somnius' First Article Discusses the Poker Mindset, Interview Inside
English NL BSS Video Producer somnius has released his first strategy article entitled - "Poker is not Dying - Your Mindset for a Successful Game". He also talks about the state of online poker in our interview.
somnius first strategy article - "Poker is not Dying - Your Mindset for a Successful Game" focuses on the psychological aspect of the game, and is available to all 
Silver members and above.
In our interview with him, he tells us a little bit about himself, how he grew up with poker and how he subsequently turned into a professional poker player. He also shares some of his thoughts about the current state of the games and what the future may hold.
Read somnius's first strategy/psychology article ( Silver)
Interview with somnius
Author: somnius
Status:
Silver
PokerStrategy.com: Since when has poker been a part of your life?
somnius: I played 5 card draw often as a child with my family, but no one had any idea what they were doing, and at that time the prize was the promise of more marbles. How things have changed, poker as I know it now, has been my focus for about 2.5 years.
PokerStrategy.com: Please tell us a bit about your poker career so far.
somnius: I got off to a running start and was quite happy with the results. After about 6 months, I began to try to live a more balanced life and made a few mistakes along the way. Mastering poker requires mastering your life as a poker player. The journey has been pretty exciting and educational, both on and off the tables. I'm currently grinding while ironing out some life inconsistencies, looking forward to what lays ahead.
Approach poker as a profession
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| Author / video producer: somnius |
PokerStrategy.com: Which limits do you play?
somnius: Anywhere from 2/4-10/20. Right now focusing more on midstakes. Been travelling quite a bit and will be moving to Thailand shortly. At which point I will re-energize for the journey to the high stakes.
PokerStrategy.com: Regarding your article "The Games are not dying". Are there any tips you would like to give our PokerStrategists? What do you think is particularly important to become a better poker player?
somnius:The motivation to write the article was the result of my grievances with the general poker mentality which is becoming increasingly negative. Being an online poker player, or at least dabbling and having a realistic perspective on what's possible can spoil people. It almost conditions young adults to consistently widen the gap between their wants / what they feel they deserve and what they're willing to invest to reap these rewards.
Following from that then, it would be very beneficial for members to pay careful attention to their goals, and what specifically, explicitly, and directly will bring about the successes. Most importantly, they will have to do this while avoiding falling into the trap of condemning the state of the games and taking responsibility for their production.
16 tabling will probably make you a break even player. So be honest with yourself and re-evaluate what you want from poker. Being a rakeback pro can be a relatively easy way to grind out 60-100k in a year, but is that really why you're playing poker?
Ultimately, although some young and gifted individuals can glide through the poker life with unimaginable success, most of us will need to approach poker as a profession, and treat it and our lives in a way that respects that view. That means writing down our goals, preparing a schedule that quantitatively breaks down those goals into units of production, and tailoring their lifestyle choices to accommodate these ends. And of course, like most things, remaining positive is essential.
The games aren't dying, you're just not working hard enough to keep up with and excel over how they're becoming more robust and difficult.
There will be plenty of money to be made
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| somnius away from the poker table |
PokerStrategy.com: From your point of view, how will the online poker business change in next couple of years?
somnius: With respect to the legalities governing online poker internationally, it's hard to say. There's recently been a plethora of changes, from U.S. regulation, progressing to others closing their doors. Ultimately, I do predict that whatever happens on a country by country basis, the global impact will not dry up the online poker economy.
Boundaries drawn now may weaken later and vice versa. Regardless, there will be plenty of money to be made. The general skill level in games will probably continue to increase, although probably at a continuously slowing rate as we move further away from the boom.
Nothing a little study and discipline can't overcome, although our decisions away from the tables will likely have greater influence on our bottom line as time goes on.
PokerStrategy.com: Thank you for the interview.
We hope that this brief interview has given you a good impression of what somnius is all about. To find out more about what advice he has in store for you, read on.
