The Taipei Tornado speaks to Baller about his impressive showing at the EPT London and his burning desire for more.

Raymond Wu’s ascension in the London European Poker Tour (EPT) is nothing short of stellar. From the days of observing his role model Gus Hansen on TV, Raymond has come a long way from the college student in Orange County sitting in his dorm, witnessing the monumental USS12.6 million win by Jamie Gold.

“The result at the EPT was monumental for me, and this could be an understatement,” says Raymond in an interview with Baller. “Coming into 2009, I wasn’t really recognised as a tournament player. Because I was new and inexperienced in live tournaments, my results were sub-par, and many people doubted my ability to make the transition from online to live play.”

Success didn’t come easy for him, but he credited David Jung (PokerStars Asia Director) for believing in him. Like many others before him, he had to work his way up the ranks and put in countless hours studying the game and watching World Series of Poker and World Poker Tour on TV. “I remember watching Gus Hansen outmanoeuvre his opponents using the most unplayable cards, and I wanted to be just like him.”

Following the footstep of his Danish role model meant that his finances would experience highs and lows. “I went broke several times,” he admits. “Most of the time, it was primarily due to tilt, and obviously I took some shots, but I managed to recover and learn from my mistakes.”

Raymond’s stunning run at the EPT London is proof enough that he has well and truly emerged from the shadows, and is in prime position to enter the limelight as a leading star of the future. Despite serving as an inspirational model to young players, Raymond is under no illusions and is fully aware that the game has a long way to go in Asia.

“I think a very important hurdle in Asia is the fact that there are pretty strict legal boundaries in most Asian countries regarding the game.” He attracts curious stares whenever he tells people what he does for a living, due to the social stigma and association with gambling. “Most people think I am a gambler who plays all day in casinos, in games like blackjack or baccarat. Some others think I am a card magician.”

Raymond is still optimistic about the future of poker in the region, “i honestly believe that poker will continue to grow in Asia in the coming years.” He added, “in the near future, Asia will produce a lot of up and coming players, and perhaps the next world champion – hopefully me!”

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