Ricardo Caridade: “I know I'm no worse a player than I was in 2022, I'm better!” (Part 2)

In the second part of the interview, Ricardo Caridade talks about his grind routine and the essential strategies for success in poker. He discusses the differences between playing online and live, sharing his experience in live events, and reflects on how he deals with the challenges of variance.

How do you deal with variance? Have you ever experienced a long downswing?

It's certainly been a learning experience over the years. I've had a few downswings. In fact, I've had a relatively big one... At the time I wasn't yet a professional, I was semi-professional. It was before 2020 and I had a downswing for about a year, and around 30K. It was my first downswing!

Now, I've been going through another downswing for about a year and three/four months. It's been a learning experience. The best way to deal with a downswing is to control what you can do and what you can improve. In other words, the most important thing is to keep working in the same way or even better. I see downswings as times when I've worked the hardest. For example, 2022 went very well for me, and I didn't work 20% or 30% as hard as I did last year. So you have to get good things out of downswings!

I know I'm no worse a player than I was in 2022, I'm better! Downswings just happen and we have to know how to deal with them... and the best way to deal with them is to be present every day, to work every day, to keep the best possible routines, to do everything we can control. And everything else that isn't under our control, we have to deal with in the best way possible.Of course it's difficult, it's very easy to talk about... but it's much more difficult to go through them. However, above all, I see positive points in downswings and in all stages of life... So they don't just have negative or positive points, they have both. And that's a little bit of what I'm trying to overcome.

What advice would you give to level 1-2 players who want to get to where you are?

I don't think there are any great secrets. As I said before, work and resilience are, in my opinion, the greatest virtues for a poker player. Work as hard as you can, grind as much as you can and only then will you grow. I think that anyone, in any field, if they put in the work, dedication and study, will end up being good at what they do. Poker is getting harder and harder these days, so the only way is to work harder and better than everyone else!

What software or study tools do you consider essential in your training routine?

I use the GTO Wizard, a lot, especially now with the new AI tool and the post-flop ICM tool, which I think is really crucial for our evolution. And, of course, then you can manipulate the ranges you want the villains to have, adapt them... you have to be very critical. I use the GTO Wizard a lot. I also use Holdem Resources, but less often.

Tell us about your experience at the high performance center in Brazil. How did it affect your game?

My experience in Brazil has always been good, that's why I try to go more than once every year. The best experience was when I was there for two months in a row, when we basically had a month just studying and grind, but with more study components! Then we had the WCOOPs to play, when the study slowed down a bit, but it was one of the times when I evolved the most, when we breathed poker 24 hours a day! They're always great poker moments, where we all learn from each other.

So my experience there is very positive, are always the times when I've evolved the most in my game, because I'm surrounded by people who know a lot about the game and who, of course, can bring a lot of benefit and a lot of evolution.

Although these are times when I've evolved, we're more into grind and not so much study. As much as there is study, study outside the classroom is much more intense. But, as a general rule, my whole experience in Brazil has been very good.

Review Documentary “More than a Game” recorded in the High Performance Center in Brazil

What's the biggest thing you've learned from poker so far?

It's difficult, I have several that I took. I'll end up repeating myself again, but I think it's really more important. And it's the resilience it takes to succeed! I've always been a very resilient person, but if I thought I was resilient before I met Poker, now after everything I've been through during my career, I think I am. was one of the things I evolved most.

It really takes a lot of strength, a lot of will and a lot of dedication. And to be mentally prepared for it! So I'd say that resilience is the most important thing for me. 

What are your goals for this year?

Lately I've had a goal: improve my sleep - is my Achilles tendon, I find it harder to have a good sleep routine, so that's one of my main goals.

Then I want to keep up my exercise and diet routine, which is sometimes difficult to achieve, especially at times of live tournaments. So now it's time to stick to the routine until the end of the year. These are the main objectives. Another goal I have is to overcome this downswing and reach level 7.

Let's do it, Charity! Thank you very much for taking the time to answer all the questions. Keep up the excellent work and dedication that characterize you so well as a player, coach and person.