133 Seconds with… Mickey Petersen
Monday, 6 January 2014
MementMori on heroes, life lessons, big bluffs and er, Johnny Cash.
What’s the strangest thing you’ve ever seen at the poker table?
I’ve seen a scene where the dealer was pitching the cards and one of them hit a guy and he started bleeding pretty heavily. This was deep in the Monte Carlo main event, and the guy just kept on playing, even though everyone was like ‘dude… you have to go and get a plaster!’ The guy just flat out refused. To be fair, it was deep in the tournament and every hand was worth a lot, and he didn’t want to miss any action. Eventually someone called the tournament director, who ruled that he had to go and get some first aid before he was allowed to continue playing. There was blood all over the cards… it looked like a crime scene.
Another one would be a few months ago when I saw Daniel Negreanu run around with a chair balanced on his hat. He was trying to prove a point about the first card off the deck rule, but I don’t think it really worked out for him.
What’s your most treasured possession?
My computer.
Poker hero?
Gus Hansen was my original hero. He got me into the game. I guess nowadays just all the players who are good guys, have never been in scandals, work really hard and are nice people, both at and away from the table. To tick all those boxes can be pretty rare these days.
Non-poker hero?
I really like Johnny Cash. He was just a really cool guy. He was badass, and he did things his own way.
What’s the most extravagant purchase you’ve made with your winnings?
This is going to be so pathetic. I don’t have a driver’s licence or own my own place, so two big Mac monitors would probably be the most baller thing I’ve bought. I’m not very much into material possessions, but my set-up is pretty sweet.
Do you believe in God?
No.
What’s the biggest life lesson that poker has taught you?
Always wash your hands.
What’s the biggest bluff you’ve ever made in life?
I’ve made some pretty big bluffs, but you can’t write about them… for legal reasons.