Interview with Gabriel 'gabry_00' Vlad
Introduction:
Hey my name is Gabriel, i'm 27 year old, i'm from Romania and i live in Bucharest. I have a bachelor's degree in manufacture engineering technology
and a master degree in economics engineering and bussiness management and I''m playing poker for a living.
Beside playing poker I like traveling, playing soccer, playing FIFA on playstation, I watch a lot of soccer matches on tv, going out drink, dance and have a really good time with my friends.
Charles Hawk: How did you start playing poker profesionally?
Gabriel 'gabry_00' Vlad: I found out and learned about online poker from my older brother. I started to play online poker just for fun and then in my last year of college(2011) I decided to play for money. Back then I was playing just normal and turbo husng's but part-time because I also continued my studies and i wanted to get a job in engineering.When I couldn't get a well paid job because I had 0 experience I decided to play poker full time. I heard about husng.com staking program from my friends cybermitzu and chrissxes whom already were in the program and decided that I wanna be a part of it, but I wanted to start playing hyper turbo's. The staking program helped me have a better understanding of poker, both mental and strategic, improved my game and also to advance to higher stakes. Last summer some guys( currrr14, torgoth, and 307th) from the program visited Bucharest, i spent like 3 months with them and had a good time. I recommend it to others because it's a great and well organized program that can help you be a better poker player.
Charles Hawk: Which stakes do you play now?
Gabriel 'gabry_00' Vlad: I play 30$ and 60$ hu and spin&go
Charles Hawk: What are your aims in poker? Which stakes do you want to reach to be satisfied?
Gabriel 'gabry_00' Vlad: My aim is to make as much money as I can from poker but I don't have a specific number in mind. I can tell that my aim on short term is to play 100$ spin&go's.
Charles Hawk: What is your grinding routine? Describe your ordinary day?
Gabriel 'gabry_00' Vlad: Unfortunately i don't have a very organized schedule. Usually i wake up then wash, check my messages, drink my coffee and eat breakfast while watching the news (sometimes i drink my coffee out with my friends) and then grind. I take breaks at every hour for 5-10 minutes or so, depending if there is good action or not. Also almost every 2 days we have coaching sessions both for hu or spin&go that we need to attend. When my girlfriend comes home from work I spend some time with her, maybe we go out for a bit and then I go back grinding until I feel tired. Sometimes
before I go to sleep I watch an episode from a tv serie or I play fifa so I can disconnect from poker. This is my basic schedule.
Charles Hawk: How long have you been with your girlfriend? What's her occupation? Any unusual tensions or misunderstandings when you introduced yourself as a poker pro?
Gabriel 'gabry_00' Vlad: We've been toghether for 2 and a half years. She works at the bank in the customer service department. There were not tensions about poker just misunderstandings because most of the people associate playing poker with playing the slots machines and until you don't explain to them that you use statistics, math and strategies they are sceptic when you introduce yourself as a poker player.
Charles Hawk: Are you a consistent player? How are you with keeping a good mood during the day? What would be your advice for players whose mood changes with the swings?
Gabriel 'gabry_00' Vlad: In the present I consider myself a consistent player, in the past I had some problems like most of players but I managed to fix them. I keep my good mood SOCIALIZING, GOING OUT to take some air, watching an episode from a favorite tv series or playing FIFA. :) My advice would be think on long term and try to play your A game every second. You should focus on your game not on your swings.
Charles Hawk: Are you good with handling money? Are you comfortable with the earnings you gain from poker?
What can you and can't you afford?
From my point of view I think I'm good with handling money I never spend more than I have and I try to save as much money as I can. I can afford to support myself, I have more then a decent life. For the moment I can't afford to buy my own house in Bucharest or to live like Dan Bilzerian :)
Charles Hawk: Do you value your education or do you think it was "waste of time"?
Gabriel 'gabry_00' Vlad: I value my education a LOT, to be educated is never a "waste of time". Also is very good to have more
alternatives in life because you never know what could happen and maybe you will be forced to take a job so you can
support yourself in the future.