Dan Glimne has so many strings to his gaming bow it’s practically a harp. The Swedish poker expert, author, gaming pundit and inventor can be found commentating on the action, travelling the world in search of gaming experiences from Cuba to Hong Kong, or sat at the felt putting theory into practise at Unibet Open.
Having played five Unibet Open tournaments so far, he has yet to make his mark on the leaderboards, although he’s enjoyed previous success at the WSOP and Master Classics of Poker (at which he came third in 2005 for over €35,000). He has, however, been known to go deep in a side event or two on the tour, most recently and perhaps unexpectedly the Maria Poker Ladies’ Event at Unibet Open Budapest in March, where he finished as runner-up!
When asked what he thought it took to succeed in poker these days, he replied, “Mental discipline, and a willingness to absorb new ideas and constantly improve your game. Winning at Texas hold’em ten years ago, live or online, was no problem; but these days the competition is fierce and everyone studies poker theory.” He’s been playing long enough to have an overview of the game’s development too – as he recounts with almost glamorous underworld detail, “I still remember the illegal so-called “black clubs” in Sweden, where you had to knock on secret doors and identify yourself before stepping into those smoke-filled rooms…” Playing seriously for 20 years, Glimne recalls a time before the present boom which has been so beneficial for students of the game, making online celebrities out of its top players (his opinion on who Isildur1 may or may not be is also floating around the internet).
In between appearing on the live mike, Glimne recently made a series of short videos called Dan Glimne’s Poker Curiosities for Unibet Open in Budapest, relaying in his inimitable style (and Swedish accent) stories from Binion’s in Vegas, the early greats, apocryphal tales and that Sting worked in a funeral parlour before moving into music (part of his Curiosities Part 3 – What Players Did Before They Went Pro…). His interest in all aspects of the game of poker is infectious and doesn’t stop at the door of the cardroom. In his own words:
“I have been in the games industry in the wide sense for thirty years now, writing books, working as a consultant in the casino sector, and inventing board and card games with over 1.5 million sold in over twenty countries. Apart from poker I play mainly mahjong (one World Championship and two European Championships, apart from playing the brutal cash game form of the game in Hong Kong clubs), Othello (third in the Swedish Championship) and a variety of others for pleasure. And I collect pretty much everything in the way of dice and dice-related objects, which has led to some pretty interesting encounters with – among other people – witch doctors in South Africa and santeria priests in Cuba. One day, when I am ready, that collection will be put on exhibit in a museum. I guess I would have to say that gaming is a life-long love affair for me!”
