Keeping it in the Family -- May Maceiras on Going Pro

Despite belonging to a minority within the poker world, and an even smaller minority in her own country, from the get-go May Maceiras has successfully earned the attention and indeed the respect of the poker community. The 28-year-old Senorita belongs to a family of thoroughbred poker players, and has primarily demonstrated her breeding in Spain with some remarkable results. She now looks towards a big win on the international felt.

Rebecca McAdam: Do you play in Europe much?

May Maceiras: Yeah I used to. I'm a sponsored player for Everest Poker and they get me to play as many tournaments as I can. So I play EPTs and many European tournaments, the World Series, and a lot in Spain as well.

RM: What is Spanish poker like at the moment?

MM: Oh It's bad (laughs). We're just growing up. We're really just born. We don't have as much history for example as America. One Spanish player said if he compared poker to football, Spain would be Mozambique.

RM: But you are getting there...

MM: Yeah, we are learning. We have some very, very good players, and every day the number of players increases. Our progression has been so fast and quite good, but we have a lot of work to do. I have to say I am a bad player myself, but when I'm in Spain it is fair to say I'm quite good.

RM: So, you make a lot of money when you're at home?

MM: I really like to play in Spain. It's a question of confidence - when I started to play I never felt confident because I'm a " little girl", and I criticise myself for having too many leaks in my game, but since I'm playing outside of Spain, and with big, big stars, when I come home I say, "Ok, I'm home, I'm used to playing with big players". My confidence got higher so I played better.

RM: Who are the good Spanish players then who you have played against?

MM: Mainly they are online players. They play very little live poker, and they play mainly outside of Spain. We play at the same tourneys in Spain sometimes and it's really good to play with them. There are a few very good players in Spain, but it's not the most common thing.

RM: At the EPT Prague there were a couple of Spanish players who made it to the business end of the money. There was Juan Maceiras, is he any relation to you?

MM: Yeah that's my brother! He left in 12th place.

RM: There was another player - Raul Mestre...

MM: Yes, Raul Mestre is one of the best players in Spain. He is the one who said that thing about Mozambique, which I mentioned before. He is mostly an online player, and well, he is just in another galaxy. He cannot be compared to another player in Spain, well not many. My brother is very good as well, but they have very different styles, opposites really. They are two of the most famous names for poker in Spain.

RM: How come there is so much poker in your family? Where did it all come from?

MM: Well, my Dad plays too. His name is "vietcong01". He won the Sunday Million twice, he wins a lot online. Yeah, we have quite a famous family, but I am the worst (laughs). My Dad wins a lot online, my brother wins a lot in Europe, and I win a lot in Spain.

RM: You're covering everywhere then. Was it your father who taught you?

MM: Yeah. Well, my Dad taught us when we were little, but he taught us five-card draw poker. It was just about three years ago when I discovered Texas hold'em with my boyfriend, and my boyfriend and I taught my brother. But with my Dad, it was just like a cosmic coincidence, because at the time we started playing hold'em, he started too, without saying anything to anyone. So, I came to my Dad's home once to tell him, "Hey, I'm playing poker, I'm playing online. What do you think about it? Are you alright with this?" and I didn't know how he would react. But when I got there I found him playing online.

RM: He didn't mind then?

MM: No, of course not. He is very happy at having his children play, and we speak a lot about poker, and we play together.

RM: What were you doing before poker?

MM: I worked in advertising. I have an agency in Spain, but I cannot do both things. I am travelling a lot and I have no time. So now I am mostly focusing on poker.

RM: You came third in the Women's World Open II final in London, so did that change things for you in regards to the fact that it was outside of Spain?

MM: I really liked playing that tournament, and it is because of that that I am feeling more confident. I really enjoyed that because I felt like I had the leadership on the table all the time. I think I did well, but I made two enormous mistakes on the final table - I folded very good cards twice, and that's why I finished third. I am angry with myself because I should have finished first, but I have already forgiven myself.

RM: Do you think it's just a matter of confidence?

MM: For me it is. I play very well when I am really very focused, and when I'm not focused I cannot play. My focus increases with confidence.

RM: What do you think your weakness is?

MM: That's it - my confidence. If I'm at a table with someone who I feel or can see is better than me, my confidence goes down, and that definitely affects my game. I really have to work on that.

RM: How do you work on it?

