"Don't put too much pressure on yourself live" - Mantelo
We chat to our hero from Vegas as he prepares to represent PokerStrategy at the WSOP Paradise (there is still time to win 20% of his action!)
What is your ratio of live to online play?
mantelo: My first goal out of ten this year was to have eight poker trips. Currently, I'm in Las Vegas for the NAPT event which is exactly my eighth. The ratio of having two live events in three months is best for me as it allows me to feel "hungry" again and not burn out. Travelling can be fun, but too much can diminish the enjoyment. Next year I plan to add a couple more live festivals and hopefully, my wife and daughter will join me.
What are your criteria for picking live events?
mantelo: I only play live events if I win a package to those. Most operators now offer a wide variety of festivals, so all you need is free time. I prioritize venues I've never been to before; this year I was a first-timer in Dublin, Rozvadov, and Edinburgh, and I cashed in all those events, updating my flag-hunting room.
What are the biggest differences in your opinion between live and online?
mantelo: In live poker, people tend to bluff more on the flop and turn but hesitate on the river, fearing the risk of busting out after travelling far. Online, there's less pressure; if you bust, you just open another tournament or focus on other tables you're playing.
"Treat a satellite win as a gift"
What standard do you expect the GG Main Event to be equivalent to online?
mantelo: The event will be unique with all the best sharks in the world. The 1,000 qualifiers make it a bit softer, but even they know how to play. My guess is it'll be at the level of a $500 event in the early days, but it will get much tougher in the later stages.
Have you been playing any more satellites just for the T$?
mantelo: I've just played one WSOP Europe satellite... which I won. The "bad" thing is, the same night I won a package to Las Vegas which is on the same dates, so I had to choose one. And because I'm on the road so often, I haven't been able to run more satellites.
What are you doing to prepare in the next few weeks for the Main Event?
mantelo: Nothing special related to poker, just my standard routine. More importantly, I want to focus on nutrition, exercise, and sleep patterns as these are hard to maintain during live events. If I go deep, I play until 3-4 a.m. for 4-6 nights in a row, disrupting my routine, and I'm still figuring out the best way to manage this.
Do you think you have an edge in the field?
mantelo: I hope so. Players who invest time in modern studying should have an edge over recreational players. Compared to elite players, they have the advantage, but it's probably not huge, so with a good run of cards, I might have a chance for a deep run.
What would your advice be to a PokerStrategist who has qualified for this event but hasn’t played much live?
mantelo: Treat this festival as a pre-Christmas gift and don't put too much pressure on yourself. And invite me for a Cuba Libre at the beach.
How to win a piece of Mantelo
Our hero is very grateful to GGPoker for helping him play this bucket list event, so there are three ways to win a piece, whether you have a GG account or not.
If you can do more than one of these things, you will increase your chances of winning a 1% stake.
- 10% available for all members: 10% will be raffled in 10 x 1% increments to anyone who opts-in to this thread by wishing Mantelo luck in the WSOP Paradise Main Event by December 6
- 15% available for GG Players: An additional 5% will be raffled in 5 x 1% increments to any PokerStrategy.com tracked GGPoker account (New and existing) that earns at least one StrategyPoint between November 3 and December 6. This in addition to the forum opt-in above means 15% of the 20% is available to this group.
- 20% available to New GG Players: A final 5% will be raffled in 5 x 1% increments to any new accounts making their first deposit on a PokerStrategy-tracked GGPoker account between November 3 and December 6. If those players also earn 1 SP and opt-in, they have the most chances to win.
The draw will take place on December 8, just before the Main Event starts.
Opt-in to win a share of Mantelo's Main Event
*The 20% is based on Mantelo's first bullet in the Main Event, if he plays a second that does not count towards this promotion. This is a private initiative by Mantelo which PokerStrategy.com has helped to organise. Mantelo will do his best to take care of fast settlement with any winners and find suitable payment methods after any tax has been deducted.
