On March 25th, Sao Paulo’s dowghsantostook second in the PokerStars Sunday 500, banking nearly 100,000 Brazilian Real, or $54,000. He just earned his $500,000 cash badge and is one of the most jubilant interviewees we’ve ever featured in a front page article. Well, if you were an up-and-coming poker player who has made two Sunday 500 final tables in a half-year, you’d be fired up too.

PocketFives: Thanks for taking the time to talk with PocketFives. Can you walk us through how the Sunday 500 played out for you?

dowghsantos: The Sunday 500 is certainly one of the toughest Sunday fields after the $200 Rebuy and $100 Rebuy, and that makes me even happier for the result. I was playing very tight early on and then got really deep in the middle, which made it easier for me to dictate the pace of the table. Unfortunately, I got short-stacked late, ranging from eight to 18 big blinds for hours until three-handed play. Although I find my short-stack game to be one of my heaviest leaks, I was able to play efficiently and I’m very happy for the second place finish.

PocketFives: We know you’re thrilled to represent Brazilin the poker world.

dowghsantos: Brazil is undergoing a constant evolution, with live and online poker champions springing up. Guys like Alexandre AllingomesGomes (pictured) and Andre aakkari Akkari have won WSOP bracelets, and many youngsters who started playing two to three years ago are now reaping the fruits of their efforts.

We have a great number of players between 18 and 22 years old learning and evolving and our online players are now more respected. Brazilians used to be known as calling stations, but now I guess the regular players respect us a little more. I’m glad to be part of this evolution and to represent my country.

PocketFives: This is your second Sunday 500 final table in about five months. What abut that tournament plays to your strengths?

dowghsantos: Although this is my second Sunday 500 final table, this MTT does not normally appear in my grid. I only play it through satellites or when I win some other regular MTT during the week. I think the deep structure and an aggressive image other players tend to have of me allow me to be able to stack up in the beginning. Moreover, there are a lot of satellite players (such as myself) who are used to playing lower stakes and tend to mess up in such a deep structure.

PocketFives: How did you get started in poker?

dowghsantos: Six years ago watching an EPT event on television. After I turned 18, I started playing live poker. In 2010, I decided to change my college graduation concentration, but had to wait six months for the change. During that time, Joao joao divino dorneles netoBauer created an online poker team called the Steal Team and I was his first staked player. The team now has more than 40 players, some of them already playing high-stakes. I have played for him and the team professionally since September 2010.

PocketFives: What would you be doing if you weren’t playing poker?

dowghsantos: If I weren’t playing poker today, I would have a degree in Computer Sciences and working on software or something linked to technology. I love math and logical reasoning; poker combines those two subjects well. You always have little time to think and reason. It’s something difficult to most people, so I guess I have an edge there.

PocketFives: Who is your favorite Brazilian poker player?

dowghsantos: Andre Akkari (pictured) for sure, not only for his results, but also because he is the main poker ambassador here in Brazil. He is a very charismatic person that 99% of Brazilians like and a fantastic human being who has worked for the good of poker in our country. He was rewarded last year with his first WSOP bracelet.

PocketFives: What are your thoughts on the Full Tilt Poker situation?

dowghsantos: It’s a very sad situation. When Full Tilt closed, I was playing low-stakes, so I was not very affected in terms of bankroll, but today, as a medium- and high-stakes player, I miss another strong option in the market. Monopoly is not good in any sector. I think if the site comes back, it will rival PokerStars again and I will surely play there.

PocketFives: Can you tell us a little bit about your live poker experience?

dowghsantos: I’m only 22 and this year will be my first in Las Vegas for the WSOP. From December 11th to February 12th, I played two WPT events in Prague and Venice and two EPT events in Prague and Deauville. I finished in the money in Deauville and ran deep in Venice.

It was a fantastic experience for me, as we don’t have live MTTs that expensive and with such deep blind structures here in Brazil. I was pleased to play live against top online players such as Chris moorman1Moorman (pictured), Moritz CatenaccioKranich, Steve MrTimCaum O’Dwyer, and many PokerStars pros.

I guess my short-stacked strategy in the Sunday 500 came much from the patience I developed during these live MTTs, where you can wait for the best spots to make the correct plays and not depend on luck to succeed. Although I have not had many live results so far, I have learned a lot; this Sunday 500 result may be a result of that.

PocketFives: We know you have a few shout outs to give.

dowghsantos: I need to thank my mom for believing in me, supporting me, and giving me time to develop into a poker player. Unfortunately, there’s a lot of prejudice and prejudgment toward poker as a profession in Brazil and having family support is a big advantage. My mom also plays poker in her free time, which is even more gratifying.

I would also like to thank Joao Bauer for inviting me to join the Steal Team project. I am honored to have been the very first player to join the project and proud to provide a return. My success would not be possible without the coaches, reviews, and everything else the team has provided to me. Another person I must thank is Rafael Lirola Monteiro, one of the players who contributed greatly to my development and evolved alongside me.

Visit PokerStarsfor more details on the Sunday 500.