MM: I'm still working on it. I'm trying to find a way. I just try to remember those times that I played well, how I did, and how I beat better players than I, and everything I am capable of. I just try to think positively.

RM: What did you think of the women-only tournament format?

MM: It was quite surprising because the level was really high, and I wasn't expecting that - I have to be truthful. There were a few celebrities, for example there was a Polish celebrity, and she played really good. I really liked her.

RM: Some people think that if the player is a celebrity then they aren't going to be good?

MM: Yeah exactly, but she was. There were a lot of women who played really good and aggressive poker. I found a little competition in the beginning that I wasn't expecting. So, I really liked that tourney, it wasn't like the women's tourneys I am used to playing, it was better.

RM: Do you agree with it though, because ladies-only tournaments are often a controversial subject - some people feel that they are just another form of segregation and aren't necessary.

MM: I don't really think that. I think they're very necessary for poker. I always am willing to play any women's tournaments, and I will always be, because I think women are very important for the game - to normalise the game, and if there are women playing, it couldn't be bad. In Spain, we have this problem where people keep thinking that poker is a bad thing. So, it's really important for us to have girls playing, the more the better.

RM: Once that they play mixed events too though, right?

MM: Yeah, but the thing is that girls sometimes are afraid of playing mixed events, so they really need to play with girls, friendly games which can show them that it's not dangerous or anything. These women tourneys are the best chances we have for that.

RM: What do you think about women in poker, do you think that they should use their femininity or just trust their game?

MM: Here's the thing - when a player is a newbie, girl or boy, you really cannot tell the difference between man or woman, and when they are a very experienced player it's almost the same thing too. So, I think we really don't have any advantage or anything like that. Women are very observant, our sixth sense like they say. We are very observant, always looking. When a woman comes to a party, in the first five minutes, she can say who is with who and things like that, that comes from watching everything and everybody, and that is very useful in poker. I really think we can use that to our advantage, but men watch these things too, so I really don't think there are any differences.

I have to say though, when you are learning, the worst thing for a woman is we don't know how to manage testosterone. I mean guys are used to fighting each other, girls are not. That's why when a guy reraises, it's harder for a girl to fold, she feels attacked, and she can't work with it. A man has no problem with it, he can just fold, but girls take it more personally. But I think that with experience, women are able to manage that.

RM: What would be your advice for a woman who wants to start playing professionally?

MM: To a woman and to anybody, first of all you have to enjoy it. That's the most important thing to me. And then, if you are a girl, don't take it personally!

RM: What's next for you?

MM: I don't know yet. I'm working on my calendar right now. I should be playing at the EPT San Remo, but I might play events before that I don't know.

RM: Will you be in Vegas this summer as well?

MM: Yeah, of course I will. I will try at least. I really love that.

RM: Do you find there is a far greater number of women playing in events over there?

MM: Yeah. There are a lot of women playing. I don't know the percentage, but it could be like eight percent or something. In Spain, it's like five or three, sometimes less. The tournaments are expensive as well which affects the number.

RM: What player's do you enjoy watching or admire?

MM: I really love Gus Hansen. He is like my model to follow. I really like Phil Ivey as well... Patrik Antonius... Daniel Negreanu... a lot of players. I have to say I really like how my brother plays. I'm not able to do the things that he can do. I like a lot of players, but mostly the guys who play very aggressive - I think that's the key.

RM: How did you get your sponsorship?

MM: I was playing for three months when I won my first entry to a live tourney. I was the only girl there and they saw me, and said, "Who's that girl?" Later, I played in a women's tourney that Everest hold in Spain every year, and I finished third or something like that, and then they told me that they were making a team from Spain and were looking for players, and would like to interview me. So I went there with about 12 or 15 players and they liked me. So, I had been playing in a team for one year, and then the team was dissolved, but they kept me. They did this promotion where they had to get 13 players from the whole world, and now, me and Cristiano Blanco are like the ambassadors of the brand.

RM: How long are you signed up with them?

MM: Three years.

RM: Do you see yourself playing poker for a very long time?

MM: Of course I do. I think I will be playing poker all my life because I really like it. I don't know if it's going to be professionally or not, I don't like to plan my life more than six months, because one thing I've learned is that anything that can happen happens, so I live for the moment.

RM: What's your poker dream?

MM: I want to win something big. I want to win an EPT or a World Series bracelet or something like that ... the main event would be too much to ask for.