The Austrian PokerSport Association hosted the first-ever qualifying event for Match Poker, in Vienna in December 2012 which saw European nations competing to participate in the 2013 European Nations Cup held in Paphos, Cyprus!

Their most recent participation was in the 2017 Nations Cup held in Oxford, UK which saw them finish in 8th place. Now 5 years later they are back and eager to put on a much more impressive performance in Macedonia.

The Austrian team were commanding and impressive in their qualifying match, taking it right down to the wire and defeating Germany for the top spot! No doubt their neighbours Switzerland and Germany will be looking for revenge in Macedonia.

Here is the Austrian National Match Poker Team’s Squad for the 2021 Nations Cup Finals:


Name: Herbert Bieber

Age: 70

Profession: Retired

About: I have been playing poker for more than 20 years and I love this game. My favourite discipline is live MTT and I have played in several countries (Austria, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Germany, England). I highly appreciate poker theory, love to analyse quizzes and invest a lot of time to increase my poker skills.


Name: Hedy Bieber

Age: 69

Profession: Retired after more than three decades in the public affairs business. Playing poker for about 8 years.


Name: Rainer Sumaric

Age: 52

Profession: Sales Director

About: Over 15 years ago, a customer asked me if I liked to play poker. I had no idea and went along to a club night. Since then, I like the game very much (most of the time) and I love the variety at a live game. Besides Texas Holdem, I really enjoy playing dealer’s choice. I appreciate very much in my current club that workshops are also offered, because by learning and playing you get better and that’s what I try to do with every game.


Name: Andreas Schwaiger

Age: 56

Profession: Employee – City of Vienna

About: A German TV show with American poker pros attracted my poker interest. After watching a few shows I setup an account to play online. Some initial success inspired me to practice step by step, failures motivated me to go on and to practice even harder. Meanwhile I’ve played poker for 15 years, especially live tournaments.


Name: Fabian Gritsch

Age: 28

Profession: Federal Employee

About: I have been playing poker for roughly 8 Years. Playing mostly live MTTs, but also a fair bit of online. I take the game pretty seriously and see it as a nice income on the side.


Name: Hartwig Hofer

Age: 36

Profession: Poker player

About: I started playing poker 15 years ago straight after watching James Bond Casino Royal. I play mostly online cash games heads-up and some MTTs on the side.

 


Name: Sebastian Klebert

Age: 36

Profession: Network Development Operations Manager

About: A dear friend brought me along to a game fifteen years ago and that was the beginning of a wonderful friendship with the game of poker.

I’ve been heading one of Austria’s oldest poker clubs, Pokerclub Showdown, for more than a decade now and really enjoy the different variants of the game, constantly having to solve new problems and challenges but most of all the wonderful community.


 

Nearly a decade ago, in 2013, was when the Mongolian national team made their previous and only appearance in a Nations Cup event – participating in the 2013 Asian Nations Cup held in Sanya, China!

The last year has seen the national federation become very active with their national team doing superbly well to qualify for the 2021 Nations Cup Finals and using the momentum to launch their own national league! 12 teams participated in the inaugural season of the Match Poker league with the event being held over a weekend in December 2021 and the national champions will now participate in the IFMP Champions League Finale in the UK later this year!

Apart from working on a bigger, longer and better second season of the league, the national team is determined to establish themselves as a force to be reckoned with as they make their first live Match Poker event appearance in Macedonia in May.

Here are the individuals representing Mongolia, aiming for glory:


Name: Lkhunrev Dorjbal

Age: 31

Profession: Engineer

Bio: The sport of poker always gives me energy and the opportunity to think freely. I’m interested in developing it in the future, and I hope this competition opens up a lot of opportunities for me.


Name: Baldan Lkhagva

Age: 31

Professional: Political analyst

Bio: I have been interested in this sport for many years and it is very important for me to be successful in this tournament where I can get a special feeling while playing Match Poker for my country.


Name: Nyamdari Khatanbold

Age: 33

Profession: Manager of a construction company

Bio: I am studying for my master degree as business administration at University of Finance and Economy, Mongolia. I have played online poker since 2015 and have only a few followers from my country. I give some training and coaching for people who are interested in it. I aim to contribute to the development of poker in Mongolia through my coaching, live streams and private advice based on my experience.


Name: Chinbaatar Maamuu

Age: 35

Profession: Tourism Management

Bio: Started playing poker in 2006, what I love most about it is that it’s a sport that anyone can play irrespective of age or gender.


Name: Enkhrel Ganzorig

Age: 33

Profession: Degree in advertising

Bio: I first learned about poker in 2007 and have been playing online poker since 2016. Poker is a great sport for me, both mentally and emotionally. I want to develop my interest and I want to be a professional poker player in the future.


