News: Terrorblade: "Black Member status was a wake-up call for me"

TerrorBlade has become the latest PokerStrategist to reach our upper echelons and make Black Member status! We sat down with him to discuss mindset, Omaha and his passion for music and gaming. Look out for cameos by chenny8888!

Following mbml becoming the second English community coach to reach Black Member status, TerrorBlade has joined the grinder's circle after reaching the coveted status as well.

We always like to chat with the latest additions to our Black Members, though in this case it was made harder by chenny8888 trolling the interview.

We wanted to talk to TerrorBlade about his game and the best way to go about achieving Black Member status. Oh, and StarCraft II.

This interview was conducted by vhallee

TerrorBlade turns TerrorBlack

TerrorBlade

Name: Alex Benner
Age: 23
Location: New Zealand
Game types: PLO25 - PLO50
FL $3/$6 - $15/$30

TerrorBlade's blog

PokerStrategy.com: Hello TerrorBlade and congratulations on reaching the highest level of PokerStrategy.com - the Black Member status! How does it feel to be part of such an elite group?

TerrorBlade: (laughs) It's quite surreal; I didn't actually realise until I was only a few thousand StrategyPoints away. I'm sure that feeling will change once I'm at one of the parties!

PokerStrategy.com: Surreal is the word, I'm sure. Once you did realise, did your approach change? Did you put in more volume to get there faster?

TerrorBlade: Well I was so close to reaching it anyway, I didn't make any special effort. However, it did give me a wake-up call that has changed the whole way I approach the game now.

It made me realise how long I've been playing. Even though I've played so many hands I'm not exactly where I want to be. I'm now much more study and revision focused than intent on volume.

Study long and hard, play harder

Trying out the "Blue Steel" look -
or is it "Le Tigre"?

PokerStrategy.com: Black Member status and a wake-up call? Well done on killing two birds. What does a normal day look like for you now?

(The interview halts a while. chenny8888 informs us that "TerrorBlade is super mad because he just lost a game of League of Legends. He's "madcuzbad"!)

TerrorBlade: Well I'm now constantly revising and improving upon the way I approach the day. At the moment it goes something like: read books or articles before my first session; check the hand evaluation forums and create study cards for situations; spend 10-15 minutes reviewing them and then I start my first PLO session of the day.

I'll break for lunch and a session review before going for a run and then using the remaining time in the day to play Fixed Limit Hold'em.

PokerStrategy.com: How much time do you spend playing as opposed to studying now?

TerrorBlade: I don't play for very long each session. Most of the time I play until I have 6-8 marked hands in Hold'em Manager so that my post-session review isn't unmanagable. My sessions are about 1.5-2 hours maximum.

The ratio of playing to study is probably about 60/40 at the moment as I'm still trying to get the fundamentals of PLO sorted out. Also, due to the fact I'm still relatively new, I have limited myself to a maximum of 4-tabling so that I can really think my decisions through.

Onwards to Omaha

It's hard to take the name
"TerrorBlade" seriously when
strawberries make him this happy.

PokerStrategy.com: What kind of limits are you playing nowadays?

TerrorBlade: I currently play PLO25 6-max and PLO50 heads-up. I still play 3/6 and 5/10 Limit Hold'em 6-max and up to 15/30 Limit heads-up if I can find the action. I plan to phase out FL once I begin moving up the limits in PLO.

PokerStrategy.com: Tell us more about your switch to PLO. Why this game?

TerrorBlade: It was definitely during a big downswing that I started playing PLO. I've pretty much played every game out there because at one point or another I was running so bad that I wanted to switch games, but I always came back to Fixed Limit Hold'em.

PokerStrategy.com: A lot of people are making the move to Omaha. Why do you think the game is so popular?

TerrorBlade: I think it's because there is a lot of action. You often make strong hands and it feels damn good to get it in with so many outs. I think it attracts the classic gambler personality for these reasons.

Parties and the future

chenny8888 steals the limelight by
stuffing his face

PokerStrategy.com: Well, you have lifetime access to all strategy content now so make sure you check out our PLO videos. There are other benefits, too - are we going to see you at the Black Member parties?

TerrorBlade: For sure, I want to make plans to come to the parties! All of them look seriously sick, kudos to the people who scout out these awesome venues.

If I had to choose, I'd say the one that recently happened in Frankfurt - which combines fine dining and epic partying - to be the perfect balance for me. It's gonna be sick and definitely a trip to remember.

PokerStrategy.com: Now you've ticked off "Black Member status" from your list, what other goals do you have for the rest of this year and 2012?

TerrorBlade: For the rest of 2011, I basically want to continue to set the bar higher and higher with regards to disciplined and focused work; just getting into the right mindset that I can keep rolling for the rest of my poker career.

I don't know if this counts as a goal, but next year I'd like to make it to at least one Black Member event. It would be amazing. Regarding poker, I just want to know that I'm doing everything in my power to do the best I can. Anything less will be a disappointment.

I also want to take my music to the next level. If you read my blog then you know about my array of different musical hobbies outside of poker. I want to start writing songs again and begin to work on putting my name out there by starting a YouTube channel, among other plans...

Music, hobbies and a StarCraft II challenge

PokerStrategy.com - learn to have
beautiful women on your arm.

PokerStrategy.com: Speaking of hobbies, what other things do you do outside of poker?

TerrorBlade: Sure. The three pillars of my life at the moment are music, poker and gaming. I used to be a huge gamer, less so nowadays though as poker and music have been eating away at my free time.

I currently sing in the Auckland Youth Choir; sing and play the keyboard in a band with some friends; just finished off a run of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat with a local theatre company and as I mentioned, I plan to create a music channel on YouTube with covers and perhaps some original work.

Through that and the time I spend with people I meet through music, there isn't too much time for gaming anymore.

(chenny8888 interjects and once again asks us to point out that TerrorBlade is playing League of Legends... badly)

TerrorBlade: I go through periods of intense addiction and extreme distaste with League of Legends. It's a very love-hate relationship. I've totally fallen behind since Joseph consumed my life up until a week ago. I probably won't pick it up again for a good 4-5 months.

With regards to chenny's comment on my play, I recently lead a ragtag bunch of us to a second place finish in an Oceania tourney which had most of the best teams in NZ and Australia. He's just mad jelly that he's bad at all games (laughs).

How to become a good poker player

When playing poker, you must be
able to handle the swings.

PokerStrategy.com: Well, I remember when your Diamond interview was published you agreed to a StarCraft II match agaisnt me. chenny8888 says you don't have a European CD key. How are we going to do this then?

TerrorBlade: (laughs) Get PokerStrategy to buy a copy of StarCraft II "for the purposes of a community event" obviously! I can't believe I forgot about that.

(chenny8888 again interrupts: "He didn't! He's just dodging, he already has a US CD key!")

TerrorBlade: I am super keen to make that match happen.

PokerStrategy.com: Alright, let's get this done and end the interview on a relevant note. What would you, as Black Member and coach, say to people who want to become good poker players?

TerrorBlade: There is no substitute for hard work. Luck is irrelevant, the will to win is nothing without the will to prepare. Spend your time trying to make the best decisions you can rather than the most hands played. Never turn a blind eye to your weaknesses, but embrace them and work hardest on those areas.

PokerStrategy.com: Wise words. Thank you for your time and good luck at the PLO tables. Also, don't forget to train for the StarCraft II showdown - I want you to put up a fight, at least.

TerrorBlade: I look forward to it! Thanks for the interview.

TerrorBlade becomes the newest PokerStrategy.com Black Member!