Michelle Svendsen Is Hanging Out and Having Fun
Among the players here for their first Cash Game Festival is Guts.com player Michelle Svendsen. Not only that, she has only played poker before online, and never before in a casino.
Svendsen's mother is from Norway while her father is from Sweden. She spent most of her life in Norway before moving to Sweden a few years ago.
"I am originally from Norway and lived there for my whole life before I moved to Sweden in 2008 where I have since lived," Svendsen explained. "I moved to Sweden since I didn't have the best contact with my father to get to know him. But it didn't work out."
When Svendsen isn't working hard on her blog and her @MiichelleSvendsen Instagram account, she enjoys playing Counter-Strike. She also found playing poker enjoyable even though she has yet to play a live hand in a casino.
"Poker so far has been more for fun, but I have been playing for two years," Svendsen said. "My work is my blog and also love playing Counter-Strike for fun."
Svendsen is full of energy and she has been enjoying her time in the casino. "I get so restless, so I usually like to do everything at once," explained Svensen. "I love gaming and gambling and everything you can do in a casino."
Svendsen has been having fun at the Cash Game Festival, but we learned that she is a bit nervous about tomorrow's feature table. However, first she can likely calm her nerves by relaxing on a yacht trip that many Cash Game Festival attendees will be enjoying earlier in the day.
"The Cash Game Festival is fun, but I am kind of nervous about being on the televised feature table tomorrow," Svendsen admitted. "We are first going out on a yacht trip."
Her nerves come from never playing live poker before and maybe can be calmed with a poker session today.
"The Cash Game Festival is the only festival I have been too, otherwise it has been through a computer," Svendsen commented. "I actually have only played online and have never, ever sat at a live table. That's why I am nervous. This festival will be the first time I am playing live. Usually I just have to click buttons and now I have to think about a poker face and observe others."
"I am going to practice playing in a few hours and hopefully I will learn something about sitting on the tables," Svendsen added. "I am just going to try be me. I have so much energy because of my ADD, so I can never stay all quiet and still. So I am going to be myself and don't have a strategy. I am just going to be nice and see if people will talk since I can talk. This is my first time, so I am just going to approach it as a fun thing to do."
Svendsen shared that she travels all the time for her blog, but hasn't been to Sunny Beach since she was a young child. So far she is not only loving the festival, but everything else about the town that lives up to its name.
"I love Sunny Beach and love to travel," Svendsen explained. "I haven't been here for many years, but I love the sun and the beach and it has it all."
Speaking of the beach, Svendsen came straight off the sand to hop right into the mini-golf competition which she enjoyed despite being the only one wearing a bikini.
"We played mini-golf and I was terrible at it at first and then I got into it," said Svendsen. "We lost the balls and I had to get under the water with the waterfall. I played mini-golf in a bikini and it was awkward since everyone else was wearing clothes. But it was fun. I like to meet new people, hang out, and try new things that you wouldn't normally do yourself."
The Cash Game Festival is not what many people think it is. It is not just about poker as many don't find out until they attend one to see for themselves. Svendsen is also pleasantly surprised by all the fun off the felts she is having.
"The Cash Game Festival isn't only poker in the casino as you get to know people," said Svendsen. "You can hang out, it is fun. It is not at all what I expected."
Up next for Svendsen is trip is a long trip to Los Angeles on her birthday with a pit-stop in Prague.
"I get to travel a lot for my blog and I am leaving for Los Angeles on my birthday, September 6," Svendsen commented. "I am going to Prague first and staying there for a day before heading straight for LA where I will be for a few months."
It will be a mix or work and pleasure for Svendsen in Los Angeles. Not surprisingly, a side-trip to Sin City is likely in the mix for Svendsen.
"I will be going mostly for my blog, but I also want to visit Las Vegas to see the casinos that are there and want to play some there," Svendsen shared. I have to check it out while I am there. I will use the skills I learn from here and head straight for LA.
We wish Michelle a happy birthday in advance and hope her nerves are calm before her big day on the televised feature table tomorrow.