You get the impression when you talk to Joao “jricardosc” Fernandes that he’s a sensible type, grounded by a job, ambitions, his Fiancée, a close family and great friends, who are there for him when he needs them; for the downtimes, but also the good times. Like when you win a Super Tuesday title. That’s when the 24-year-old decided to let his hair down a little, and jumped in the pool.
But then what are you supposed to do when you record your biggest ever poker win?
“It was amazing experience to make a final table and finish as well,” said Fernandes, who lives in Tubarao, Brazil, and played the entire Super Tuesday event on his iPhone. “I think that it was everything a poker player expects.”
It’s a spirit that many successful players share, a sense that whenever they sit down they believe they can win.
Joao Fernandes
It was certainly an attitude that has been working for him. While he is not a professional player — working for a transportation company while he studies for a degree in law – Fernandes plays mainly cash, but in 2014 found his tournament record improving and recorded his first live cash in the Brazilian Series of Poker event in Sao Paulo, turning it into something of a breakthrough year.
Fernandes taught himself to play poker in the typically modern way, reading books, using the internet and discussing the game with friends. It’s the type of foundation that most modern poker success stories emerge, and one that this week led to a $112,455 payday, and that brief swim.
“It was easy going into a final table because I’m usually calm and focused in my routine,” said Fernandes, who uses that same analytical brain to study law when not working or at the poker table. “I’m always trying to innovate my style of play, and balance my range.”
It’s a result that puts him in good stead ahead of the Turbo Championship of Online Poker, which gets under way later today (full details here). So if you want to take on “jricardosc” yourself, you’ll find him in the high stakes no-limit events, as well the pot-limit Omaha.
But for now it’s about drying off and appreciating what he has and what made it all possible.
“I would like to thank my Fiancée Ariany, my parents, especially my friends Arthur Damiani, Dieguinho da Bayuka, Gabriel Campos , Kalango, MaikonTel, my brother Nuninho_fla and everyone supported me.”
For the record, they didn’t jump in the pool with him.
Congratulations on a great win.
Stephen Bartley is a staff writer for the PokerStars Blog.
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