Roberto Romanello the Poker Ace
Roberto Romanello is a professional poker player from Swansea, Wales. He started his poker career quite accidentally in 2005 when he was laid up at home for three months with a soccer injury. To pass the time he began watching card games on television and was so inspired by the World Series of Poker events that he tried his hand at playing the game online. His efforts met with success almost instantly when he won a World Poker Tour prize package within two weeks of playing online poker.
After doing well at the WPT event, Romanello began playing at the local casinos in Cardiff and Swansea. He did well there too, quite often making £4000 to £5000 per week. His first big tournament came in 2006 when he travelled to Las Vegas for the World Series of Poker main event. Roberto almost cashed out of the tournament at the initial stages itself when he was down to 600 chips from 10,000 on the first day. However, during the last hour of play he began winning pot after pot and came back into the game with 34000 chips in hand.
Six days of poker later, he claimed the 312th place at the WSOP 2006 beating 9000 competitors and taking home nearly $40,000. Few weeks after his WSOP stint, Roberto Romanello won the €500 No Limit Hold'em tournament at the 2006 Barcelona Open earning €42,200. He continued being successful and in 2007, Roberto secured third place in the £1No Limit Hold'em event at the UK Poker Tour, earning £21,900.
The next big one came in the form of a final table at the EPT Copenhagen in February 2010. Romanello finished 6th raking in $104K. He made it to the final table a second time at the EPT Prague Main event in December 2010 and this time took the first place with the prize money of €6,40,000. The latest in his series of wins is the World Poker Tour Bratislava title in April 2011. Roberto Romanello took first place among 9 finalists and bagged the prize money of €1,803,000.
Roberto Romanello has now set his sights on the World Series of Poker event due to begin on 31st May 2011. If he manages to win the WSOP title, he will be only the third man to win the coveted Triple Crown of poker. His fans hope and pray that he wins the WSOP and creates history. Roberto Romanello is a Full Tilt Poker sponsored pro.
Currently he has a poker ranking of 271 in all games, ranks 250th in No Limit Hold'em and 245th in Pot Limit Omaha. Romanello's world poker ranking in mixed games is 881 while he is not ranked in Limit Hold'em, Pot Limit Hold'em, Omaha Hi-Lo, Seven Card Stud, Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo or Lowball. Besides poker, Romanello is an avid fan of soccer and would still be playing the game had he not injured himself.
He also actively participates in the fish and chips restaurant at Wales started by his parents in 1973. Most of his poker earnings are ploughed back into the business and he still works behind the counter earning a weekly pay of £300, down to earth person that he is.
