Poker Forum - Interview with Andy Goetsch

Andy Goetsch is a World Poker tour pro and WagerLogic’s VP Poker Software Development. Recently, WagerLogic’s 11 poker rooms combined to host the Caribbean Sun Classic poker tournament.

In this exclusive interview, Andy opens up on the future of his online poker business and what it takes for you to be a winner.

WO: Give us a run-down of your poker accomplishments.

AG: I have won seats online to six World Poker Tour (WPT) events as well as to last year's World Series of Poker (WSOP) event.

I "grew up" playing online. I’ve played more than 30 different sites. The knowledge I gained online provided me the comfort to compete live, finishing 10th in my first WPT event, and in-the-money in this year’s WSOP in a field of 2,576 players.

WO: What are the keys for success playing online versus playing on land?

AG: The keys to success are similar in both online and brick and mortar card rooms. The difference online is that you can play cheaper and faster. One of the things you can do online is find some overlay tournaments as well as bonus deals. All our licensees are well known for their bonuses as well as their Guarantee tournaments, which often have an “overlay” (the amount paid out in prizes by the poker room is more than the amount contributed to the prize pool by the sum of all players). Poker is about putting in money when you know you have the best of it. Taking advantage of the opportunities in our licensees' room will provide you a much better opportunity for success.

The licensees that combine to make up the room are williamhillpoker.com, betfairpoker.com, interpoker.com, littlewoodspoker.com, classicpoker.com, ukbettingpoker.co.uk, theritzclublondon.com, caribbeansunpoker.com, totalbetpoker.co.uk, and pokerplex.com.

WO: You used to be the CFO of a manufacturing company. What has the transition been like to VP of Poker Development?

AG: When I started playing a lot of poker, I kept quiet about it for fear of what my peers would think. However, as poker gained its proper place of respect in the world, and people found out about my little secret hobby when they saw me on TV, I have had to come out of the closet, so to speak, and have found myself welcomed with open arms by my peers and my network of business contacts (including bankers, lawyers, presidents of other companies).

When I told folks I had taken this job, I received comments from the CEO's I dealt with like "How cool is that?" and "I knew it was only a matter of time until you forged your way as a poker executive."

My new position is similar in many respects to my old position -- I manage a staff of highly-motivated individuals who must accomplish a series of goals to meet a due date and provide a deliverable. In my prior position it was, for instance, a financial statement or a budget, in this position it is, for example, a software upgrade.

The biggest difference I find is my motivation -- much higher now than ever before in my life. I yearn to provide my fellow poker players the best room on the Internet, and we have the power (Fantastic people, Financial strength, and Phenomenal zest for success) to do it.

WO: What can we expect from WagerLogic poker software in the near future?

AG: Some things are exciting, never-tried-before ideas that I know players will love. I can’t divulge the excitement before we are ready to launch on these items. I can tell you that by continuing to enhance our tournament capabilities, we are enabling our licensees to offer some tremendous overlay tournaments where they FIRST pay for the Hotel stay for everyone who wins a seat to the WSOP in our licensees' satellites ... and SECOND guarantee a number of seats in each and every super satellite tournament to get to the WSOP. Our licensees plan on running a number of additional land-based events, but until the licensees release the news to their players, my lips are sealed.

If you have an account with one of our licensees you will hear about each of these exciting, upcoming offerings first in your email. If you do not have an account, I suggest you get one as our licensees are looking to put out millions to our players in player rewards ... that is right ... millions with an ‘s’ at the end.

WO: Why is poker and online poker so hot?

AG: We watch all kinds of sports on TV. We understand that we can never rise to the level it takes to play the sports we enjoy watching so much. Enter Poker -- a sport we not only love to watch, but we can play at the top levels with the top people ... and without paying top dollar to enter if we can win a seat in a satellite.

We can also learn from myriad books out on the subject, which provide the necessary knowledge to grow your skills in the game. We can take that learning and travel to a brick and mortar casino, wait to get on a table, and then test our skill out against other players. When travel time and additional costs are removed from the equation, and you realize that you can play the very game you love to watch, in your underwear, in the privacy of your own home, well ... I can certainly understand the explosion.

I live 50 minutes from the largest brick and mortar casino on the planet, yet I choose to play online instead. I have to say it is more fun online, and there are a larger variety of games. Unfortunately being an employee of CryptoLogic prevents me from playing on any of our licensees' sites ... and don't ask me which sites I play on, as that secret is kept very close to the vest.