Interview: Sebastian Ruthenberg

THE WEEKLY SHUFFLE, 2007-05-13, by 2muchMONEY

Age: 23
Hometown: Hamburg, Germany
Biggest Win: € 220,000 (EPT Dortmund)
Best Known For: No-limit hold'em cash games

Sebastian Ruthenberg is a young German poker pro that made a name for himself with his 3rd place finish at the EPT Dortmund. This no-limit hold'em cash game specialist recently took the time to answer a few questions for us and provide a few tips for our readers.

PokerTips.org: When did you start playing poker?

Ruthenberg: I have played poker since January 2004, but I started to play professionally in July 2006, after I finished my education. I started to play poker at Betfair Poker, where I was placing sport wagers just for fun.

PokerTips.org: Which poker games do you play and at what stakes?

Ruthenberg: I play mostly no-limit hold'em cash games (NL $1K to NL $5K), but I also like to play some MTTs to wind down. For the last few months, I also have begun playing Omaha, but so far I'm learning the game the hard way. Before I started to play NLHE cashgames, I was focusing on fixed-limit hold'em and SNGs, but now these games are totally uninteresting to me. From time to time, I find myself playing high FLHE tables, but this is mainly to alleviate stress =).

PokerTips.org: Do you prefer playing live or online?

Ruthenberg: I prefer online play because I can play more hands per hour and it's more lucrative for me. However, sometimes I visit Casino Schenefeld to play some cash games with the locals.

PokerTips.org: Are you going to spend more time in the live tourney circuit?

Ruthenberg: Definitively. Right now I've only played in 6-7 major events, but fortunately PokerStars wants to sponsor me after my EPT final table. I will definitively be at the WSOP, and I will play the whole EPT tour.

PokerTips.org: What do think are your strengths as a poker player?

Ruthenberg: Discipline and bankroll management.

PokerTips.org: What are the worst mistakes a player could possibly make?

Ruthenberg: Hubris and bad bankroll management. Even though I haven't played very long, I've seen so many people who made it to the top very fast, who thought they are Phil Ivey, and who went broke shortly after this because they played limits way too high for them.

PokerTips.org: What do you do when you're not playing poker?

Ruthenberg: I like to play billiards, party with my "non-poker-buddies," and watch US TV shows like Heroes, The Shield, and The Office.

PokerTips.org: Any tips for a beginner?

Ruthenberg:
1. Reading, reading, reading
2. Bankroll managament
3. Endurance

The Weekly Shuffle is our Sunday column with our observations and commentary on the poker world. Have an idea for an article? Leave a suggestion on the feedback page.