Poker makes cash come alive. It jumps like a flea. In and out of pockets before you can even feel it brush alongside your never-regions. People have been fortunate enough to have millions land on their lap, and then…puff…it’s gone and all you have left is a whisp of smoke.
But amongst all of this madness there are a few people that cash sticks to. They take a step back and look at the bigger picture. They embrace poker. They love poker. But they are slow to push poker onto a pedestal. Ruben Visser is one of these people.
In March 2013, Ruben Visser, won £595,000 when he took down the European Poker Tour (EPT) in London; an event that he qualified for playing in an online satellite on PokerStars; a company that he once represented as the youngest-ever Team Pro.
For most poker players that windfall would have resulted in a top heavy World Series of Poker (WSOP) schedule; but not for Visser. Instead Visser has only been here for a week. He’s only here for one thing and that’s the Main Event. Everything else is just practice.
“I’ve been here for a week. I didn’t want to come out here for too long because of Dutch tax laws, and I also like the summer in Holland.” Said Visser.
To become great in poker, or life, you need to have discipline. Visser seemingly has it flowing through his veins. When he landed he fancied his chances in the $25,000 No-Limit Hold’em (NLHE) Six-Max event. He sold his action and was all set to go when he had a change of heart.
“I looked at the field and thought it was too strong to be beatable with our Dutch tax laws. I don’t expect to have a 42% ROI in that tournament, so I decided to un-reg and not play. It was a shame, because I really wanted to play. It would have been fun; but also stupid and arrogant at the same time.”
To make a decision like that takes a large slice of humble pie coated with a dollop of discipline. It’s this way of thinking that will make sure that Visser will be successful at anything he sets his mind too whether that be business, relationships or poker.
“As a Dutch poker player you really have to think about taxes. You really have to think about games that you can play in. This means that even in some games where you know you can beat the field, you have to let them go because of the tax situation.”
So why hasn’t Visser just fled the nest? He has wings…that boy can fly?
“I love my life in Holland. My whole social life and family is there. I don’t want to go anywhere.”
In order to make this decision, Visser, has to deal with his life and put things into an order of priority. It might be unusual for some to hear that Visser puts poker behind other aspects of his life. But I believe it’s this decision that will see him land at the tables as fresh as a daisy. If you put all of your eggs in one basket, and that basket breaks, there’s shit all over the place. If you don’t want shit everywhere then get some more baskets.
“When I quit poker I want to have money in my bank account. I don’t want to be broke and have a memory that I played in the One Drop for example.
“Once you have a certain amount of money in poker you don’t need much more. I compartmentalize a certain amount of money to play both online and live and it makes me hungry. If I had an insane amount of money online I would become complacent. You have to stay hungry. I think the best thing is to put some money aside. I have investments, stocks, hedge fund and my poker. I don’t want to touch the money that’s not associated with poker. It’s much better for me if I put money away and can see the results of my hard work.”
