It's a lesson quickly learned by every player that as a game of skill poker remains a game of frustration and swings that can drive you to a misspent hour in an Omaha game. Whether it's in those ring games on PokerStars.net or on the tournament tables of the latest weekly round two events it can be difficult to find consistency in your game, an ability to play at your best in each hand that's dealt to you.
But it can be done. Step forward Team PokerStars Pro Luca Pagano.
If you want to know how to be an all round solid poker player then you could do a lot worse than watching every tournament Pagano plays after his result at the EPT Dortmund last week set a new record for cash finishes - that's ten now for the Italian, a result that takes him to second place on the tour's tournament leader board behind fellow Team PokerStars Pro Bertrand "ElkY" Grospellier.
Team PokerStars Pro Luca Pagano
Pagano's EPT success began all the way back in season one in Vienna where a 14th place, followed by final tables in Deauville and in Barcelona that same year inked the Pagano name into magazines and cyberspace where they've remained ever since. His solid
Where his play lacked the flash recklessness of some of the games more publicity friendly players Pagano's strength lay in his sound knowledge of the game, steadfast patience and an ability to change gears, all of which resulted in more cashes in season two and three and a final table finish in last season's grand final in Monte Carlo. His sixth place in Dortmund takes his EPT winnings to $839,288.
Pagano also has the knack of keeping some perspective. After the misery of defeat in Germany he kept his disappointment to a minimum, his smile returning as his eye turned to the next EPT prize on the calendar, this time in his native Italy. San Remo host's the tour's next leg. Number 11 perhaps?
