Carlos Mortensen is known among his peers and in the world as a reputable poker player. He was born in Ambato, Ecuador, on April 13, 1972. Carlos is one of the poker players who don’t lazy around when it comes to gaming. He works hard as if his life depends on it. He is the only player from South America who has ever won the World Series of Poker. This distinguishes him from most other players.
Ahead is all you need to know about this world-renowned poker player. Find when he started playing, his major wins, and a glimpse of everything.
History and Poker Career
Mortensen did not play poker until 1997 in a local casino where his friend sponsored his buy-in. he lost. However, this was the beginning of his deep interest in knowing how to play poker. He started to play every day and mastering every strategy known to poker. He played every player that was a competition to him until none was left. He became the best in Spain.
He did not stop there. He traveled to Atlantic City to play with other professionals. He had significant success, but he also failed. This, however, didn’t deter him from continuing. For him, this was a long-term goal. He first participated in the WSOP in 1999, where he finished seventh and earned $22,575 in cash. Several days later, he participated in the same tournament and took the ninth position with $11,288 cash.
In 2000, Mortensen participated in another live tournament and won $30,000. Little did he know his next big game was his first climax. In 2001, Matador won the WSOP with $1.5 million and a bracelet. Several months down the line, he played a similar tournament but lost his title and took the second position with a $750,000 prize.
Carlos continued with his career in 2003, where he collected more money and a bracelet. Today, Carlos remains as the only player who has ever won both WSOP and WPT main events. He is also the biggest earner of WTP after pocketing $5,754,310.
Mortensen’s Style of Play
Mortensen uses his intellect to play poker. He is known to put pressure on his opponents, which gives him an upper arm in the game. Carlos has a unique chip stacking technique, loves to bluff when playing, and is good at loose playing – this has all worked to his advantage.
Personal Life, Family, and Relationships
The life of Carlos began in Ambato, where he was born. He moved to Spain at the age of 16 with his family. He has five siblings. And as with most kids, he went through school and college, where he studied physics and mathematics. He was also a bartender at a local bar where he practiced playing chess.
He started playing poker in 1999 when his friend sponsored him, but he lost the money. He could travel to American and back until he decided to settle in the U.S. in 2001. The 48-year-old poker player is currently single after divorcing his wife Cecilia Reyes in 2016. Carlos is very discreet about his personal life, and thus it’s hard to collect reliable information about who he is engaged with today. Carlos has no children known to the world.
Total Poker Winnings
Since Carlos started playing for money, he has won $12,107,757. His best live win is $3,970,415.
From the looks of the gaming life of Carlos, it’s undeniable he represents perseverance and practice. Typically, he persevered and practiced every tactic before becoming the best at his time. Although he is not overly active in poker games, he has an incredible history. He is one of the best poker players around the world.