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Alexandre Vuilleumier (40) actually made a career as a chess player. He has been active for more than twenty years – he holds the title of International Master. But lately, Vuillemieur has made a name for himself in another brainteaser: poker.
In 2018, the man who lives in England took part in tournaments for the first time. Last year he focused more on the sport. Since then it has gone uphill fast. He finished third on the European Poker Tour in London in November. He then won a six-handed event in the Bahamas in February.
And now the big thing at the Poker World Cup: a win at the 25,000 High Roller 6-Handed No-Limit Hold’em in Las Vegas, one of the best poker tables in the world. There he won a hard-fought World Series of Poker (WSOP) poker bracelet and about one million Swiss francs.
false modesty
The newcomer has now taken the top spot in the WSOP rankings. The Swiss told Pokernews: “Of course the WSOP is just a fantastic event. And a WSOP bracelet is one of the absolute highlights of any poker career».
Despite the huge success, Vuilleumier remains modest: “I am not one of the top players. Just like in chess, you have to develop such a status over the years.”
Thank the chess
The Swiss owes his success to his chess expertise. In many ways the sports would be similar, as Vuilleumier explains: “One of the best tricks you learn in chess is the ability to concentrate for long periods of time. I think after nine hours of concentration I’m still at 90 percent of my ability.”
But he not only got his stamina from playing chess, but also from his strategic thinking: “In chess you learn to reconstruct your games using abstract thinking. In poker it’s important to analyze backwards from, ‘Okay, what did he do pre-flop and on the turn, and what does that mean?’
Vuilleumier’s biggest opponent may have been American Kornuth, who already owns three poker bracelets. The Swiss was not intimidated by this. He relegated second-place first-class opponent Sean Winter, also from the USA, to third. Frenchman Alex Hallay took fourth place, followed by China’s Ren Li. Joey Weissman of the USA finished last in the round.
Source: Blick
I am Amelia James, a passionate journalist with a deep-rooted interest in current affairs. I have more than five years of experience in the media industry, working both as an author and editor for 24 Instant News. My main focus lies in international news, particularly regional conflicts and political issues around the world.
