The Festival Series Meets- HeyHansi!
Poker in Germany is hot! Where live poker is somehow available to a bare minimum in Germany itself, the online poker world is very popular at the moment. Dozens of poker players are trying to make name for themselves in the online circuit, especially in terms of streaming poker on the world wide web. The Festival Series also streams poker so now and then, where you can see Martin 'Franke' von Zweigbergk's excellent bluff skills, or the tricks of the relentless American-Estonian 'GTO' wizard Joseph Jackson. We will introduce you to one of Germans' hottest prospects!
German poker has got a very good connection with King's Casino. Rozvadov is not just right next the boarder, players from Germany are loving the European capital of live poker. During our previous editions of The Festival, we have been in Tallinn, Bratislava (3x), Malta, and Nottingham. Alongside available options to qualify through an online satellite, German poker players have now great access to our event in Rozvadov.
One of Germans' poker players travelling abroad for some great poker action is Jan 'HeyHansi' Wagner. He decided to see how it's like to stream all his online poker adventures online, ever since he started off playing poker. As soon as he confirmed his stay in Rozvadov (Book your hotel here), I decided it was time to get to know this energetic- and very well mannered German poker streamer!
Melvin, The Festival: HeyHansi! I've came across you already several times when following online poker action and thought it was time to introduce you to The Festival crowd! Can you tell us a bit who you are and how you came in touch with poker initially?
HeyHansi: ''Hi Melvin! Nice to meet you! Yeah, I'm streaming for five years right now and started as a complete beginner in poker, because I'm usually a professional DJ for more than 20 years. It all started off as like a hobby. And then there came the COVID-19 virus and I had to reconsider everything. There was suddenly no job for me, as no one wants to book a DJ of course, as it was illegal to do.
And then I started with Twitch and it was like, like this a huge step in the poker scene for me alongside the company of Fedor Holz. I think he is one of the biggest poker players in the world, and he wanted to have me in the team for his new project, Pokercode. It's like a content for players who want to be better. He rented a big mansion with pool and everything and stuffed it with cameras. We went into this mansion for four weeks and it was like Big Brother.
They drilled us with everything, poker, sports, food, everything. It was like, okay, crazy. And after that, it was like, okay, now it starts. Now I understand the game. And since then, it's changed everything in my life as it was one of my best times in my life. ''
Note: For the people who don't know this impressive poker documentary-like online tv series. At first, Fedor Holz among others, came up with the idea to start a 'Grind House' and to film the entire process from A to Z. After the first season of the 'Grind House', Fedor Holz and his team were looking for online poker streamers and use the exact same concept and called it 'Die Pokervilla'. Jan 'HeyHansi' Wagner was one of the players who were elected to join this impressive project.
I think he is one of the biggest poker players in the world, and he wanted to have me in the team for his new project, Pokercode. It has changed my life completely.
HeyHansi! about Fedor Holz
Melvin, The Festival: Ever since I heard that you were going to come to The Festival, I was pretty hyped! Have you ever heard of The Festival before?
HeyHansi: ''No, I never had heard about this festival until recently. I think it was a bit out of the focus for Germany, due to its location. And when I saw The Festival schedule for Rozvadov I was like. What the.... It's Amazing! It's so huge and completely different tournament schedule like what I see at other live tournament festivals. That's why I was like a fish who got on the hook and pulled on board, it's fantastic. And I also like the thing that you take focus on outside activities and not like just play poker and giving the impression like ''give us your money''. It's more like a big community who want to meet up for a nice time to play poker, and to play other things on the side.''
Melvin, The Festival: You are streaming your online poker journeys for quite some time now (All social media links of HeyHansi are mentioned below). What's the feedback like from your community about The Festival in Rozvadov?
HeyHansi: ''I've been at lot of German poker festivals, and abroad as well (Las Vegas), and I like them all, but most of them it's just not the same. The focus of The Festival is so interesting that there are so many people in my community who ask; Is there any tournament where I can play 8-game or more PLO stuff or more like that? And you find everything on your schedule. There's nothing that you need to miss in this Festival. That's why I love it. I'm really looking forward to be going there.
There's nothing that you need to miss in this Festival. That's why I love it!
HeyHansi! about The Festival's Schedule
I posted it today on my Instagram account that I was going there. And when I saw how many people were reading and leaving positive feedback.. When I post stuff, it's pretty the same results always when I share nice content about a tournament. And this is like, bam, it's blasting. It's interesting. Because when I went to Vegas or stuff like that, there are links as well, but it's just not the same.''
Melvin, The Festival: Have you already been thinking about which tournaments you are going to play?
HeyHansi: ''Absolutely! I will play the Mystery Bounty because it's like a famous, trendy poker format. Everyone wants to play Mystery Bounties, and I love it. And it's very, very funny. It's more entertaining than a regular tournament, if you come into the money and can pick some Mystery Bounties... I am just playing Texas Hold'em usually and want to try maybe the 8-Game. It's going to be good fun as usually the mixed games players talking a lot with each other, having fun as finally they can play the format they like so much. But I think it's more going to be like; OK, it's a very nice game, here I am, and you take my money. But this is also the good thing, yeah?
The trip is booked from June 2nd, until June 6th. And who knows, maybe longer!''
