Bernard, how did you get into poker? Did you start while you were still a player?Bernard Mendy: I started when I was a player. We often had green spots. When we played matches on Saturday, we were at the hotel on Friday and it sometimes happened that the days were long. Once treatment and recovery were complete, some players gathered to play cards, particularly poker. That’s when I was introduced to this game. So I started with Vikash Dhorasoo, Jérôme Rothen, Edouard Cissé, Fred Déhu, Fabrice Fiorèse, Sylvain Armand… Beautiful people, just to get by the weather. At the time, we only played small stakes, like 20 euros, in the form of a tournament. There were ten of us, the first took around 60% of the pot and the second 40%. This is how I started.
What did you like immediately? The adrenaline. And confronting other people, seeing if they are lying or not. When I started, I remember, I often made straights (five cards in a row, regardless of the suit) but it was toast on my part because I was counting the cards. For example, I had a 6-7 in hand. On the flop (the first three community cards), there was an 8 and a 9, and on the river I hit the 10, I made a head movement (he mimes the head movement five times to count from 6 to 10) . I wasn’t at all “poker faced” at first. Once, Jérôme Rothen saw me and he said: “Okay, guys, Bernard has a straight, he just counted the cards.” So, everyone went to bed and I really had a straight fit which didn’t bring me anything (laughs).
You’re talking about adrenaline. Is it comparable to the one you felt when entering a field, in a large stadium? There are points in common. Today I have the chance to participate in a magnificent tournament (the EPT in Paris) and the adrenaline is strong too. Of course, I’m no longer playing in front of 60,000 people but to manage to qualify for the second day, to leave with chips in your bag, it’s a huge feeling.
In football, you were a very attacking full-back. Are you also a poker player with a very aggressive style of play? (Smile) Not as much. When I get to the table, I tell myself that I have to beat everyone. And then some recognize me, and they absolutely want to release Bernard Mendy. They tell themselves that I’m a football player, that I don’t know how to play and that I have the means to be there, so they want to steal me. But the opposite is often the case.
Do you really feel that there are adversaries who in a certain way want to “make” Bernard Mendy? Yes, I feel that. At the table, I am someone who is smiling, conciliatory and very respectful, whether I win or lose. But in the end, some tell me that they want to get rid of “the Parisian”. There, for example, I played against a man from Marseillais, a very good poker player, with whom I got on well and with whom we never stopped making jokes when we met at a table or outside. In this case, it’s pretty good spirit but that’s not always the case.
On stress management, how does your career as a top athlete help you as a poker player? It allows me to calm down in certain situations, when sometimes I can be on tilt or when I lose a big hit on a bad beat (a stroke of bad luck). Having played in front of more than 60,000 spectators in my football career taught me to better manage my emotions and that is my strength around a table today.
What is harder in your eyes: losing a match in stoppage time or taking a bad beat on a huge hand? Losing a match in stoppage time (laughs).
There is a debate around poker, whether it is a sport or not. What is your position on the subject? (He thinks) Yes, I think it’s a sport. When you play big tournaments, it’s very long, like a marathon, and you have to stay focused throughout, diligent in everything you do and driven by a specific objective. It’s pretty much the same thing as in football actually.
When you started playing poker, did you watch a lot of videos from the World Poker Tour for example? Did you draw inspiration from any great players? Yes, in general I watch a lot of games, final tables to learn. I’m a fan of Phil Ivey (an American player who won ten World Series of Poker bracelets, the equivalent of the World Championships), but also of Daniel Negreanu. There was also a Spanish player who was at my table yesterday (Saturday) who is part of the Poker Stars pro team and it’s always nice to be able to compete against such players and to be able to exchange with them.
Do you dream of playing against a Phil Ivey? It’s not my childhood dream, which was always to be a professional footballer and to be able to buy my parents a house. I also dreamed of the career I had, even if I could have done better. Now, yes, today it could be a one-time dream to be on a big table with poker legends. That would mean that I have more or less succeeded if I manage to invite myself to their table (smiles).
Do you have more fun in cash games or tournaments? It’s totally different. As I said, the tournament is like a marathon and you have to focus for a long time. The cash game has a more instantaneous side. You can win a big one and take out the next one. I do more tournaments than cash games in any case, if that answers your question (smile).
Do you have a favorite hand?7 and 8 preferably, or any “suited” hand. I like these lurking hands.
Who do you think is the best footballer, past or present, in poker? Very good question… There are quite a few. The one who gave the best performance was of course Vikash Dhorasoo with whom I played and who is a friend. I also like Neymar, who knows Pokerstars very well and who put in some good performances too.
How do you see your future? Do you have a desire to become a full-time professional player? It will depend on the opportunities that come my way. There, I’m off so I’m taking advantage of it, but I’m still on the Paris SG staff. Afterwards, it will depend on my schedule, my desires in the short, medium and long term. And why not one day be an ambassador for a structure, that would be cool.
Do you imagine yourself more in this role or in that of number 1 coach of a football team? More of a coach. Football remains my priority, and poker is more of a hobby. It’s certain that I have fun playing, meeting beautiful people, interacting with different cultures.
