There is a contest called "Poker Showdown" which is arranged by Bwin. Ten players get 100 dollars to play with, and the one who makes most of it (in limited period of time) wins. "Poker Showdown II" is on and we called one player who was chosen out of 1600 applicants.
PokerInABC: Hello PSD-Six. Congrats to be one of the chosen ones! Why they chose you? "Why there is a star in front of your name?"
PSD-SIX: Haha, I love that last question! Good one mate. But why I was chosen to be one of the contestants... I wrote to them about my results. How I deposited $150 to PokerStars and made almost $4'000 with it in first month, playing only tournaments.
PokerInABC: Right on. No wonder they noticed you. After a rough start you are leading Poker Showdown now with quite a cap to next one. You have almost double the amount of money compared to PSD-Two. Is your win secured now?
PSD-SIX: Well two things. Yes I was leading, but the amount there on Bwin's page was wrong. They added my $200 ticket in to their calculations, to make it look like I have almost $380. I hated this mistake, because I knew it was going to make me look stupid to lose all of a sudden $200, when the correct update comes online. That made me to try to win $200 extra with that bankroll in just one day. And it was not a good thing. So, hate to tell you this, but I am not the leader there anymore. I am so sorry. Did I ruin your interview now?
PokerInABC: You sure did! "James, cancel the cake please." Haha, no worries. You were down to $15,75 and managed to get back up to first place, so you'll do it again? By the way, how come you lost so much in the beginning?
PSD-SIX: I can assure you that if this contest would be much longer, like 6 months or 12 months, I would do really good. Probably PSD-Two and PSD-Nine would do good as well, but still... I would win this, haha! But as you know, this contest is only two weeks long. It is way too short time. Think about it: when you play tournaments, you'll need one or two decent wins per month to make a living. Will these winnings hit me in this one last week? No one knows. There is tons of luck involved in such a short period of time. And how come I lost so much in the beginning, I just had extremely bad luck! Honestly. I can't remember the last time I got so many AAs and KKs in 24 hours. It was amazing! Unfortunately they all, well almost all, got busted. People were throwing preflop all ins with hands like 36, J8, 88, 22 etc. Basically whatever hand they had, they raised me all in. Naturally I called their all in with AA or KK, and the rest is history. Lost a lot. Oh yes, and I also visited cash games few times, huge mistake. Not my thing, I am a tournament player.
PokerInABC: You are saying two weeks is too short time for tournament player, but yet still you made $4'000 in just a month with $150. I think there is a small contradiction in there.
PSD-SIX: Yes and no. It is totally different thing to build your own bankroll than compete against others. In this competition you can't be satisfied to your own results only, but you have to look others as well. You have to do things that you probably wouldn't normally do.
PokerInABC: Such things as?
PSD-SIX: Playing too many hours and tournaments per day. Taking risks with your bankroll with too big buy ins. Everyone knows you can't win this thing playing it safe. Some of us will get lucky and win something big, so everyone have to try to make their bankroll as big as possible to protect it against any lucker.
PokerInABC: Ok, I got it. But I forgot to ask about your background in the beginning of this interview. Sorry. Tell us about it now.
PSD-SIX: You mean in poker? I started to play 2004. I played professionally 2007 and did really well, but then I took time off from poker. I started to play professionally again over an year ago.
PokerInABC: Not enough. Tell us at least where do you play and with what nick?
PSD-SIX: No way I won't.
PokerInABC: Why not?
PSD-SIX: It would take good sponsorship deal to reveal my nick. Some zeros there, you know. What would be the point to tell my nick? I can't think any good reasons for that. It is already enough to represent Bwin on this Poker Showdown and people can watch and comment my play. That is kind of fun, but also enough. More publicity... as I said would need a deal with some zeros in it. But ok, I can say that I play on PokerStars. $11-$110 tournaments, $33 and $55 tournaments being my favorite ones. I also like tournaments with 2 rebuys and 1 add on, but mainly I play freezeouts. And I am better live poker player than online player.
PokerInABC: Well, this is publicity too. This interview.
PSD-SIX: Sure. But I am still incognito here, right? Telling about this contest... at least that's what this supposed to be.
PokerInABC: Of course! So tell us more about this Poker Showdown. The best things about it and the worst?
PSD-SIX: The best thing is that it is fun and you can win little bit money from it. Chatting with people and telling about this contest is fun too. I am quite social. Also I would assume, if someone of us ten contestants would do extremely good, it could help to negotiate some deals with Bwin later on in the future... but not sure about that. Maybe? The worst things... must be that stress, because it is such a short time, so you have to push all the time. Also, I think that cash game players have little edge on this, because it is just two weeks. If they are good, they should do really well. Better than tournament players, who might do better in the long run.
PokerInABC: Who are your toughest opponents, and who are not?
PSD-SIX: What I have seen PSD-Two and PSD-Nine are the best, after me of course. Haha! PSD-Nine is not in the top three at the moment, but people should watch him. His situation is probably same as mine, too short time and we have to push a lot in the tournaments. I don't know who are not good players... but I wouldn't like to see PSD-Four to win. He haven't played a game yet. If he wins by throwing some all ins at the last day, it would suck.
PokerInABC: How about Bwin in general? How's the games and players and so on? Do you play there regularly?
PSD-SIX: The software is ok, it looks clean and works quite nicely. There should be more tournaments, especially more tournaments that are not turbos and/or rebuys! Most of their guaranteed tournaments are turbos. Players are... woah! Generally super bad donks! Calling and bluffing with anything. But naturally there is some really good players too. And do I play there regularly... no I don't, to be honest. If the poker-site doesn't respect us tournament players enough to arrange synchronized breaks, it is not my thing. I don't like to have 10-12 hours sessions without breaks, when playing 2-4 tables at the same time. That's why I am not playing there. But! I have to say, some of their tournaments are really good! So, I might to go back there to play some of those, like Champion Chip tournament. It is really nice tournament. So yes, I think I will go back to play on Bwin again for sure.
PokerInABC: Tell us about your tactics. You are down again, you said? What will you do to win?
PSD-SIX: Today was equally bad than the first day. Everyone with everything got me! So I lost a lot. I just... hated it. There were millions of sick moments; I knew on the flop or turn, that I had better situation. We went all in there and on the river the opponent got just what he needed. Almost threw up many times! It was so horrible, and over 30 hours in a row! So yes, I am down again. About tactics? I won't change a thing about my game. It works, only catastrophically bad luck breaks it. Naturally I have to take more risks towards the end, since this is the winner takes all competition. That's why there will be huge amount in my bankroll when the game is over, or just air. Nothing. The last days will be wild. Probably interesting too, haha! Even so I wouldn't normally take that many risks with my bankroll, I am forced to take them now.
PokerInABC: Ok. We'll talk you little bit more when the competition is over, so you can tell us how it went and so on. Is this ok?
PSD-SIX: Sure, no problem. Except... I lost quite a lot during this call, so... but never mind. Yeah, let's talk more then. Wish me luck!
PokerInABC: Good luck!
PSD-SIX: Thanks! I think I'll need it this time, haha!
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