In 2024, KKPoker announced a brand-new ambassador to our ranks, Irish poker legend Paul Carr!
With over $800,000 in recorded cashes, Paul is no stranger to the world of online and live poker, having played for almost 20 years and achieving the dream of moving from recreational player to poker pro!
2023 was a very successful year for Paul, achieving 34 recorded cashes across the UK, Ireland, and Europe, resulting in 27 final tables and 8 victories.
KKPoker spoke with Paul to learn what he thinks it takes to move up the poker ladder, his top tips for beginners, and how 1 card cost him almost €300,000…
HOW DID YOU GET INTRODUCED TO POKER & WHAT ATTRACTED YOU TO THE GAME?
A long time ago! In 2008, I attended a local pub game with a friend, and I've been hooked on poker ever since!
Before that, I played the poker machines many years ago and then started following No-Limit Hold'em over 15 years ago.
CASH GAMES OR MTT? AND WHY?
Definitely MTT! I'm not a great cash game player. I think I play too aggressively for cash games.
Tournaments are definitely my game. People must love seeing me come to the cash game tables. I'm always losing! Haha.
BIGGEST POKER WIN AND WHY IT WAS SPECIAL FOR YOU?
My biggest poker win was in 2010 when I came 2nd in the Irish Open Main Event.
All my friends were there, and a huge crowd was watching, it was unbelievable!
I won over €320,00, but during heads-up, I had James Mitchell covered and was 1 card away from winning!
I had Pocket Queens, and he had Ace-Six. All the chips went in the middle preflop. And he rivered an Ace...
If that card had not come, I would have won the €600,000 top prize!
But it was one of my best moments in poker.
WHAT DOES POKER MEAN TO YOU, AND HOW HAS IT IMPACTED YOUR LIFE?
I've been playing for so long that I feel like I would be lost without it.
I look forward to traveling to all these poker games. You get to know everyone, stay in nice hotels, and see some nice places.
HOW DO YOU TELL THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A PRO AND REC?
Live poker is all about getting reads and tells.
When you play at the same table for a while, you figure out the difference between good and bad players. And the players you can get a bluff through and the players you can't.
Unfortunately, I always seem to pick the players who call my bluffs, but that's my own stupid fault, haha.
Live poker is flying at the moment, and I'm absolutely loving it! I'm mainly playing live poker and KKPoker online.
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO ANYONE AIMING TO GO FROM BEGINNER TO PRO?
KKPoker would be a good poker platform to start on.
I'm playing, and KKPoker is getting bigger and bigger, with some nice guaranteed prize pools and small buy-ins. If you're a player looking to play $20 - $50 buy-in tournaments, KKPoker would be a good choice!
HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH THE PSYCHOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF POKER, SUCH AS WINS AND LOSSES?
Well, it is tough. I've played for a long time and had more losses than wins. But in the last 2 years, I've managed to turn it around and on a good run.
It's very hard going to tournaments, playing well, and doing everything right but not getting any cashes.
It's hard, but you just have to keep going. Keep doing the right things, do some coaching, and talk to the right people. Things will turn for you, but it is tough when things are going negatively for you.
Going to the tournaments and the costs, such as hotels and side events, get expensive; it is important to get a few wins.
It's great when it is going well for you, but tough when it is not.
TOP PIECE OF ADVICE FOR UP-AND-COMING POKER PLAYERS?
Don't play over your bankroll! Play small stakes, and don't do anything stupid (like me haha)
ANY SPECIFIC POKER ROUTINES OR RITUALS?
Not really, although I don't often buy into the tournaments early when the blinds are very small.
I prefer late registration around level 3 or 4 because I might do something stupid in the early levels, like bluffing, but I tend to play better when the blinds are a bit bigger.
FAVORITE HAND AND MOST HATED HAND?
My most hated hand is Pocket Queens because that's the hand I had when James Mitchell rivered me in 2010, haha.
My favorite hand…I think everyone who knows me will know it is Pocket Fours.
If I get Pocket Fours on an EPT Final Table and there is a 4-bet in front of me, I'm going all in. I don't care! Haha.
I'm all for Pocket Fours. I don't care how stupid it is. I am going all in with those Pocket Fours, haha!
ANY SPECIFIC GOALS OR MILESTONES TO ACHIEVE?
At the moment, poker is going really well for me. 2023 was a great year, so even if I do half as well this year, I will be really happy.
I'm off to a good start this year. I chopped the PLO tournament at the London Poker Festival in Aspers Casino. Hopefully, I can keep it up and get going from last year!
It's really good to represent KKPoker in 2024. They're a great poker platform, and I'm looking forward to the rest of the year, traveling around the world, playing and representing KKPoker!
IS IT A DREAM TO PLAY THE WSOP MAIN EVENT?
Yeah, I played it once, after my Irish Open 2nd place in 2010, but I didn't play it very well.
On day 1, friends told me you can't win this tournament today; it is 30,000 chip stack and 2-hour levels. Take it easy and relax. But I went down, and within one level, I had 120,000, which is almost a cashing stack; I thought, what are they talking about?
But I went back to play and was eliminated during the next level! So that didn't work out too well either! Haha.
Hopefully, I will get to play in the main event again this year. It's been a dream for me for a while!
HOW ABOUT WINNING A FREE PACKAGE ON KKPOKER?
Yes! As part of the 2024 KKPoker VEGAS DREAM promotion, I will be one of the 18 invited guests for the Invitational Event, and the winner will get a $13,500 package for Las Vegas!
It would be class. If I won that, it would be unreal!
POKER CONTINUES TO GROW RAPIDLY IN IRELAND; WHY DO YOU THINK THAT IS?
Small buy-ins with big guaranteed prize pools are the main reason why poker is getting so popular at the moment.
But it is not just Ireland. Anywhere I've been to play live poker recently, the atmosphere seemed to be buzzing!
AND FINALLY...BEST PLAYER IN IRELAND AT THE MOMENT?
I'd say that's me by a mile! There's no one even close…might even be the world…haha!
QUALIFY FOR LIVE POKER AT KKPOKER!
Paul will be traveling the world for live poker in 2024, and you can join him!
KKPoker is expanding our live poker partnerships and offering poker players the chance to win more live event packages for amazing global poker tours!
KKPoker is your new go-to destination for live poker qualification!
Earn live poker Main Event tickets and poker packages that include a travel allowance and accommodation through our exclusive Freerolls and brand-new DAILY satellite for only $2.
Learn how you can play at amazing live poker events in locations such as Macedonia, Tallinn, Slovakia, Rozvadov, and the home of poker, Las Vegas, by joining KKPoker today.
2024 VEGAS DREAM information will be announced very soon...see how one of last year's winners turned $50 into over $90,000...!
