Interview w/Adam Matues

Adam Matues (left) is a young predominantly online poker player, his enthusiasm and involvement in Team JambeWright is ensuring his game is coming along at an electric pace.






Despite Adam constantly crushing online tournaments, he took time out of his schedule and agreed to be FTP's first guest of 2012. This gives an insight into Adam as a player (both poker and girls) as well as his personality and humour, so without further ado here we go in the tank with Adam "JuniorBomber" Matues.

DT “When and how did you get started playing poker? Did you have any inspirational poker players, books, moments, shows, etc that were instrumental for you?.”

AM “I learnt to play quite young but only ventured into casinos and then online when I was 19. I knew an old football team mate SamJ played poker so I got in touch with him and he was the biggest influence on poker in those early days of grinding 50nl cash games at the G. He was also the one who introduced me to other poker players. I haven’t ever learned much from books or videos but from other poker players I have learnt loads. Alex Jobling was the first poker player that really inspired me. When he won DTD for £26k or whatever it was, I added him on facebook and couldn’t believe he was only 3 days older than me and a fresher at uni. From talking to Alex I realized that if I put in a lot of hard work I could make some good money from poker. Stumpy taught me a lot about online MTTs in the beginning where I literally had no clue on what to do.”

DT “Your screen name over NPF is JuniorBomber, how did this come to fruition? Do you have any other nicknames?.”

AM “It was very early on before I joined the NPF that I was playing cash at the G with my hood up. And someone on the table was calling me UnaBomber as Phil Laak wears his hood up when he plays. Then someone shouted more like JuniorBomber which I guess was in reference to how I look like a 12 year old kid. I have a lot of nicknames at the minute due to my current hairstyle…The Whickham Wig, Bruno Mars, Hairdo 42, Curly Top, 1 direction etc.”

DT “Favourite rubdown?.”

AM “Off Celia Liu. She’s good with her hands and keeps me relaxed when I’m playing.”

DT “I understand you recently went deep in the Sunday Million 10th Anniversary, how were your emotions after narrowly missing out on the life changing sums of cash available on the final table?.”

AM “It took myself and the rest of the stable a while to recover from that. We were all gutted. I still think about what could have been. 23k is very nice but I will win that again in my life where as I will never get a chance like that to win $2million. It wiould have changed mine and my family’s life. Think my Dad would probably have to get told I play if I won that much. brb Dad I’m buying a house byeee”.

DT “Most favourite card room in the world to play & why?”

AM “The Aria in Las Vegas. I was only in Vegas for 4 days but I played all my poker there and I love it. The valets were hot, dealers perfect, players super bad but friendly and after a heavy night out the best thing in the world is when a hot valet brings you over a ice cold watermelon juice and smiles as you give her a $1 tip (cheapskate, I know) and stare at her cute dimples (awwwww,…Obv I was staring at her tits).”

DT “So tell us a bit about Team JambeWright, all you guys seem to be having a tremendous amount of success on the online felt. How was the name ‘JambeWright’ born? How and when did the group come to fruition? Who are the other JambeWright associates? Do you guys have a captain or are you’s all equal amongst the team? Has anybody left/joined since it’s launching or all original members? Is it predominantly an online agreement, or does it cover live tournaments?."

AM “The name is a fusion of our two coaches online alias Jambeyang and thawright to make JambeWright. The stable was born in July but I didn’t really start until mid October. Other stable members include irishandy101, dapperdan098, j10bln, neilharvey22 and avkid86. Both Samj19 and JonBon111 used to play but have both left for various reasons. There is no captain and the coaches really value all of us as horses and always ask for our input on things. There have been applications from people to join the stable but to be honest the coaches have a hard time spending sufficient time with all 6 of us so expanding the stable at this point isn’t a big priority for them. Yeh it is just an online agreement but if we ever do play live events then the coaches are always happy to buy big %’s of action.”

DT “With Team JambeWright where you appear to be doing all your blogging nowadays, where does that leave your affiliation with Walkers Sensations?.”

AM “Walkers Sensations was a big part of my life as through playing for the team I met a lot of people from the Newcastle poker scene and I will always want to wear the black and yellow. However, there is 4 WS on Team JambeWright and the stable is our main priority so that’s why we blog over on that website. We are all looking forward to the next team game in a couple of weeks and will be looking to win.”

DT “A lot of players have a real devil-may-care attitude toward money, do you share this view? What's the most extravagant way you've blown your winnings?”

AM “I spent 5k in America which was all money I had won playing poker. Since coming back from that trip I have grown up a lot and the way I spend my money is totally different now. In the past I would just throw it away on drink etc however, I had £7k debt in October but because of poker I now have paid all of that off. With my first ever four figure live score in the GUKPT I treated myself to some Dr. Dre headphones and after that everyone wanted to be just like me so they all went out and got some. I’ve spent a lot this month on new clothes and sneakers though.”

DT “Do you use an ipod whilst at the felt? what sort of music do you listen?.”

AM “Not usually but will sometimes have music on in the background whilst online grinding. I listen to music depending on the situation. When grinding I could have anything from Adele, to Boys II Men to The Drifters (love Motown music) playing. When I’m working out its rap, when I’m walking the dog it’s Drake and when I’m partying it just has to be House music.”

DT “What's one of the worst things anyone's said/done to you at the table?”

