Jimi Sotimehin has travelled the world as a poker dealer. Next week, he is back in London to deal the ICE Poker by All-in Global. We asked him about his favourite poker players, the best poker destinations, and top tips for live poker noobs.

At All-in Global, we have started a tradition of hosting live poker tournaments at our stand during selected iGaming conferences. Thanks to the generosity of the Malta Poker Festival, we are able to label these tournaments as the best-valued freerolls for the iGaming industry, with prizes worth nearly €1000 up for grabs. For ICE 2024, we have also secured prizes from Racing League:

1st prize: €550 buy-in for the Malta Spring Poker Festival 2024 Main Event.
2nd prize: Two hospitality tickets for the Racing League 2024 (fixture of your choice).
3rd prize: Racing League jockey silk plus two general admission tickets for Racing League 2024 (fixture of your choice).
Special prize: Buy-in for the Ladies First tournament at the Malta Spring Poker Festival (worth €150).

Not bad for a tournament with a free entry, hey!?

ALL-IN ICE POKER FULL SCHEDULE

The format is called “shootout”, which means that the winner of each satellite qualifies for the final table. You can see the schedule below and ship an email to kate@all-in.global if you want to play (mention your preferred time!). If you want to make us happy you can also RSVP for the event here, and if you want to make us very happy – give our Linkedin page a follow. ❤️

The dealer for the entire tournament is none other than Jimi Sotimehin, just like last year. He is a seasoned professional and will make sure things are done in a proper manner. The feedback from the players from last year is that he also has the ability to keep a good pace and a light atmosphere. That’s exactly what you want from a poker tournament, isn’t it? Here is a photo from when I met this poker legend at Card Casino Bratislava.

HOW DID YOU BECOME A POKER DEALER?

“My first opportunity to deal poker came in 1998. I turned it down. A card room manager felt I had the right temperament to deal with customers, but I preferred playing. I believed playing would make me rich, especially when I started doing well in tournaments.

Years later, In 2004, the famous poker club Gutshot Private Members Club, opened on Clerkenwell Road, London. I was a low-level poker grinder and made Gutshot my home. I struggled with bankroll management issues (I wanted to play bigger), and one of the owners (Derek) and Roy Houghton (the Cardroom Manager) encouraged me to deal at the club. After a few weeks, I noticed my bank balance was healthier, and I’ve been a professional poker dealer ever since.”

YOUR 3 FAVOURITE POKER ROOMS AND WHY?

“I’ve dealt poker all over the UK, including what feels like most football stadiums. I’ve also worked in France, Ireland, Norway, Slovenia, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Holland, Guernsey, Bahamas, Nigeria, Morocco and the US, and probably a few more that I can’t think of right now.

But my absolute favourite poker room is at the Rio Hotel in Las Vegas. I have great memories of staying there for seven weeks, grinding the cash games daily. The staff were so friendly and treated me kindly because they knew I was a dealer in London.

In 2nd place, I’d put Gutshot Poker Club in London. My life changed in that room. Many young poker players learned the game and became successful after starting with small buy-in tournaments. I’ve got tons of stories from my experiences at the Gutshot. I learned how to deal mixed games from all the “degen” games we played early in the morning.”

Funny you mention the Gutshot, Jimi. This is where I won my first (and only 😂) big Texas Hold’em tournament back in 2007 when I was in training to work for PokerStars. And in third place?

“The Dungeon, Stakis, London. They closed their cardroom in 2003, just before poker blew up. This was where I met Roy Houghton. He was their Cardroom Manager. I learned so much from him about the casino industry. I also met many lifelong friends through poker here.”

YOUR 3 FAVOURITE POKER PLAYERS AND WHY?

“1: Sam Grafton – The squid. He’s one of my favourites because I knew him when he started. He was a Gutshot regular and is a reminder that hard work pays off!

2: Phil Ivey – I’ve had the privilege of seeing him play live many times. He never seems to go on tilt. He’s a machine.

3: Martin Jacobson (featured image) – The 2014 WSOP main event winner. Martin played poker with us at the Excel Centre two years ago during ICE in a Luxon Pay tournament. He was so humble. I’m sure many people he played with didn’t know he was a WSOP main event winner.”

YOUR BEST TIPS FOR LIVE POKER NOOBS?

At All-in Global, we often see that people are sceptical of sitting down to play at a poker table because they think they aren’t experienced enough. Maybe they have played a few times with their friends, maybe they have played some freerolls online, but feel like it’s a big step to get cards dealt on a table full of what looks like seasoned poker pros. Our experience is that poker people are extremely friendly and helpful (unless you act like a total brat). Also, let’s be honest… who doesn’t want an inexperienced player at their table when there is money or prizes to win?

You can see a great example below. Rune F. Loderup from Raging Bull had never (?) played a live game of Texas Hold’em in his life but had a great time and won his qualifying table in our Malta tournament. Henry Petersen from Van Kaizen is more experienced (despite the sunglasses 😂) and was more than happy to help.

But what does Jimi say about the matter?

“I suggest learning more about the game and showing up to have fun. Ask questions. Poker is one of those social games where people will share information if you’re humble enough to listen.”

WHAT WOULD JIMI DO?

So, as you know, this is a shootout tournament with a turbo structure that is free to enter. There will be a mix of beginners and experienced players at the tables, and each table will have 5 players. How would you play it? What would be your strategy?

“I would start slow, while studying the habits of other players. As soon as I get my rhythm, I’ll play every hand I commit to aggressively. Your opponents need to know that you won’t give up pots easily in a quick structure shootout.”

Below is a picture of last year’s winner, Daniel Williams, from PokerNews. He has confirmed his attempt to reclaim the title in 2024. Can anyone take him down? We can’t wait to see everyone and get this show on the road!