For a moment in the late 2000s, Annette Obrestad looked pretty much unstoppable.
The young Norwegian had stunned the poker world by winning the first-ever WSOP Europe Main Event for $2 million in 2007, playing with the maturity of a veteran and the ferocity of a lioness. To this day, she remains the youngest player ever to win a WSOP bracelet.
Then, about nine years ago, she vanished from the scene entirely. Was it simply a case of the flame that burns twice as bright burning half as long?
Perhaps. But there's so much more to Annette's story. And she accepted our invitation to tell all during this episode of PokerOrg's The Interview.
Watch the full episode above now, or check below for links to the audio podcasts.
Why disappear at the pinnacle of success?
Obrestad has always seen herself as a small-town Norwegian girl who fell in love with a card game and instinctively knew she was ‘good’ at it. That's an understatement.
Good doesn’t begin to describe how deftly she navigated the complexities of poker. She was always most comfortable dealing with the chaos on the felt; yet, facing the spotlight away from the table proved a bit more complex.
“It was other things outside of poker that I found a bit overwhelming,” confesses Obrestad. “I was a very shy Norwegian girl who just stumbled across this game and then won a million dollars. Now what? People are asking me to go on TV and do interviews. Who, me?”
Obrestad still struggles to fully explain why she stepped away from the game. It wasn’t just one thing, but a combination of personal challenges and no longer feeling quite like herself at the tables.
“It's very complicated. I stopped playing, and I tapered off quite a bit. During that time, I developed an eating disorder, which was one of the reasons that I lost focus on the game. I could no longer pay attention to the tables.
“It's hard to explain if you've never experienced it before, but I basically had to take a break from the game. My passion wasn't there anymore. Why am I doing this if I'm not enjoying it? So, I just decided that maybe it's just not for me anymore.”
That vulnerable admission explains a stretch of years during which one of poker’s brightest young stars drifted away from poker after rising to a coveted world championship title and a plethora of accolades.
Annette feels most comfortable and confident at tough tables wearing sunglasses.
Annette feels most comfortable and confident at tough tables wearing sunglasses.The journey back
Until recently, Annette hadn’t recorded a tournament cash since the summer of 2018 at the WSOP. She also told PokerOrg she hadn’t played a hand of poker in nearly eight years.
That’s a bit hard to believe coming from a player who once seemed destined to battle the best in the world for years to come. But a recent glance at her Hendon Mob suggests something quite unexpected. This past January, Obrestad finished sixth in a $150 Monster Stack event at The Orleans Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.
Was it simply an itch she needed scratched? Or was Obrestad beginning to find her way back to the game she once loved so dearly?
“One of the reasons why I’m getting back into poker is that I'm having an early midlife crisis. What do I want to do with my life? I needed to get out of the house, meet some new people, and try some new things. And honestly, it's one of the best things I've done in a very long time."
Does this mean the former tournament phenom is back? It would seem that way, much to the excitement of poker fans, but perhaps not quite as much for her future opponents.
“Yeah, I’m back. But I want to start slowly because I don't know where my skill level is right now. I want to prove to myself first that I can beat the stakes I’m playing, and then maybe I'll move up.”
This time around, the small town girl from Norway wants to enjoy the ride, no matter where it takes her.
“I’m not going to take playing so seriously. I want to have fun. I don't want to force it. I don't feel like I need to prove anything to myself or anyone else. It's okay to, you know, not be the best anymore.”
Annette Obrestad defeated John Tabatabai heads-up to win the first WSOP bracelet ever awarded outside of Las Vegas.The Interview — Annette Obrestad
Highlights from our exclusive in-depth conversation with Annette include:
- Looking back, what is she most proud of from her poker career?
- Annette shares her secrets to smart bankroll management
- What skills did she bring over from her massive online success into the live arena?
- Will Annette and AbbyPoker become BFFs?
- Why did she lose her passion for poker? And what has ignited her interest in the game once again?
- Will she become a cash game wizard or dive back into the live tournament scene? Annette shares her future plans in the game.
- And much more…
Watch Annette Obrestad’s full exclusive interview with PokerOrg by hitting play on the video above, or listen on Spotify or Apple podcasts.
Check out more in-depth interviews with some of poker’s biggest names below, including Antonio Esfandiari, Terrance Reid, and Jeff Platt.
Additional image courtesy of IMPDI.
