26 Jun 08

Not Yet a Messiah: BlackMember pokersellers in an Interview

The new BlackMember, pokersellers, is full of surprises. In this interview, the sympathetic islander talked about touchpads like moon landscapes, the fickle entity online poker and human qualities.

» INTERVIEW

The interview was conducted by garten309

PokerStrategy: Hello pokersellers, congratulations on achieving BlackMember status! Please tell us a bit about yourself!

pokersellers: Sure. My name is Reimer, I am 24 years old and come from the beautiful island of Sylt, Germany. I have been studying in Hamburg for four years and I really enjoy being here.

PokerStrategy: How and when did you come to PokerStrategy?

pokersellers: At the turn of the year 2005/2006, I saw a commercial for PokerStrategy on DSF (Editor's note: German TV station). I had already wasted the given $5 within the first hour. Luckily, people were merciful and gave me another $5 which I used more sensibly.

PokerStrategy: You play quite successfully on Fixed Limit $50/$100. Does one have to have any special skills to master this limit?

pokersellers: You certainly need patience and a lot of self-discipline. Starting at a certain limit - like e.g. $15/$30 - it's also just as important not take the sums you're playing for too seriously. Most importantly, you shouldn't consider these sums as you would in real life. You have to realise that it is quite normal to occasionally lose several $1,000 in a single day! For some this is very difficult.

PokerStrategy: Do you also play other variants besides Fixed Limit?

pokersellers: Currently I'm taking on NL400 to NL600, but I obviously and urgently need coaching to avoid it turning into a disaster. :-) I have to look around in the forum for a qualified coach. I'd be thankful for suggestions! Furthermore, I sometimes play SnG's with buy-ins of $100 to $200 or a game of 5-Card Draw on PokerStars.

PokerStrategy: You have been with PokerStrategy for almost two and a half years. How has online poker changed since then?

pokersellers: I think that the playing level has increased considerably. On Fixed Limit, things have become much, much more aggressive. This really makes the game quite more difficult and also prone to variance swings. A person who nowadays beats $2/$4 or $3/$6 would also have managed to be a solid player on limits like $30/$60 or even $50/$100 two years ago.

BlackMember

In mid-2007 we introduced a new status: BlackMember.
Only PokerStrategists who gathered more than 500,000 StrategyPoints overall are able to enjoy this status. It's not only a lifetime achievement, we also offer the players regular events and more.

PokerStrategy: Do you have a favourite poker player?

pokersellers: I personally like the easy-going style of Daniel Negreanu. He gives off a lot of strength and poise, but still remains very sympathetic. My preferred poker players in the internet are kimberly and rjbabab, who both play on PartyPoker. They are two very loyal patrons of the poker youth who have understood that it isn't about money when you play poker, but about the nice exchange with the fellow players.

PokerStrategy: Do you also play poker offline, either in casinos or with friends?

pokersellers: I play tournaments and cash games quite regularly in Hamburg's casinos - Schenefeld and Esplanade. For a while I played the 200 tourney in Schenefeld every week, but currently I prefer the Esplanade. There I play NL $2/$4. For a FL player it is quite enjoyable to play in the Esplanade - despite the many self-proclaimed winning players and superstars. If the constant chatter about 'striet fläschs' and hole cards doesn't drive you crazy, it's even quite amusing!

PokerStrategy: How do those in your environment react to your poker passion?

pokersellers: Most people from my surroundings know that I play poker, but not how much money is involved. They see it as my hobby: Some people collect crown corks or wine labels, I enjoy playing cards.
But basically I never talk to my friends about poker. Most aren't that interested in it, and I don't really like talking about it either.
In my family, I was first considered to be at risk for gambling addiction. However, since my two brothers have also started playing successfully, and poker brings with it financial security, it has become more of a blessing than a curse.

PokerStrategy: Do your friends also play poker?

pokersellers: Some. Most of them only play for fun and to pass the time, but a few also pretty successfully.

PokerStrategy: You're about to finish your studies. What do you do besides poker in your leisure time?

pokersellers: To say that I am just about to finish my studies sounds very pretentious. I hope that I won't give-up in the final spurt due to a complete lack of motivation...
My daily routine is rather unspectacular. I enjoy sleeping in, do a lot of sports and like being surrounded by nice people.
To eat out is also something that I enjoy: After I now made it at PokerStrategy, I asked at the CampusSuite (Ed. Note: Coffeeshop Deli & Lounge in Kiel) and Vapiano (Italian restaurant chain) if they also have criteria for BlackMember status.
Having too much leisure time is sometimes annoying as well, so I work in an honorary capacity for the 'Bürgerstiftung Hamburg' and read to kindergarten children. So as not to completely lose my connection to the working environment, I recently committed myself to a students' consulting company.

PokerStrategy: Let's take a look at the future: What are your medium-term goals if you can establish yourself on FL $50/$100 some time soon?

pokersellers: My goal is to still beat the limits from $10/$20 to $50/$100 and enjoy my currently very savoury life a bit longer. I don't want to aim higher, on the one hand because the sums starting at $100/$200 are too high for me, and on the other hand because I don't think I have the necessary skill yet to compete with the really great ones.

A further goal should be to finally get a reasonable computer. Up till now, I've played every single hand on my 15" laptop. And I did so with a touchpad which looks like a moon landscape. Well, it's hard to go against your own habits...

PokerStrategy: Which offers of PokerStrategy do you use?

pokersellers: Most of all I enjoy watching the FL videos, especially those from kobeyard, as he often plays against opponents who I also face most of the time. Furthermore, he often has deliberations which have been new to me and hopefully improve my game. I would really like to listen to Live Coachings, but somehow I keep on missing them...
I use the forum practically only in a passive way: I rather read posts and sample hand discussions than post some myself. At times I also ask for advice in the Small Talk forum or read in the Fun & Off-Topic, where you find many, really brilliant threads! (Editor's Note: Well, at least in the German one...) And of course not to forget the brilliant currency converter on the start page.

PokerStrategy: What do you expect from your first BlackMember Party which will take place in Munich?

pokersellers: A nice, well organised and hopefully entertaining weekend. It will certainly be interesting as well to get to know some other poker players, especially as my contact to the PokerStrategy scene is kept to a minimum. Actually, I don't really know anybody from the forum except boomslang and kobeyard. Oh yeah, I'll also gloat over the present!

PokerStrategy: Do you have some tips for our beginners and advanced players? Did you first have to learn from your mistakes before you improved in your career?

pokersellers: You have to accept that there are sometimes long periods of time in which things don't go well. I still have trouble keeping failures at poker separated from my 'other' life. If things go bad at poker, I'm also often irritated and annoyed in my leisure time. To get over this is awfully important in my opinion. Furthermore, I recommend every aspiring and successful player to distance yourself from megalomaniacal and self-publicising behaviour!
To earn a lot of money with poker may compel respect from others, but it isn't an accomplishment which turns you into a Messiah.

PokerStrategy: Thanks a lot for your time and the interview. And of course, good luck with your poker career!

pokersellers: Many thanks to you at PokerStrategy for making it possible for so many young people to lead an easy-going life!

Further Interviews:

Via Freeroll to the WSOP: PokerStrategist ev0r in the Interview