Name: Khulan Munkhbaatar

Age: 27

Profession: Financial management

Bio: The reason I’m attracted to poker is because psychologically its so interesting as a sport. That’s why I really want to know more about poker.

Name: Bat-Erdene Erdene-Bayar

Age: 32

Profession: TV Director

Bio: Started playing poker in 2010, I have been participating in sports competitions for 5 years. I like to play with human psychology and read cards. I’m playing to improve my skills now.


Name: Battulga Janag

Age: 33

Profession: Accountant

Bio: I’ve started playing poker since 2012. Also, I’ve been running a poker course since 2017. My most interesting subjects are astronomy and philosophy. It’s like I could discuss those subjects 24/7 with anyone.


Name: Buyanjargal Bold

Age: 39

Profession: Germanistik

Bio: I started playing poker in 2005. From 2006 to 2010, I worked as a dealer in a casino. I re-started playing poker in 2013 and won the 2014 Asia-Pacific Red Dragon main event in Macao, beating 995 players. For me, poker is an intellectual sport that requires psychological combat, endurance and self-control. Having competed in many competitions and experienced joys and sorrows, I will love this sport and play it to the death.


 

Pokersamband Islands, the official Icelandic member federation of the International Federation of Match Poker, got their first taste of Match Poker during the virtual European qualifiers held last year.

Iceland has been a member of the IFMP since many years – March 2010 to be precise and we are very happy to see the national team make it to the Match Poker World Championships!

The qualifiers saw the Icelandic team compete against Norway, Italy, Macedonia, Croatia and Estonia, all of whom they managed to beat leading to their confirmed spot in the 2021 Nations Cup Finals. They will once again face Italy and Macedonia in the finals, along with other qualified nations from Asia and Europe. A real test of their individuals skill, collective team strategy, mental and physical stamina will on display in Gevgelija next month.

This is how Team Iceland will be lining up for the 2021 Nations Cup Finals…

 


Name: Már Wardum
Age: 45
Profession: Supply chain management and process engineer.
About: I taught myself to play poker from a book I got at age 11 and was fascinated about the game. Later on I started playing seriously around 2001. I have two final table finishes in the Icelandic championship, 3rd place in 2019 and 4th place in 2022 as well as winning the Icelandic PLO championship in 2017. I really like the concept of Match Poker because it eliminates the luck factor from the game and that’s where the skill comes in.

Name: Sævar Ingi Sævarsson
Age: 39
Profession: Truck driver, bus driver and tour guide.

About: Playing poker for about 14 years. Want to test my skills in this format of poker and I’m proud to represent Iceland in Match Poker. Runner-up in the Icelandic championship in 2018 and Icelandic champion in online poker 2019.


Name: Egill Þorsteinsson
Age: 29
Profession: Shipping manager and poker player.

About: I have been playing poker for 9 years. In the beginning mostly cash games but for the last few years I have also been playing tournaments. Icelandic PLO champion in 2020 and runner-up in the Icelandic championship in 2019.


Name: Gunnar Árnason
Age: 41
Profession: Warehouse manager, poker player.

I have been playing poker on and off for the past 20 years. Last 4-5 years I have been focusing more and more on poker and training. I have specially been focusing on tournaments so Match Poker should be an interesting addition to that.

Notable results: Icelandic PLO champion in 2019 and 4th in 2020. Runner-up in NLH Icelandic championship in 2020.


Name: Kristjana Guðjónsdóttir
Age: 36
Profession: Student

About: Playing poker since 2010. I find Match Poker an exciting concept as it relies on skill and the luck factor has been minimised.

Notable results: Icelandic online champion 2015. 40th EPT Esterellas Barcelona 2015. 72th EPT Esterellas Barcelona 2014.


Name: Einar Þór Einarsson
Age: 48
Profession: Technical Director and software engineer.

About: Playing poker for 20 years, almost exclusively tournaments. As an old competitive Bridge player, Match Poker sounds like a perfect blend of the two games to me.


Name: Halldór Már Sverrisson
Age: 49
Profession: Real-estate broker

About: I have been playing poker regularly since 1990 and bridge with breaks from 1990. I think that is a good combination for Match Poker. Icelandic PLO champion in 2018, few final tables in the Icelandic championship.

 


 

Name: Gardar Geir Hauksson
Age: 31
Profession: Salmon fishing guide, poker player.

About: Started in small home games 15 years old, played professionally since 18. Very competitive and love the team format. Proud to represent Iceland in Match Poker.

Live: Notts Cup champion (#8) UKIPT 5, Icelandic high-roller champion 2015.

Online: Sunday 750k FTP winner, Sunday Warm up runner up, Double Deuce runner-up.

Their last live event participation was in November 2019 at the Asian Nations Cup held in Taipei, Taiwan where they competed for the continental championships against India, Taiwan, Singapore, Australia, Hong Kong, Philippines, Korea and Japan.

