Charles Hawk: First off, introduce yourself briefly to our community or to those who don't know you.
Bence 'requiem1989': Hello, my name is Bence, I’m 28 years old, playing poker for a living and I’m very happy with my life. I live with my fiancee, this year we’ll have our wedding. I love fishing, not only at the poker tables :)
I used to play hyperHU SNG’s, but when spin&go came I switched to that. Last year I was playing on ps.fr 100eur spins.
At the end of the year I got the opportunity to become a co-owner of a backing group in Hungary, and I took my shot. So I didn’t have too much time to play this year, I had to do business stuff. I started to play in April. I started with 30$ spins on ps.eu just to get back to my game, and I’ll move up on limits when I feel that I’m on the top of my game again. I’m not in a hurry, I want to make sure I am the most focused at the tables and it takes some time.
Charles Hawk: How did you become a poker pro? From which limit did you start playing poker professionally? Which year it was when you started playing with your first bankroll? How long it took to build sufficient bankroll for the limits you play now?
Bence 'requiem1989': I became a full time professional about 5-6 years ago, however I was a semi-pro before that for 5 years. I was making a few bucks from cash games during the university, I was living in a student hostel, and university was free for me, so I never had to worry about money. However I was doing a lot of things back in the days. I was at the university, I was making web pages, I was involved in a Multi-level marketing company, and I was playing online poker. Of course I did not have enough time for neither of those. I wouldn’t say that I was struggling with all of them, but I didn’t get the full potential from any of them. So I had to decide and pick one and I picked poker. Later it turned out, that this was one of the best decisions of my life, but at that time I felt it very hard, and frustrating. I only realized how hard is it, when we moved to a flat with my girlfriend, and I had to pay my bills from poker money (what I didn’t get too much at that time).
So during my semi-pro status I did try a lot of game types, but I found Turbo HU SNG so I started to play 15$ turbo to start my professional career in a small room I don’t even remember the name. I was not winning too much so I started to live from my savings and went down to zero. This was the time when everyone told me to go back creating web pages, to get a “normal job”, and make decent money. Luckily I didn’t hear those noises and I had stamina because I knew how much potential is in this game. So I joined a backing group, I put in a lot of hours to learn, I worked hard, and my results slowly started to go higher and higher and after 9 months I was playing 100$ hypers. After that I moved to ps.fr, and I did SNE 2 times in a row, and ~850K last year. I was playing Hyper HU’s up to 300eur and later spins.
Charles Hawk: What have you learned about yourself during your poker career?
Bence 'requiem1989': This is the most interesting part for me. First of all I changed my way of thinking. I realized that if I want to get results, first I have to improve, and become a better person, and get those habits that are going to put me in a good position. I started to do sports, and eat clean food to have the most energy and focus during my sessions. I spent a lot of money to seminars (Tony Robbins, Brian Tracy, Szabo Peter …) and I read every day. For me success is not about the big decisions, but about the small everyday things. For example: if I read facebook during session or just focus 100% on the game, if I watch television (I don’t even have one) or read a book, if I go running or not, if I talk to my fiancee or just playing poker like a zombie, if I live every moment with passion or just let things happen with me. I really feel I live a balanced, happy, fulfilled life and I’m very thankful because of this. The skills I did learn are not only good at the poker tables, but every aspect of my life. The key is constant learning and improving.
Charles Hawk: What would you prefer to grind more for a living if action would be equal: spins or husngs? Why?
Bence 'requiem1989': HuSNG is my answer. I suck at 3h play :)
Charles Hawk: Any reg war stories?
Bence 'requiem1989': Not much, I’m not in a “war”. During my sessions I don’t care whoever my opponents are, I just try to play the best strategy as possible from hand to hand. That’s all.
Charles Hawk: Tell me more about balancing poker with leisure activities. What do you like to do when not grinding? How are you maximizing your “life-EV?”?
Bence 'requiem1989': I have a yearly schedule by now. January is always for relaxation, renewing, setting goals for the year, and just take some rest. Usually we go skiing, we do some wellness, we hang out with our family and friends. After that comes 4 month of work From February to May. I work hard during those months with immersion. In the summer we move to lake Balaton, I work from there as well, but less and I have a small boat so I’m fishing a lot :) Friends and family are coming so we spend the summer with them, having fun. After that from September to December I work hard again. Of course this doesn’t mean we don’t do anything else. We have season ticket for a theatre, we love all sort of music, and I’m playing the sax in an orchestra, so we have concerts. We love hanging out with friends, doing all sort of activities (hiking, biking, scuba diving, running, or just going out in the night, and have a couple of beers). I love the way we are living, and I wouldn’t change with any. :)
Charles Hawk: Please tell me something about Hungary and its people, culture and cousine. Also about the 'must-see' places and experiences when visiting it?
Bence 'requiem1989': We have proper food, nice women, and spectacular nature :) You must see lake Balaton, it’s the absolute best. If you are here you have to try Cheese & Sour cream “Lángos” and drink a “Fröccs” !