"Players are Way More Aggressive with Girls" - Interview with Tatiana Barausova
We catch up with Russian PokerStars Pro and Supernova Elite Tatiana ‘Mysters_Y’ Barausova to talk about grinding, sponsorship and the Ladies Event at the World Series of Poker.
"The biggest leaks at $3/$6 and above is tilt control"
PokerStrategy.com: What stakes do you play and how many tables?
Tatiana Barausova: I play No-Limit cash from $3/$6 to $25/$50 on PokerStars.
If the games are good I play up to 12 tables. My preferred amount is eight, because sometimes I can lose my concentration when I play more.
PokerStrategy.com: How tough are the games at those stakes?
Tatiana Barausova: Players are very good technically at these stakes, so the most important thing is your game management. The main leak of the most players is their tilt control.
Too many times I've seen a really good player gift his opponents after he plunged on tilt - and I'm not the exception, which is sad.
PokerStrategy.com: How did you learn the game?
Tatiana Barausova: I've watched a ton of educational videos in my first year and took some lessons from personal coaches. The best way to learn the game is practice, practice and practice again. Nothing compares with the experience you can get from playing.
"Supernova Elite only means you are a good grinder, not player"
PokerStrategy.com: You have been a SuperNova Elite several times before; how tough is it to achieve?
Tatiana Barausova: It was pretty hard to earn the first time for me, because I had to do it in six months. The second time was way easier - I didn't grind hard, I was just playing in my standard mode without long breaks.
The only time I had to prepare was December 2011. I had to earn 150k VPPS (you need to play more than 200k hands for it), so I made targets for every day that I needed to reach.
PokerStrategy.com: Would you say earn rate is still always number one priority, or do you think a break even player who is an excellent grinder should go for it?
Tatiana Barausova: Top grinders can earn a ton of money, but we don't dream about $100,000 in a year at the start of our careers. We all wanted millions. A high win rate is the only way to get it.
PokerStrategy.com: A lot of attractive female players can get sponsorship without necessarily being great at playing, do you think the fact you have twice made SuperNova Elite proves you are a great player?
Tatiana Barausova: It only means I'm a good grinder, not a great player. I'm still too far from an elite player, but I'm working on it.
"Players are way more aggressive in a pot with a girl"
PokerStrategy.com: You remained anonymous for several years when you could have made the most of your looks and ability with sponsorship - was that on purpose?
Tatiana Barausova: It wasn't on purpose. I just didn't see any real benefits that would interest me. I just was playing a lot online, rarely offline, and wasn't active on forums, because reading is more interesting than writing for me.
But I wasn't anonymous at all - I guess more than 50 successful poker players knew me personally before I got my PokerStars Pro status.
PokerStrategy.com: Do the regulars in your cash games play differently now they know who you are?
Tatiana Barausova: Yes, sure. I feel like everyone tries to outplay me in every hand now.
Players are way more aggressive when they are in a pot with a girl. I can't say that I don't like it - poker is more fun for me now.
PokerStrategy.com: What are your thoughts on a Ladies Event at the WSOP, do you agree or disagree with it?
Tatiana Barausova: I played that tournament last year, and the atmosphere there was great. I wasn't sure that women could play with each other only, but after the tournament I realised that I was wrong.
The decision to make it a $10,000 buy-in for males is a very good move from WSOP organisers also - it was pretty stupid when I looked at pictures with guys in dresses playing in the women's tournament.