All 9 teams began playing together and after 2 days of play were divided into the top 4 and bottom 5. The top 4 playing for the title of Asian Nations Cup Champions having already secured their qualification for the Nations Cup Finals. The bottom 5 were playing for the Nations Plate and the final qualification spot for the World Championships. Korea and Israel battled hard and kept swapping the top 2 positions throughout the day, leading to an intense and highly competitive finish.

It was the Koreans who eventually secured the final qualification spot and won the Plate, leading to a disappointed Israeli team who gave it their all but came up just short. They were determined to qualify for the Nations Cup Finals and managed to do so in the last Asian qualifier, just getting past the Philippines by only 1.5 points!!! Now Team Israel have their opportunity to compete for the Match Poker World Cup in Macedonia!

This is what the Israeli National Team looks like:


Name: Stas ‘Stasia42’ Tishkevich

Age: 36 year old from Hod-Hasharon

Profession: Entrepreneur

Bio: Team Israel Coach and substitute player. Professional poker player, poker coach, co-founder of the Israeli Poker Union, the Israeli Poker Academy, and PokerFighter training app.

 

 

 


Name: Shimon Yaffe

Age: 53 years old from Tel-Aviv

Profession: Pilot

Bio: Team Israel Manager and substitute player. Secretary general of the Israeli Poker Union and director of international poker tournaments.

 


Name: Eyal Pearl

Age: 54 years old from Ramat Hasharon

Profession: Owner of a residential marketing company

Bio: Ironman and Ultra-Man (swimming, cycling, running), and the owner of the Ultra-Man Challenge competition in Israel. A poker enthusiast for over 15 years, feels great honour to represent Israel globally.


Name: Ziv Leinwand

Age: 50 years old from Tel Aviv

Profession: Senior manager in the high-tech industry and entrepreneur

Bio: Plays Texas Hold’em since 2010 and an avid supporter of the campaign to regulate the game of poker in Israel.


Name: Ifat Levy

Age: 47 years old from Gadera

Profession: Completed military service with the rank of lieutenant colonel as a logistics officer 4 years ago

Bio: Worked as a history and citizenship teacher, and currently does reserve service at the Home Front Command’s headquarters to amputate Corona’s adhesive chains. Loves playing poker tournaments.


Name: Shachar Zvang

Age: 46 years old from Ganei Tikva

Profession: Works as an analyst in the high-tech industry

Bio: Plays Texas Hold’em for about 15 years and studied the game in depth at the Poker Academy. Excited to represent Israel and promote the sports poker format.


Name: Omri Elmaleh

Age: 35 years old from Ashdod

Bio: Plays Texas Hold’em over 17 years, mostly tournaments. Dreaming of specialising in the game and taking part in the world championships.


Name: Ronen Val

Age: 56 years old from Yavne

Profession: Citizenship teacher in high school and 10th grade centre

Bio: Plays Texas Hold’em for over 7 years. Happy to promote the campaign to regulate the game of poker in Israel.


 

IFMP’s first live event since the Asian Nations Cup held in Taipei, Taiwan in November 2019 and we could not be more excited to bring our qualified nations together and competing for the Match Poker World Championship!

We hosted a series of virtual qualifiers throughout 2021, where Asian and European national teams participated from a central venue to secure their qualification for the 2021 Nations Cup Finals.

Over 25 national teams participated in 11 individual qualifying events over 4 months, leading to the following list of qualified teams:

  • India
  • Mongolia
  • Kazakhstan
  • Singapore
  • Israel
  • Iceland
  • Austria
  • Germany
  • Switzerland
  • Macedonia
  • Italy

These nations will be joined by the current Nations Cup Champions, for 2019 and 2020, Team Ukraine who will be looking to defend their title for the second time after successfully doing so for the first time in the 2020 Virtual Nations Cup.

 

 

The beautiful town of Gevgelija will be our host city in Macedonia with the Apollonia Hotel being our venue.

The 2021 Nations Cup will kick off on 23rd May and run till the 27th, incorporating an exciting elimination structure playing down to a final 6 teams for the final session of play.

3 full days of play will ensure both physical and mental stamina are tested along with Match Poker skill and strategy, producing a truly deserving World Champion.

The IFMP team will be visiting Gevgelija on 18 & 19 April for a pre-event press conference with the Mayor of the town and a site visit with the local organising committee.

It has been very encouraging to see the growth of Match Poker in Macedonia, with the first season of the national league being run very successfully and producing a national champion, the Vardar Sharks, to go on to represent the league in the Global Champions League later this year.

Match Poker’s formal sporting recognition by GAISF has been extremely important in helping its national acceptance as a mind sport and game of skill within our member nations.