Forsland is the top-ranked Fixed Limit Hold’em player in Norway, and the S.O.R.B.E.T. was his second tournament of the series. “Well, it’s quite okay. No, it’s good. It’s very great,” he said. “I did not expect to bring home one trophy. I expected two. But it’s still early, you know.”

He treats the mixed games as practice. “Now it’s just fun, and I’m just here for a training experience,” he said. “So I think I’m learning now, learning the game.”

Fagerli picked up two penalties during the tournament for acting out of turn, and Forsland had a dig at him after beating him heads-up. “You know, it’s probably his first time playing poker, so he doesn’t know the rules,” he said. “He’s betting out of turn and all that, you know. So of course he deserves a penalty.”

Fagerli took €2 800 for second, and Estonia’s Andres Aro finished third for €1 920. Five of the seven finalists came from Norway, including EMPC co-founders Fagerli and Tobias Leknes, who finished seventh.

Norway’s best Fixed Limit Hold’em player likes that EMPC runs no Hold’em events. “Ah, it’s perfect. I’m so tired of Hold’em, so this event is just perfect,” Forsland said. “I didn’t really have time to go here, but since they arranged it, I found time, and now I don’t regret it.”

Photos: Lemon Poker