Titan Poker Team Spanish Player Maria Cabaleiro

Maria Cabaleiro

Name: Maria Cabaleiro

Country: Spain

Maria Cabaleiro is determined to become the best poker player in Spain and prefers playing live tournaments. Her educational background is in advertising and marketing and she has been playing poker for almost a year.

Well done! You're officially the best Titan Poker tournament player in your country! How do you feel?

My feeling is that I want to become the best poker player in my country.

What do you like to do when your not playing poker?

I work in business.

What's your educational background?

I studied advertising and marketing.

How long have you been playing poker and how did you get started?

I just started playing poker about eleven months ago after watching my friends play because I wanted to understand the game. I started playing Sit 'n' Go online and after that I moved on to live tournaments. Now I am playing one live tournament a week and a lot more online.

What's your biggest win so far either live or online?

I am only playing in online low buy-in tournaments and the most money I ever won was 2500 Euros.

What's your poker philosophy?

Poker is very much a sport of the mind. This is why you must work on it daily, improve your game and learn how to get the most out of it. Focus on your observation, study, strategy, mathematics and hope for a stroke of luck.

How would you describe yourself?

I am a fighter, very tenacious, have a good work ethic and concentration. I would like to be more courageous and less stubborn.

What's your favourite music/movie?

I like all types of music, especially Celtic because it reminds me of my land. If I had to choose a movie it would be Ocean Eleven.

Which poker player do you aspire to be most like and why?

I think it is admirable that any player can reach world renowned status. One of these players that I like is Tony G, because when he is playing he transmits a comfort that I find surprising. As a woman playing in a sport that is dominated by men, I would also like to mention Annette Obrestad and fellow Spanish player Maria Maceiras.

Do you prefer online or live tournaments and why?

I enjoy both, but I prefer the live tournaments because they are more social and I can get a better feeling of the other players. You have the benefit of observing playing patterns that often say more than the cards themselves. Playing online tournaments gives me more freedom in my movements and I like the different playing options that are available. Therefore, I will continue to play both ways.

Any key moments you remember from the Titan Team Country Final Tournament?

It was after I got the maximum amount of chips and I played to keep that position until the end. For example, at the very end of the tournament I learned how to play my chips even though I didn't have such good cards. There was one hand in particular that marked a difference for me in my game play. The blinds were in 500 and 1,000, I was in first position (almost 40,000 chips) I raised to 4,000 with AK hearts, the second player (2nd in chips) and from what I know a great player, re raises to 8,000. I immediately went all-in, and after a while he folds indicating that he has JJ. This hand not only allowed me to take advantage of my big stack, but it also gave me confidence until the end.

Which tournament/country is first on your list as a new Titan Team member and why?

For my first tournament as a member of the Titan Team, I want to play in Spain. That is why I chose the CEP, which is a local tournament held in Spain each month.