In every poker tournament, players will eventually face an all-in or fold that could change the course of their event. It could be the difference between winning six figures or going home without any return on their buy-in. One player who knows all about the vagaries of tournament poker is Belgian former tournament director and two-time WSOP Main Event finalist Kenny Hallaert.

Just a few weeks after he finished fourth in this year’s World Championship for $3 million, we caught up with PokerStake player Kenny and pitched our posers to him in a bid to see whether we can get the tournament crusher to fold under the pressure. Will our teasers knock him out, or can he double up?

Let’s find out.

You’re on a long-haul flight and can only choose one TV Show or Movie to watch on repeat, which is your pick?

Breaking Bad. I usually sleep, if I start watching something on a plane, I fall asleep anyway. I like travelling by myself as I have no trouble sleeping up there!

If you were stranded on a desert island with one book for company, what would it be?

I don’t really read books, but it would be a poker strategy book, Winning Low Limit Hold’em by Lee Jones back in 2005!

What’s the song you could listen to on repeat forever?

A good techno mix. Something quite EDC, I’m into my electronic music.

What’s your favourite place to play poker and why?

Vegas, because it’s Vegas.

If you were to be shot at dawn, what would be your last meal and drink?

Wine, for sure. Red wine, a burgundy or an aged Bordeaux. Then I’d go for steak and fries.

Where’s your favourite non-poker holiday destination?

Its either Japan, China, Australia or Hawaii. I’d going to go Hawaii.

You can play poker every day for a year or play no poker for a whole 12 months – which do you choose?

Every single day!

Who is the person you don’t have around anymore that you miss the most?

My Grandmother. I grew up there, basically. We had our own family business, and it was my Mom, Uncle and Grandmother. I saw her every day.

Which person would you most like to meet but never have?

An astronaut.

When’s the last time life put you on tilt?

The last time I opened a newspaper.

If you couldn’t play the WSOP Main Event next year, which family member would you put into the action in your place?

Probably means I’m dead… but my girlfriend.

What’s your best poker skill?

Patience.

And your biggest leak?

It’s so cocky if I say I don’t have any, but the issue is you don’t know what you don’t know. I’m too curious sometimes.

If you could make one rule change to poker, what would it be?

Let’s go back 50 years and just play poker as we used to. Just enjoy it rather than trying to squeeze every single penny out of what players are doing.

You have just ten seconds with the person of your dreams… what do you say?

I don’t think I’ll pick my girlfriend. If I only have 10 seconds with one person, I’ll pick the astronaut. I’d prefer it if I was on the long-haul flight with them; who knows, maybe I’ll put them in the Main Event! They have all the time to answer, so I’ll ask the shortest question that takes the longest time to reply: ‘Tell me all about your experiences in space’.

It’s fair to say that we took on the wrong player if we were hoping they’d fold! The double WSOP Main Event finalist soars to a double up and survives once again. Can anyone stop this guy in a tournament other than Michael Mizrachi? We doubt it.