AM “I don’t play live much but I was playing cash in Leeds and I call a woman’s shove on the river and turned over my straight. She stands up and gives a disgusted look on her face, she turns away, and picks up her cards, raises them above her head and slams them down on table and goes BOOM! to show she has back-doored a flush.”

DT “What's one of the worst things you’ve ever said/done to someone at the table?”

AM “So…when this ridiculous woman does that, I just stand up and politely scream in her face “You fucking stupid bitch” and I leave. Disgusting little woman.”

DT “Who would play you in a Hollywood film about your life?.”

AM “Carlton Banks from Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. I’m a bit of a dork like him but cheeky and I also think I am a good singer and dancer when I’m actually quite an embarrassment. However, don’t know how we would explain a black man playing a white kid.”

DT “Who do you consider the greatest poker player in Newcastle? Including all variants across both tournament and cash.”

AM “In my opinion Jamie Dale is one of the most naturally gifted players I have ever met. I love watching him play as he is fearless and constantly puts people in awkward spots.”

DT “Dale vs. Giles, who is the best poker playing Jamie?.”

AM “This cannot be a serious question.”

DT “Last year you travelled the USA with some close friends, how was that for a life experience? What is your best memory from the trip?

AM “Travelling across America for 3 weeks in the summer was the best thing I have ever done. We travelled from Tennessee (stayed with my friend who plays soccer out there) to Dallas to Vegas to California to San Francisco to Atlanta. My best memory from the trip is without doubt partying with Anthony Kim, one of the top golfers in the world. We partied with him in the VIP booth of the club and he bought all of our drinks, got photos with us and was genuinely interested in what 4 English boys were doing in Dallas. His favourite tune then comes on and he is dancing on the table with his top off and grinding on two of the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders. We then get a taxi back to his $5million mansion (I asked his manager how much it was) and as soon as I walk in he starts pouring a variety of spirits down my neck. We get a tour of his house including his garden which is a golfing green and he bets my friend $1k he couldn’t make a putt, which he didn’t. Spent rest of night getting completely smashed talking to the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders, who were well out of my league haha.”

DT “Most favourite American city and/or state?”

AM “Although Vegas was amazing, I think my favourite city actually was Dallas. We were treated like VIPs as I guess they don’t get many tourists in Dallas and everyone was so friendly. We got the numbers of Hooters girls, did a tour of the Cowboys stadium, kissed a black girl called Tay-Tay, got put up in a 5* hotel for about $70, met a former male model, did Karaoke with an American Idol contestant, had dinner at Wolfgang Puck’s rotating restaurant and watched the sunset over the amazing Dallas Skyline (N’awww cute).”

DT “How many girls you bed over USA?.”

AM “A very paltry 1. Although she was 34, Italian and had fake boobs and met her in XS club in Vegas. It is hard in America to bed a girl in one night but the good thing is is that you can literally talk to any girl, regardless of how attractive she is because of your accent. I was approaching girls that if they were from Newcastle, I wouldn’t dare try it on. This one girl from Tennessee was looking across at me from the little booth she was sitting in with her friends. She had her hair tied back and had clearly just came from work as she had a white tight fitted shirt with a good few buttons undone (just 1 more would have been perfect) and black suit like pants. Dressed like this she was a 9/10 and I can only imagine how outrageous she would have been when she was done up. After 20 minutes of exchanging glances back and forth I finally pluck up the courage to go over and 20 minutes later I have fallen in love and have her phone number ready to arrange meeting up the following evening. So I am out with the boys at dinner the next night and I am texting her and she seems keen to meet up, just me and her, we arrange a time and a place and the boys can see how excited I am getting and I order more drinks to calm the nerves. However, the boys can’t do this to me any more and tell me that it has been one of them texting me after they switched the numbers in my phone earlier. Hilariously devastating!! I never did see her again.”

DT “This trip included a brief visit to the bright lights of Las Vegas, what was your thoughts on that place? Any plans to get out there in 2012? if so when and with whom?.”

AM “This was my first trip to Vegas and I fell in love with the place. I have so much more left to do there as I was only there for four nights but I had some great nights out and made a nice healthy profit playing cash. The boys I was with weren’t poker players and were beginning to run out of money so I think the next time I go it will be even better. My best memory of the trip was walking into XS at the Encore Hotel thinking I would be walking into a normal club only to realise it was outside. The view was amazing as there were just girls everywhere, some just in bikinis, DJ playing, people in the pool, Blackjack tables…I felt like I was in an episode of Entourage. I doubt I will make it out in 2012 as I am doing a Masters and don’t finish till September. There is about a 3% chance I could go out for my 23rd birthday in September but if not then definitely summer 2013.”

DT “Dionne Rowe, hot or not?.”

AM “Hmm not for me. I like small (obviously, being 5”7 myself), cute girls.”

DT "What does 2012 hold for Adam Matues? Can we expect to see you frequenting the local Newcastle or UK poker circuit?."

AM “To be honest, I am not much of a live player. I will probably play the Genting Newcastle Championship and maybe try win a seat in UKIPT Newcastle. I will play all the team games for Walkers Sensations. Other than that, in 2012 you can expect me to continue to grind MTTs for Team JambeWright and work hard on completing my Masters.”

Adam finished 2011 with some really strong results, I predict with his current set-up that 2012 will be even more successful for him and the rest of JambeWright. We here at FTP wish you continued success across the felt, which I'm sure will come giving his foundations.