Sometimes the effort and all the energy doesn't pay off in the short term, but in the
long run everything 🍇 will show up. Poker teaches a person many things, such as focusing
less on immediate results and more on the 🍇 processes themselves.
The Bratislava stop of
the Winamax Poker Open series attracted a number of prominent names in world poker to
🍇 Bratislava, including the Spanish professional Leo Margets. The owner of a WSOP
bracelet and a number of tournament successes exclusively 🍇 shared with us her
experiences of being part of the Winamax pro team, revealed what she likes most about
poker 🍇 and what she thinks is most important for eventual success!
To begin with, please
introduce yourself.
"I'm Leo Margets, a professional poker 🍇 player. Among other things.
I've been playing poker for about 16 years, so I'm probably an exception in this area
🍇 because most people my age don't play poker that long. As a person, I am very curious
and like to 🍇 learn new things. I think that's a good thing in this area because poker
players need to keep improving and 🍇 learning. The main reason I'm still playing is that
I like this lifestyle.''
What do you like most about the lifestyle 🍇 of a poker
player?
"I like that I can be my own boss. Poker is very meritocratic. Sometimes the
work doesn't 🍇 pay off in the short term, but it definitely pays off in the long run. So
it teaches a person 🍇 a lot of things like focusing less on immediate results and more on
getting things done. I also like the 🍇 freedom that this lifestyle offers. If someone is
responsible and has discipline, it is a perfect job. It requires a 🍇 lot of time, but you
organize it yourself. And I generally like to be out of the system and not 🍇 tied to any
company or anything."
In Bratislava at the Winamax event for the second time. How do
you feel here?
"Yes, 🍇 I am here for the second time. It's very emotional because I
usually play bigger events with a bigger buy-in. 🍇 But when I play these mass events with
people, some of whom are playing maybe their first tournament, the atmosphere 🍇 is
amazing. It's more fun than competition, although it's actually both. It's great when
it comes together. Sure, poker is 🍇 important, but those people also come here for the
adventure, even if they're not competing to win. Besides poker, there 🍇 are many other
activities. It's such a fun friendly event. And also when you're at a table with people
who 🍇 are new to poker, that feeling is contagious. And that's hard to achieve after all
these years."
Did you find some 🍇 time to see Bratislava?
"That's one of the downsides of
poker. Even though we travel a lot, we don't see much. 🍇 When I started, I always got up
to see more, but now I don't have time. But I hope to 🍇 make it right this year.”
How do
you feel about your position as women in poker? Do you feel like anything 🍇 has changed
since you started?
"When I started, 2008-2009, I thought that over time more women
would play poker as more 🍇 attention was paid to it and women knew how to get into it.
But now after all these years, there 🍇 is still the same percentage of women in poker,
something like 5-10 percent. There are different opinions as to why 🍇 more women don't
play poker. I think it's about preferences. Just as more women do nursing and more men
do 🍇 engineering, for example. It's fine as long as there are equal options for them. But
I never felt that I 🍇 was at a disadvantage in poker. Poker is simply meritocratic, a
person shows his worth while playing."
So you feel that 🍇 there is equality between men
and women in poker.
"Yes, I think so. We can have interesting debates about why men 🍇 are
more inclined to poker than women. That, for example, they have a predisposition to
have a lower "loss aversion" 🍇 than women, which is very important in poker. They are
more aggressive, they feel more confident under pressure. But I 🍇 think that's something
we're taught. The evolutionary part, when men were hunters and women took care of
resources, certainly plays 🍇 a role. Even today, our brains are somehow set up. But it is
clear that women who start playing poker 🍇 have the same opportunities as men."
I know
you won one WSOP bracelet. Can you say what is more valuable to 🍇 you, money or a
trophy?
“There's always a fine line in poker between a financial win and a
title/trophy. I play 🍇 poker for money, so that's what I focus on. But honestly, the
moment I won the WSOP bracelet was incredible. 🍇 You can play cash games and other
formats, but for me, tournament poker is the closest analogy to a competition. 🍇 And it's
more about the fame than the money."
What are your next plans? Do you have any goals
that you 🍇 still want to achieve?
"It's important to have goals in poker. But from my
point of view, they should be the 🍇 ones I have in my own hands. Of course I want to win
more bracelets and big tournaments. But when 🍇 I set goals, I focus on the things I can
control - study more hours, focus more. And it can 🍇 result in more wins. Winning a
bracelet is great, but it's more of a dream than a goal. I can't 🍇 control whether I win
the bracelet or not, but I can control how much I put in, how much I 🍇 study and
play."
Coming back to Winamax, what does this collaboration give you as an
ambassador?
"I am lucky to be in 🍇 such a team. The atmosphere is great, you get infected
by the positive energy of others. Poker is very individual, 🍇 when a person travels he is
often alone. I'm an introvert and I'm fine with it, but being a part 🍇 of something is
very satisfying. I spend time with very intelligent people, I have enriching
conversations with them."
The WPO Bratislava 🍇 stop is just ending, where can we see you
next?
"In a few weeks, I'm going to the same Winamax event 🍇 in Madrid. It will be
similar there, but people there are completely crazy excited, they are playing such a
tournament 🍇 for the first time, they will meet professionals at the table. This is
special about poker. There aren't many other 🍇 areas where a complete amateur can meet a
professional at the same table. For example, you can't go to a 🍇 tennis tournament if you
don't qualify. Anyone who has money to buy-in can play poker. And it's amazing that you
🍇 can play at the table together with the best players, meet them through the break. And
after Madrid, the last 🍇 poker trip of the year awaits me, the Winamax event in
Marseille. And then, as for December, I'm still undecided 🍇 about Vegas or the
Bahamas."
Leo, thank you and we wish you the best of luck in the future!
