dutch players should we be on the look out for?

LV: I’ve only recently started playing tournaments again, so it’s embarrassing how many crushers I know! Although, that’s probably because I’m not one of them yet. I actually have a really bad reputation in tournaments, so I’m out to make that right. But there are so many Dutch players who are complete unknowns grinding from Malta or somewhere in the Netherlands. Any of them could make a big splash!

WPT: So now you’re back playing at a live tournament, do you have to focus on switching off the commentary from your livestreams?

LV: I actually like to keep the monologue going inside my head, because it makes me think very clearly take a step back and analyse the game. When you analyse out loud on stream you make the best decisions. When you vocalise your thoughts, you can catch yourself making mistakes. I hear myself say things and I know it might be wrong. I catch myself making mistakes so I keep the monologue going and listen to it.

WPT: You’re pretty well known for falling off your chair at inopportune times on your livestream, how are you feeling about the chairs here at the Holland Casino!

LV: There are definitely less safety hazards in this room than in my house! [Laughs] But normally I hate sitting and streaming. One hour of streaming is as tiring as two and a half hours of playing. SO playing without talking feels really relaxing to me.

There are a lot of people I know here and I have seen them in a long time. I’m just going to sit down, have some fun, have a chat with people and just catch up with them.

WPT: And very quickly what are your plans after the WPT finishes?

LV: SCOOP grind. Immediately. It’s going to be a full-on grind until that finishes.

WPT: Thanks for speaking to us Lex, good luck today!

LV: You’re welcome!