UK Pokernews Exclusive - Interview with GBPT Champion Rupinder Bedi

Just like players on the international circuit aspire to take down one of the big three (WSOP, WPT and EPT) titles, UK players have a similar aspiration towards the 'big two' – that is a GUKPT or a GBPT title. We catch up with a man who has done just that, Great British Poker Tour champion Rupinder 'George' Bedi. The banker from Leicester took down the Nottingham leg of the Gala tour and won £27,000 and a seat in the grand final at the end of the year.

Pokernews: You're a popular face on the circuit, how long have you been playing?
Rupinder Bedi: I've been playing poker for almost 6 years. I started by depositing on pacific poker had an early win and never looked back! I still have no idea how I won that MTT- I knew nothing about the game. I started playing after watching late night poker on channel 4.

PN: And what attracted you to this particular festival?
RB: Two of my friends played the event last year and I knew the structure and the atmosphere would be good. I also had a feeling I would win it. I'm sure everyone thinks that coming into a tournament but I had a genuine feeling I would succeed.

PN: So you always thought you were going to win?
RB: I never doubted at any point I wasn't going to win but I suppose the big pot was when I got Kings vs Jacks at the final. I hadn't seen too many cards but the big thing for me was that when I did have those cards I came up against other big hands. I had AA vs KK, KK vs AQ and KK vs JJ. Sometimes you'll get dealt good hands and get no action and that can be very frustrating.

PN: You were heads up against a WSOPE finalist in James Keys, did this affect your strategy at all?
RB: To be honest I didn't know James's had final tabled London until afterward but I knew he was a good player. I'd sat with him right at the start of day 2 and knew he was dangerous. Heads up I had a strategy to keep pots big because I knew he'd want to play flops with me so I was playing very aggressively. I know there's been reports that I had him well out chipped going into heads up. He had 800k and I had 1.4m. I felt I played a good heads up game mixing it up.

PN: Was it really as easy as it sounds for you?
RB: No, it was very tough. I was short stacked for about 7 hours of Day 1 but the structure allowed you to be patient. I passed a lot of hands and every time I tried raising with a marginal hand I would get played back. I thought the final was very tough. You had two had previous finalists, Tom Rutter, James Keys, GiMac who does well on the circuit and Dan Byrom who had won DTD deepstacker. I was probably the outsider!

PN: Does this success temp you to go pro?
RB: I would love to be a pro poker player but I won't be getting ahead of myself. Obviously the dream would be to gain sponsorship but there's so many great players out there who aren't sponsored I know it won't be easy. It's up to me now to prove that this win wasn't a fluke. I have great faith in my game and am confident this won't be my last major win.

PN: Whats next for you, is Vegas round the corner?
RB: I won't be going to the WSOP as my wife is expecting in June but I'd certainly like to play more on the local circuit. Again I'd love to find a sponsor but will be playing satellites to try and get into GUKPT's, GCBPT's and other events. I've already qualified for an EPT event so may give those a shot as well.

PN: Finally we have to ask, where did the nickname 'George' come from?
RB: I'd love to tell you something interesting about it but my parents gave me the nickname at birth. Not many people refer to me by my real name!

Ed Note: Make waves on the tournament scene yourself, at
Full Tilt Poker.

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