In Season 13, Konstantinos Nanos outlasted a field of 220 entries to capture the partypoker WPT Vienna title and €150,000. The Greece native pushed his career live tournament earnings to more than $900,000, and is now nearing the $1 million mark. Nanos is preparing for a return trip to the Imperial City of Vienna, where he will defend his World Poker Tour title, and we spoke with him about that and more:
Last march was your biggest score in quite some time at WPT Vienna – what was it like to take home the title?
It’s always nice to win a World Poker Tour title and beautiful Vienna has always brought me good luck.
On the final hand, when your opponent flopped a pair of queens, what was going on in your head?
I knew that he had a pair, but I had an open-ended straight draw and he had a short stack so I could put him all in.
Then, what did you think when you turned the straight?
At last, it’s over! Yes! Yes! Yes! The title is mine. That was pure adrenaline.
It looks like you did a bit of traveling after the win, playing in several other countries. Did you increase your play after?
My schedule has not changed much. With my job I have always had an opportunity to travel. Of course, I have become safer and more relaxed by the victory. It’s such a nice feeling.
You now return to WPT Vienna as the defending champion – are you excited to have that target on you?
It is, of course, a major challenge to defend any WPT title. I look forward to it. I know it will be very difficult, and everyone will target me, but I will show my best performance. It has never happened before, and it would be amazing.
What is your favorite part of the Vienna event?
The WPT organizers and the Montesino Pokertainment Centre always manage to make a memorable and glamorous experience of any event. I feel very comfortable there. I look forward to seeing all of the top professionals and competing in an exciting, and hopefully successful, tournament.
Want to join Konstantinos at partypoker WPT Vienna? Book your stay today with WPT Travel today.