{"id":115137,"date":"2024-12-06T14:32:48","date_gmt":"2024-12-06T13:32:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/polarize.poker\/?post_type=news&p=115137"},"modified":"2025-02-12T14:17:55","modified_gmt":"2025-02-12T14:17:55","slug":"hugo-martins-head-coach-team-cash-da-polarize-poker","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/polarize.poker\/en\/news\/hugo-martins-head-coach-team-cash-da-polarize-poker\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cPensar bem o jogo faz-nos ter uma vis\u00e3o intuitiva que nos faz tomar boas decis\u00f5es, e o poker \u00e9 um jogo de decis\u00f5es.\u201d \u2013 Hugo Martins, Head Coach Team Cash da Polarize Poker"},"content":{"rendered":"

Hugo Martins<\/strong>, Head Coach of Polarize Poker's Team Cash, is an inescapable figure in national poker. With a career marked by overcoming obstacles and achievements in cash games<\/strong>, in this interview, Hugo shares his journey, the challenges of the game and his vision as a coach. Get ready to learn more about the mind behind some of today's most promising players.<\/p>

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Career and Achievements<\/strong><\/h2>
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What made you start playing poker? And why the cash game format?<\/strong><\/h3>

I started playing about 15 years<\/strong> in those home games<\/em> among friends. It was special because the game already showed a complexity<\/strong> que nos prendia horas e horas, e tanto eu como os meus amigos ador\u00e1vamos o \u201cjogo\u201d.
After a while 2 years<\/strong>, I started playing a bit of everything online and was already making a few bucks. In 2015\/16, when online poker was banned in Portugal for a year, I started playing live cash<\/strong>. This format adapted to my way of being, I didn't spend so much time at the tables and I pulled myself up by my bootstraps. creativity\/intuition<\/strong>.<\/p>

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How would you describe your path through poker to becoming Head Coach of Polarize's Team Cash?<\/strong><\/h3>

Overcoming<\/strong>, my own expectations.<\/p>

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What has been the most memorable moment of your career so far?<\/strong><\/h3>

I have 2.
1\u00ba \u2013 Quando deixei de trabalhar, pois foi quando senti que era capaz de superar todos os desafios que o poker me iria trazer.
2\u00ba \u2013 Quando entrei na Polarize como Head Coach da Team Cash, senti recognition and respect<\/strong> for the work and the journey so far.<\/p>

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You have well-known nicknames like \u201cStitCx\u201d and \u201cOvalete\u201d. Is there a funny story behind why you chose these names?<\/strong><\/h3>

AHAHAH, por acaso n\u00e3o. \u201cStitCx\u201d \u00e9 um school name<\/strong> e \u201cOvalete\u201d n\u00e3o tem mesmo significado nenhum. Tenho outros com os nomes dos meus pets<\/strong>.<\/p>

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Achieving impressive results up to NL10k and NL20k is a huge milestone. What do you consider to be the main factor that led you to reach this level?<\/strong><\/h3>

Stubbornness<\/strong>, competitiveness, curiosity and resilience<\/strong>! Being stubborn made me work harder than almost everyone else. I didn't want to be left behind and my personality<\/strong> helped me with that.
Competitiveness<\/strong> made me not give up at the worst times and believe that I could always go further.
Curiosity<\/strong> helped me to apply effective study methods, copying some of the players I admire, such as Arise<\/strong>, and nowadays also students.\u00a0<\/p>

Work and resilience<\/strong> are a reflection of these characteristics. To do this, you don't just have to want it, you have to want and to do, every day<\/strong>.<\/p>

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\"Gr\u00e1fico<\/figure><\/div>

Graph of the last 3 years Athlete Hugo Martins<\/p>

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Strategy and Grind<\/strong><\/h2>
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What are the biggest challenges facing cash game players today?<\/strong><\/h3>

As there are a number of situations happening such as increasing rake payments<\/strong>, these are rooms that are very detrimental to the regulars who work and to the natural development of the players. I have little doubt about this and I pass this on a lot within Polarize: to be a regular of average quality is to be in the \u201clinha vermelha\u201d<\/em><\/strong>, I think that in the medium term this type of player will either realize that he has to evolve or he will stop winning.<\/p>

Within Polarize, we'll never give up on this type of player, those who work, of course, and we've been working hard on this. details with these profiles<\/strong>, this has already given super encouraging results. On the positive side, if the average regulars don't hold their own in the field<\/em>, the tables will be softer and the recreational\/regular ratio will be higher. It's important to look at this from both sides: the negative and also positive<\/strong>.<\/p>

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In your view, what distinguishes a good cash player from a truly excellent one?<\/strong><\/h3>

Without a shadow of a doubt, the way understand the game<\/strong>, how you interpret it and how you adapt it. Thinking the game through gives us a vision intuitive<\/strong> that makes us make good decisions, and poker is a game of decisions<\/strong>.<\/p>

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How do you stay motivated and focused at the highest limits, where the pressure is enormous?<\/strong><\/h3>

The pressure brings me motivation<\/strong>, It just comes naturally. What motivates me the most? Defining and redefining objectives<\/strong>.<\/p>

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How do you prepare yourself mentally and technically for demanding games like the higher stakes?<\/strong><\/h3>

AHAH, I have a few secrets. Mentally<\/strong>, I always try to rest well; you can feel when you're well. Technically<\/strong>, in some games, it's always the same players, but you also have to play well. solid with well-defined strategies<\/strong> makes us almost unexplorable, and that's always our base.<\/p>

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What advice would you give to players who are just starting out in cash games and aspire to reach the highest limits?<\/strong><\/h3>

That the dream is possible<\/strong>, but only at work. I often say that a poker player is a elite athlete<\/strong>, If you want the dream, you have to work that way. Don't try to achieve results quickly, it causes too much anxiety and frustration<\/strong>. Never think you know everything.<\/p>

<\/div>

Role as Head Coach<\/strong><\/h2>
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Como est\u00e1 a ser a tua abordagem como Head Coach da Team Cash Games?<\/strong><\/h3>

Humm\u2026 Temos um well-defined coaching plan<\/strong>, and there are a few secrets too. The players know what the plan is and the path to take, and so far it's going great. We only have one way: to work brilliantly in order to get results, and this only works for those who work hard<\/strong>!<\/p>

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\"team<\/figure><\/div>

Head Coaches Team Cash<\/p>

<\/div>

What differences have you brought to coaching?<\/strong><\/h3>