“Losing a heads-up match feels like losing a final in football,” he reflects. This competitive spirit led him to discover the thrilling world of poker after watching it on TV. Captivated by the glamour of traveling the globe and competing for significant sums of money, Simone quickly immersed himself in the game. Let's dive into his story together with Simone.
First of all, congratulations! Who is Simone Andrian?
Simone Andrian is just a boy chasing his dream, competing at the highest level in the world of poker.
Who was Simone Andrian before poker?
Before poker, I was a football player at a fairly high level, and I believe that’s why I’m still so competitive in everything I do. Trophies mean a lot to me, and losing a heads-up match feels like losing a final in football. I wouldn’t be satisfied with just the money—it’s the victory that matters most to me!
How did you get into playing poker? Is there a story behind it?
I started playing after seeing poker on TV. The moment I realized poker players were traveling to the best places and playing for a lot of money in a card game, I immediately fell in love! When I was 16, I was playing every day with my friends; we would bring chips and cards even to the beach, playing a lot of heads-up, which at the time was my favourite format. Then, with my friends, we started pretty much living in a house that was previously owned by the grandparents of one of us. This house was uninhabited, and we made a deal with his parents: we would clean the house, the garden, and everything, and in return, we would be allowed to stay in the house whenever we wanted. We gave a name to this house, and it was 'Pertugio,' which is like a small hole in Italian. It was our little place, and the main activity there was obviously playing poker. That’s why Pertugio was my first screen name at the online tables.
What did you play first (cash games, tournaments, online), and what do you prefer now? What do you enjoy the most, and why?
I started playing cash games, then a lot of heads-up sit and go's, and eventually I began playing tournaments, which is the format I love the most. The fact that MTTs are so complicated and every situation is unique is something I truly enjoy.
Your first victory tournament was in 2021 WSOPE here in Rozvadov. How has your approach to poker evolved since this victory?
My approach is still the same as always; I’m just trying to be better every month, without being attached to short-term results, whether they are very bad or very good. Nothing has changed since my first bracelet in 2021; my approach is exactly the same: just trying to be better every month.
Did first winning in poker change your confidence? Or change something?
Not really, my confidence in poker comes from studying, not from a big win.
Which tournament means the most to you, and why?
This Main Event is for sure the most meaningful tournament to me, for the prestige, the buy-in, the structure and the tough opponents that were in the field!
Let’s go back to the final table at the ME WSOPE 2024. Did you expect to make it to the final table, or was it a surprise?
I expect a lot of deep runs in tournaments like this; with that structure and that field, it’s easier to go deep. However, starting Day 4, I was pretty short, so I wasn't really expecting to make it to the final table.
Who among the players posed the biggest challenge for you?
Surely, Urmo during the heads-up, he played very aggressively, and at the beginning, I was not expecting frequencies like that in terms of 3-betting, c-betting, check-raising, etc.
Do you have any poker dreams that you would like to accomplish in the future? (Could be also except the poker)
My only dream in poker is to play at the highest limits on the circuit, just as it has been since day one.
On your Instagram post, you wrote: “To break the rules, you must first master them.” What kind of rules did you break?
It’s just a famous quote from Tom Brady, one of my favourite sports man in the world. No one, I need to master them more to break them.
