In this exclusive interview, Jon shares his journey from a beginner in the poker world to a full-time professional, offering a glimpse into the challenges and triumphs he's encountered along the way. He reflects on key moments, such as his impressive 2nd place finish at the Norwegian Championship and his love for events like the EPT and WSOP.
Q: What are your emotions about this event and how are you doing so far? What do you expect from this event.
Jon: The Norwegian championship is always special. A lot of people define how you do here. They would see you on TV how you are doing. I do not have a goal to win a main or anything but I will show up and do my best. This year, I came in 2nd place in the Mixed Limit Game for €15.000. I was so close to winning – at one point, I had almost a 10-to-1 chip lead. Hopefully, next year will be my year. It’s a lot of fun to be here. Even though many of the buy-ins are lower, there are so many familiar faces, and I really enjoy the atmosphere. I love it.
This event is really just about showing myself and being around people. I don’t have the goal of winning a lot of money here. Of course, I hope to win, but since the buy-in is smaller, it’s more about having fun.
Q: What kind of event do you prefer?
Jon: I definitely prefer the EPT events with higher buy-ins. Something in the range of 1K to 10K – that’s a good sweet spot for me. I really enjoy those.
Q: Let’s go back to your first tournament – what was the tournament like and how did you feel back then?
Jon: My first official tournament was actually the Norwegian Championship back in 2016, held in Dublin. I was very fortunate to be there. Before that, we played a student tournament in Bergen, where I was studying at the time. It had ten rounds, and the combined winners would win a trip to Dublin. I paid for eight of those rounds myself. The top eight players would qualify – I was ranked 7th when we started. I was lucky enough to win, even though I had no real experience. But I made it there, and I remember thinking: ‘That’s cool, I want to do this again.
Q: How did you get to sit there and play poker?
Jon: At first, I was just looking up to my older brother—he used to play some poker with his friends. I only played for fun back in school, basically every game I could. I’ve always been super competitive. I was lucky enough to win a ticket to play in Dublin, and I just took the chance. I ended up finishing 3rd, and the next year I came back and won two first-place finishes. It was such a strong start that I decided to quit my job and start playing full time.
Q: How did you evolve as a poker player?
Jon: I’ve been playing full-time for eight years now, and I’ve had support from different sponsors along the way, which has been really helpful. Right now, I’m fully focused on the game and pushing myself to reach the highest level possible. I also became ambassador for KKPoker which is nice, put a lot of content there. And finally, I played my first Triton last month. It was fun. For me now it means sitting down for many hours, studying hard and playing a lot.
Q: Do you have any coaches who help you study and take your game to the next level?
Jon: I don’t really have any full-time coaches. I’ve worked with some coaches here and there, but I’ve never had one for an extended period of time. However, I’m fortunate to have a great group of people around me all the time. Good friends, good people to talk to — that’s really important, especially when it comes to the mental side of the game. Living as a pro comes with its ups and downs, so it helps to have people to lean on. Even though I travel alone most of the time, I always have someone to ask when I have questions.
Q: Is there a particular tournament or location that stands out as your favourite place to play poker?
Jon: I think I have to say Las Vegas. It’s a tough grind, and there are a lot of struggles, but it’s definitely my favourite place. I finished 2nd in the WSOP in Las Vegas this summer, and I’m really excited to go back again this summer to play my hardest, aiming for those bracelet events. I’m not coming back until I’ve won at least one bracelet.
