Anton Bergström: Thrame golde Mystery Behind "WhatIfGod"

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Table Of Contents

• Early Years and Anonymity
• Truly a God: Playing Without a HUD

For years, the poker world speculated about the identity of "WhatIfGod," the online crusher who dominated WCOOP and SCOOP, racking up eight titles along with two EPT Online Main Event wins. But it wasn’t until the 2024 EPT Prague Main Event that the mystery was finally solved—Anton Bergström was the man behind the screen name.

Fast forward a few months, and he found himself deep in another major live event, the Kings of Tallinn Main Event, where he ultimately finished fifth for €47,000. The event, sponsored by Olybet, was won by Kaspars Butans for €182,000. Sitting down for an interview ahead of the final table, Bergström opened up about his long-time anonymity and a revelation that may shock a few: he doesn’t use a HUD (Heads-Up Display).

Early Years and Anonymity

Bergström’s poker journey started in the early 2000s, like many others, during the online poker boom. "We started out in 2004—four of us—playing all day long," he recalled.

"I haven't really wanted to be in the spotlight or anything"

"I was 19, and at that point, you could easily put in 10 to 14 hours a day online. It was just so much fun."

There wasn’t any structured studying back then, just endless discussions and hand reviews with his friends. It was a time when raw talent and experience mattered more than solvers and pre-flop charts.

His first live cash dates all the way back to the 2005 EPT Barcelona Main Event, but he rarely played live after that, preferring the grind of online poker. It wasn’t until 2023 that he started making more appearances in live tournaments.

"I haven't really wanted to be in the spotlight or anything," Bergström admitted. "I guess, given how much people actually have made in sponsorships and stuff, I probably should have done something earlier, but I played some tournaments live many years ago and then mostly stuck to online cash games."

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Truly a God: Playing Without a HUD

But perhaps the most surprising revelation was that Bergström achieved all of his online success without using a Heads-Up Display (HUD). In an era where HUDs are considered essential by most online pros, providing real-time statistical data on opponents, he simply chose to play without one.

"I play without a HUD online," Bergström said casually. "Even when I won the big tournaments. I still think it's better to play without one; otherwise, you just level yourself."

His approach goes against the grain of modern online poker, where solvers and HUDs are deeply integrated into high-level play. While he respects solvers, he doesn’t blindly follow them. "If the solver says it's correct, it's kind of hard to argue," he acknowledged. "But I'm not like a ‘f*** GTO’ guy."