A Polymtah is a person whose expertise spans a significant number of different subject areas and it is also the partypoker alias of a certain Luke Slisz, who is the subject of this week’s Meet The People.
Luke first discovered poker back in 2008 when a friend of his took him along to a £3 rebuy tournament being held at a student bar and was instantly transfixed by the game and wanted to learn everything about it. Soon after, Luke signed up to partypoker where the Polymath alias was unveiled and once he’d graduated from University, poker became Luke’s focus in life.
Prior to becoming enthralled by poker, Luke had dreams and ambitions of being a successful musician and the plan was to use the money won from poker to fund a lifestyle that allowed him to spend more time making music. However, as he’s become part of the poker community and become a winning player, Luke’s happy with how his life has progressed.
“Now that I am a big part of this community, it has become central aspect of my life. I have new dreams now, I am a different person who likes to brew beer and study spirituality, so I wouldn’t change a thing.”
First big online poker victory
Everyone remembers their first big poker win and Luke is no different. However, it wasn’t the fact he’d secured a four-figure payday for beating 209 opponents in a $33 buy-in six-handed tournament that stood out the most, as Luke explains.
“The most rewarding thing about it was simply how well I played, I was making three-bet bluffs and ace-high calls despite being an amateur at the time.”
Next on the poker bucket list for Luke is that illusive five-figure score, which he would add to his poker bankroll when it comes along, giving him the freedom to play higher stakes and providing him with the funds to make it as a professional poker player.
While Luke believes that the standard of play has improved across the board in recent years, in theory making it more difficult to be successful and achieve his goals, he does have a great outlook on the game in general.
“Poker it is profoundly a game of experience, you have to study it like any other practice but the more experienced player will naturally have an advantage over others. But success is different for every player, someone who’s just likes to play for fun succeeds through his own entertainment. There are those who yearn to cash in a tournament and those who strive to win, so money and success is entirely relative.”
Indeed it is.
Being a partypoker regular for several years now and having played a few thousand multi-table tournaments, Luke is well-placed to offer his opinions on the site and how partypoker is developing. Citing familiarity of his opponents and the tournament structures as a key reason for his brand loyalty, Luke also sings the praises of the partnership with Dusk Till Dawn.
“To see partypoker making new developments and a partnership arise with Dusk Till Dawn has made me more confident than ever before in the site’s progress. I believe it has been a huge success. It has attracted a new breed of players and the tournaments have a unique structure which generates plenty of action. It also opens doors to the WPT500 and WPT Main Events so I am really excited to start competing in satellites for big UK events.
“The UK Community page has been very fruitful, creating a close link between the people at partypoker, the people at Dusk Till Dawn and the people who play, altogether shaping a sense of individuality and of course – community.”
We rounded off our interview with Luke by asking him for three tips to becoming a successful poker player. He said:
- Emotions: Understanding your emotions will help to dissolve negativity
- Be happy: Happiness is being able to live in the moment
- Love the game: When you love what you do, you will never have to work a day
If you would like to tell your poker story to the partypoker community, hit us up on Facebook or Twitter and we’d be delighted to talk with you!
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