At the beginning of November, Alexander Gerlach (pictured), better known as RedIceRapon PocketFives, took down the PokerStars Sunday 500outright for $77,000. The victory for the PocketFives strategy author, which took place on Double Vision Sunday, saw him edge out PokerStars member faza29heads-up and defeat every one of his 864 opponents. Gerlach calls Germany home and his victory was definitely worthy of a feature article on our site.

PocketFives: Tell us how you’re feeling. Can you walk us through how the tournament went for you and point out any key spots that came up?

Alexander Gerlach: I’m feeling just like everyone would expect: really, really happy. As far as I remember, I was the chip leader for almost the whole tournament. I kept chipping up and thought everything was standard until I looked at the lobby and saw my name up there. I was the chip leader up until the late stages and got slightly shorter later on.

At the final three tables, nothing really went my way and it got to the point that I was 16/16 and about to bust. I doubled up in a standard spot and, a few hands later, there was a huge key hand. At that point, I was 14/16 in chips. I raised with 25 big blinds with 10-10 from early position. The shorter stack I doubled up against before re-shoved and the big stack on the button re-shoved as well.

I was about to fold, but then I thought if they have like 2-2 to 9-9 or both have overcards and are stealing each other’s outs, then I simply have to call. I really was only worried about the big stack, who was pretty aggressive but could wake up with a hand like J-J+. So, I made the call. They had K-Qo and A-Qo and I was the chip leader of the tournament after my hand held. I went from zero to hero in two hands. Then, everything worked out my way at the final table and I won.

What was special in this tournament was that I was super patient and picked my few spots. I remember doing desperate shoves in other tournaments since I felt like I needed to gamble. I didn’t do that in the Sunday 500 and it worked, which means I probably should review a couple of older hand histories.

PocketFives: What are your plans for the money? Will it go back into your poker bankroll?

Alexander Gerlach: I have no big plans right now. I’m going to my first live event, EPT/WPT Prague, and a little more money certainly will help. I also have been saving money for an apartment and a car. Since poker is not a “sure” thing and there can be losing years, I want to be secure by having to pay out less for bills and such. I also give a lot to my mother, who always helped me with money and gave me my first few dollars to get started in poker.

PocketFives: What’s your live poker experience like?

Alexander Gerlach: I’m not that inexperienced in live play. I played a couple of times in my local casino and also went on a one-week vacation with a friend. We played tournaments and I got deep a lot. It didn’t really feel much different than online. I actually enjoy one-tabling online and enjoy the game in general, whereas many people get bored or impatient. So, I’m not sure if I will prepare or how I could prepare. I’m going with another German player who has been to many live events before and certainly will give me some valuable tips.

PocketFives: Why do you prefer one-tabling online? We think that would drive many PocketFivers insane.

Alexander Gerlach: That’s a funny story. When I got started, I played micro-stakes cash games on PokerStars and there was this guy with an ugly avatar that tilted me. I changed tables and he was there again. I didn’t know that something like multi-tabling was even possible! I thought, “He thinks I’m a fish and follows me wherever I go.”

Then, after poker got more serious for me in 2010, I found out that people play on multiple sites at once, which kind of shocked me. When I started in poker, I wanted to play real poker, but I couldn’t make good reads and bluffs while multi-tabling. It seems like, until recently, that multi-tabling never really was my thing.

PocketFives: Do you think one-tabling limits your upside?

Alexander Gerlach: I don’t think one-tabling is bad at all. Someone with a small-ish bankroll will go broke quickly if they get started by multi-tabling.

PocketFives: Tell us about your average Sunday.

Alexander Gerlach: On Sundays, I usually play all of the important tournaments. I use a rule that I only play $100,000 guaranteed non-turbo and $50,000 guaranteed turbo tournaments and all tournaments that don’t have that guarantee, but still reach it. On some Sundays when I don’t feel like grinding, I only play the Majors.

I didn’t feel that great the Sunday I won the 500 and wanted to skip that tournament, but since I didn’t want to skip a €300 FCOOP event on PokerStars.fr, I talked myself into playing the Sunday 500. It worked out obviously.

PocketFives: Tell us about the Germany pokercommunity. What’s it like, who plays, and how popular is it?

Alexander Gerlach: There are a ton of German players on all of the major online poker sites. It’s definitely popular here.

Visit PokerStars todayto play in this week’s Sunday 500. If you don’t already have an account, sign up through PocketFives to help support our online poker community. Plus, you’ll get a 100% up to $600 sign-up bonus.

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