Erick Lindgren
Erick, tell us about your life before you were a professional player?
I was just a small town guy that played sports his whole life – basketball, football, baseball – every game possible. I went on to college to try to play basketball seriously, but I wasn’t good enough; there were physical limitations, so I… er… wound up in a casino. I started playing the $3/$6 Hold’em game right away and was winning pretty good, so obviously I was intrigued and I took it very seriously from the beginning.
And previously to that, you hadn’t played poker seriously?
I’d played games around the house, growing up with friends, but age-nineteen was the first time I played Hold’em.
In a game that values experience so highly, you became pretty damn good pretty quickly…
Well, I always had a close circle of friends around me that took the game seriously, so they helped me out. Then I took a prop job in the Casino San Pablo and there were some incredible players that propped there; they took my game to the next level. And then moving to Las Vegas and becoming friends with guys like Daniel Negreanu (Laughs) – that helps a lot.
Was it the frustration at not making it in basketball that fired your ambition on the felt?
To become very good at poker – or anything – you have to become borderline obsessed with it. I’d played basketball every day from the age of four to eighteen, but when it didn’t work out, I had to move on, and poker filled the gap. I’m the same about poker as I was about basketball. I play it all the time.
What was it about the life of a gambler that particularly attracted you?
I think it was about using my head to make money. I liked that idea a lot. My dad owned some tire shops, and he worked really hard and had a really bad back. He worked so hard and I always knew that I’d rather use my head to make money.
So what’s the crappest job you ever had?
The crappest job I ever had was dealing blackjack when I was nineteen. (Laughs) Come to think of it, that’s about all I’ve done apart from playing poker. I shovelled snow off rooftops in high school. That sucked.
Where does your nickname, E-Dog, come from?
Back when I was propping in San Pablo, this guy would said to me, “You got me this time, you dog!” And it became E-Dog and that’s what people would call me. Then when online poker got going I used that name…
You’ve had a lot of success online haven’t you?
I certainly used to. That’s where I started earning a ton of money, back in 1998. Once I’d discovered internet poker, pretty soon I had three computers going and was playing up to eight games at once.
What was the online poker scene like back then? Those were the real early days…
I was playing every $15/$20 and $30$40 I could at Paradise, I was playing a $20/$40 game at Planet Poker, and also at Poker.com, which is defunct now.
Were there enough players? Did you have to wait aeons for a game?
You could always get a game. Paradise actually got pretty busy and created a critical mass very quickly. Their software was so much better than everyone else’s. But you could always get a good game at Planet and Poker.com, too. The games back then were just silly. The public’s knowledge of poker has grown so much since then because of the TV and internet and all the books available. Back then, nobody new anything and they were just terrible. I saw a guy lose $10,000 at $20/$40 in a couple of hours! It was laughable.
People say that the poker boom has created a lot of soft competition. Are you telling us they were even worse in ’98?
Well, there are a lot of beginners around now, but they’re smarter, better-informed beginners than they were back then. Average players today are better than the average players of the past, and so on. Everyone’s playing the game better because information is so easy to come by. Even sitting on your couch watching ESPN and seeing the graphic with the percentages on a draw – it all sinks in.
What makes a good online player?
A good online player has got to be superaggressive, because there are fewer tells on whether you’re bluffing or not. So it’s an opportunity to be borderline wild. It’s a different game, but if you’re super-aggressive you can win some money.
You’ve had a lot of tournament success. Which one meant the most?
I think the first one in Aruba was the most important, just because it was a breakthrough. It got my name out there, and that allowed me to get involved with FullTiltPoker.com and to start building a career.
What’s your goal for this year?
It’s hard to say. The landscape is changing so quickly. Who knows what new tours are going to start… but I just want to be recognized as one of the top tournament players. I’m also looking to throw my hat in the ring and play the Big Game at the Bellagio later this year.
Will it be your first time?
I’ve played up to $1,500/3,000, but I’ve yet to play the $4,000/$8,000 game.
Who, if anyone, do you fear at the table?
I wouldn’t say that I fear anyone. I certainly respect guys like Phil Ivey, Daniel Negreanu, John Juanda, Doyle Brunson… You’re rarely going to gain an edge against them. It just comes down to who has position on whom. There’s not a lot you can do to outplay them. But it’s certainly a challenge.
How would you describe your style of play?
I play with a tempo that just keeps changing. I try to play fast for a while and then maybe I’ll reverse it. I just try to get on the next level – try to see what my opponents are thinking. So it’s an aggressive style that’s always adaptable.
What personal qualities do you have that make you a good player?
I’m just a people-person. I’m good at talking with people and I’m a good judge of character. Even if I’ve never met a guy before, I believe I can tell a lot about him before he’s even opened his mouth./P>
Wow. You’ve got us worried now… So you play a psychological game more than a purely mathematical one?
Yeah. I mean the math is important, but it’s pretty basic. Being a brilliant mathematician won’t give you much of an edge…
Were you good at math at school?
I was excellent at…er… basic math (laughs). I don’t like to do problems that take a whole page…
What do you do when you’re not playing poker?
Anything to get me off my butt, basically… basketball, golf… There are so many good places to eat in Vegas, so I eat out a lot. I like the Shintaro at the Bellagio, but there are tons of options.
We hear you have the ultimate bachelor pad…
It’s pretty sweet – if you’re a guy and a sports fan! I’ve got six 42” plasmas on the walls and a 65” big screen up front, and I’ve got my dual monitors there. So there’s a lot of entertainment value.
What kind of movies do you like to watch on the big screen?
My favorite movie of all time is Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. I love the British sense of humor. The best movie I saw this year was Wedding Crashers – man, that was funny.
What’s your biggest extravagance?
Probably the money I spend on my friends when we go out and have fun. I don’t go to crazy with money. I need that money to gamble with.
Protect your bankroll. Very wise.
That depends on what you’re gambling on (laughs).
OK, so what’s the stupidest bet you’ve ever made?
The dumbest one I’ve made in a while is that I’ll be able to slam-dunk a basketball in the next four months. I bet $50,000 on that and right now I’m in a lot of trouble.
What’s the longest period you’ve played poker for without a break?
I think I played for 30 hours once. You start seeing things after a while (laughs).
What’s the most amusing thing you’ve ever seen happen at the poker table?
I saw a guy lean back out of his chair, fall, do a backward somersault and pop up like a shadow boxer. That was quite special. But I haven’t seen anything too funny lately, believe me (laughs).
What’s the greatest bluff you ever made in life?
Telling my parents I was still at school for the first year I was playing poker. They didn’t find out that I had quit for a whole year. They weren’t too happy when they figured out I’d been running that bluff.
Are they happy now?
Yup, they’re pretty happy now (laughs).
Any advice for these young pups starting off in poker?
Try to maintain an even keel; that’s so important. Whether you’re winning or losing, don’t get too high or too low. That way you’re going to be a lot better off.
You can play poker against Erick at FullTiltPoker.com.
