Over the years, Silvio “silskyer” Costa has climbed his way up through the ranks, from playing freerolls with a tiny bankroll, to winning his second WCOOP title.
Costa took down the WCOOP 72-M in 2019 for $67k, then came back this year to claim first place in the 38-H for $57,121.
The tournament went well for Costa, though it was by no means an easy ride.
“When we were playing the final table bubble, I was top three and got coolered in a big pot. My stack ended up reduced to six big blinds. I entered the final table in ninth place and I was lucky enough to get the comeback I needed,” says Costa.
“It always feels great to win, especially on such important events as WCOOP’s where competition is fierce and prizes are so rewarding.”
The 38-H was a $1,050 event, a high buy-in by anyone’s standard. But it’s not always been that way for Costa. In fact, he started out from humble beginnings, playing freerolls to build up his bankroll.
“I started playing poker in college. At that time I didn’t have spare cash for any stakes at poker, so I started with freerolls and got a bankroll from there. After that I was playing 6-max SNGs, transitioned to 180 man SNGs till i really got into MTTs. From there, it was just a lot of hard work and dedication.”
Back when Costa was at college, poker was something of an easier game.
“Nowadays competition is tougher than a few years ago. There is a lot more information online and more people are getting serious about the game. In general, fields are becoming tougher and its been challenging to keep the game as fun as it used to be, but there are always new variants appearing, which is great for the game,” says Costa.
Newer players shouldn’t be disheartened by this. It’s still possible to build a poker career from scratch. According to Costa, it’s all about discipline.
“Lack of discipline is probably the main leak for anyone trying to make it. It’s important to be the most professional you can be about it. Poker is a great a vehicle to gain freedom in a lot of ways, but if you’re not serious enough about it, you might not get to that point.”
So, says Costa, “Work for your goals. Keep pushing. Don’t give up. Repeat. Focus on developing a good process. Results will come to you naturally.”
There you have it. Advice from a two time WCOOP champion. Stay disciplined, take it seriously, work on your goals, and you too could soon be standing in Costa’s shoes.
What do you think? Is it still possible to work your way up from the bottom of the pack? Is discipline the main leak for aspiring players? Pop us a comment and have your say.
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