The New Year is here!
2018 was not only a big year for 888poker, but it was also kind to our roster of 888 Ambassadors. As is our yearly tradition, we spoke with the team to reflect on the year gone by and to look ahead to 2019, including a peek at their personal and professional goals!
Looking back on 2018, how do you feel you fared on your resolutions/goals provided you had any?
Martin Jacobson: I never set materialistic goals in poker because by doing so you're only adding stress and pressure, which aren't entirely in your control. Instead, I try to focus on the things I can control, for example, how much time I dedicate towards studying and playing. In those regards, I feel I've done well in 2018, as I've taken my game to a new level.
Vivi Saliba: I believe I improved a lot as a poker player in 2018. I studied so much pot-limit Omaha and no-limit Hold’em. Even though I didn't have one specific goal, the year was overall very positive.
Ana Marquez: Like always, I had really high goals, and I didn’t accomplish some of them. However, I did accomplish a lot in other areas, and I learned a lot in the process. I feel pretty happy with how the year went.
Parker “Tonka” Talbot: I’m generally not big on making goals. Usually, I just try to work very hard at what I’m doing, and I feel like results will come.
Dominik Nitsche: I didn't really set out any big goals. I think my only real plan was to put in a lot of volume at the highest stakes tournaments and hopefully get lucky. I'm very happy with how the year went overall.
What was a professional high point for you from 2018?
Moorman: Hitting $15 million in online cashes. I think it really showcases my longevity in the game. I was pretty sure I’d reach it this year barring a disastrous year, but I managed to win a decent sized 6-max tournament to get over the line which is always nice rather than just some arbitrary min-cash.
Jacobson: Improving my game by realising the depth of game theory and the necessary steps to get there.
Marquez: Joining the 888 team.
Nitsche: There were too many to choose from. Quite honestly, I'd have say officially starting my new poker training company. We’re currently working on an app to make poker training more interactive and efficient.
Saliba: My favourite time of the year is World Series of Poker (WSOP) season in Las Vegas. This is where I usually have my better results. Besides having some WSOP deep runs, I also chopped a Wynn tournament for my biggest score of the year.
Talbot: Professional high point and personal high point is probably getting 6th in the EPT Prague Main Event for €180K. Like I said I don’t usually set goals and I especially wouldn’t set goals like winning a major live tournament because that goal is primarily dictated by variance. But getting the big $1 million live score has been the only accomplishment in poker I feel like I’m really missing.
What was a personal high point for you from 2018?
Moorman: Finally buying my first home. In the past, I had either never known where I wanted to settle down or had used my bankroll to back horses, so it was nice to finally get on the property ladder.
Saliba: It was great to have my boyfriend, who is also a poker player, travelling and supporting me in 2018. Poker player lives, and routine can be a little bit crazy and having someone who is just like me is such a privilege.
Jacobson: Branching deeper into angel investing, joining an experienced investment group which invests in startup companies with a positive social impact.
Marquez: Winning the 888poker LIVE Bucharest High Roller.
Looking ahead to 2019, do you have any goals/ resolutions in the poker world?
Jacobson: I would obviously love to win another major tournament, so my goal will be to study and put myself in contention as much as possible in order to achieve that.
Marquez: I plan to make a lot of money!
Talbot: Same as it always is. Play more poker, work harder, make more money.
Moorman: I have always wanted to win a live Triple Crown to go alongside all my online ones, so that is the number one goal for me. It would also be really nice to win one of the 888live events as the trophy would look so sweet in my office!
Saliba: Definitely keep improving. Of course, I could say "win a bracelet", but I just believe hard work will pay off and trophies or bracelets will be a consequence of dedication and knowledge.
Nitsche: Tough one. Most of my focus will be on getting our app ready for the market and dealing with all other things once it's ready. That's my number one focus. Other than that, I hope I’ll still find some time to travel to some high-stakes tournaments and 888poker LIVE events.
Looking ahead to 2019, do you have any goals/ resolutions for your personal life?
Moorman: I want to get back on the health train as I feel like I let that slip in 2018. If I’m feeling good in myself, I’m sure that will lead to success in poker too.
Saliba: Right now, I don't have a fixed base, so would be awesome to move somewhere and finally have my dog, the famous Napoleon, with me.
Jacobson: No, but I'm excited to see what the year has to offer.
Marquez: Balance, balance, balance! Between being healthy and working a lot!
Talbot: I will be working on my health, but that is irrelevant to what year it is.
Which member of Team 888 do you think will have the best year on the felt in 2019 and why?
Nitsche: In terms of most money won, I’d just have to say myself. Even with me taking on other responsibilities lately I'll most likely still be the one putting in the most volume. Unless, of course, one of them gets lucky in the Main Event.
And, as much as I love to needle him, I see real potential in Tonka. If he continues to put in volume live, I’m sure he'll be raking in tons of good results. I was very happy to see him do so well in Prague.
Moorman: Dominik as he works so hard on his game and plays everything
Saliba: Dominik is always a very strong candidate; he is a crusher. I also think Ana Marquez will make us impressed during the upcoming year. She is also very talented, and she got closer to amazing scores in 2018; she will be very focused.
Jacobson: Myself, because I expect that I will dedicate more time than the others.
Marquez: I have a good feeling for either Vivi or Sofia. They’ve been running deep, are grinding a lot and have really good energy. Perfect combination.
Talbot: Me, because I’m DUE, and I want it!
If you could have one dream come true, be is personal or poker related, what would it be and why?
Moorman: To win the WSOP Main Event as it is the ultimate tournament and would be like no other thing I’ve ever experienced.
Saliba: I consider myself a very happy person in both my professional and personal life, so I would just wish to keep things this way. It's so amazing to work with what you love and have so supportive people around me.
Talbot: This is where we’re supposed to say world peace right? Naw, I dunno, if I really thought deep in my heart, I’m sure I could come up with something, but like I said above, I really long to win a major live tournament. That’s my unattainable goal I’m setting for the time being!
Jacobson: That we as a planet figure out how to stop and reverse the currently inevitable climate change.
Marquez: Winning the WSOP Main Event.
Nitsche: I sometimes wish we could go back to the old days of being able to just play online poker wherever we are. It used to be so simple. Nowadays there is a lot of restrictions pretty much wherever you go. If we can get more and more countries to regulate poker in a sensible way, we might be heading back to those golden times, but sadly a lot of things need to happen first.
What are your goals/resolutions for 2019? Let us know on Twitter @888poker.
