On the buzzing PokerStars European Poker Tour in Prague, Felix “xflixx” Schneiders pauses to mirror on a whirlwind collection. The veteran streamer, coach, and PokerStars Crew Professional has spent weeks chasing a stay trophy—one thing that has eluded him regardless of robust showings. “I performed rather a lot this collection already,” he says firstly of the interview. “Just about each occasion I might. We’re going fairly exhausting after making an attempt to win a trophy for the stream as a result of we’ve been working for like half a yr with a coach to maneuver my recreation ahead.”
The exhausting work reveals. “It’s been exhibiting off as I had a deep run in Malta in the principle occasion for forty eighth place,” he explains. “That actually pushed me more durable now that I need to carry out.” Nonetheless, poker’s realities stay humbling. “Sadly it wasn’t meant to be,” he says, referring to his early bust on Day 2 of the EPT Fundamental. “I feel I performed very well. The spots simply didn’t go my method… I made one name that I’m not significantly happy with, but it surely was a troublesome spot.”
Regardless of the setback, Schneiders radiates optimism. “It’s good,” he says with a real smile. “Making Day 2 is all the time good.”
Reinventing the Stream — Going Stay, Actually
For over a decade, “xflixx” has been a fixture of the poker Twitch and YouTube scenes. However right this moment, his streaming appears very totally different. “For about three years we’ve been creating a stay stream for stay tournaments particularly. I used to stream solely on-line poker, however attributable to regulatory points we switched, and now we’re doing streaming only for stay poker.”
All of it started modestly and nearly accidentally. “I used to stream myself on the stay desk with simply my smartphone,” he says, laughing. “Then I took a buddy of mine from my neighborhood who began to movie me. After which we realized—OK, one man for 12 hours just isn’t gonna work. It’s an excessive amount of. So we began to repeatedly develop the staff.”
The neighborhood helped it flourish. “On the stay streaming scene it’s very cool… Lots of people need to assist. They see it’s enjoyable, they usually need to be a part of it. So we began constructing a staff that follows me round, filming and creating content material round what I’m taking part in.”
What began accidentally grew to become a ardour challenge. “I by chance went stay on a €250 event and nearly twice as many individuals have been watching as standard,” he remembers. “Individuals didn’t even have to see the playing cards. They only loved being a part of the expertise.”
Constructing a International Poker Group
Schneiders’ stream primarily serves German-speaking followers, however its attain now extends throughout Europe. “It’s designed to be only for Germans,” he explains. “Two-thirds of the viewership has all the time been Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg… However as we’ve been touring, we choose up extra folks. The French, as an example, are massive followers of the stream, although they don’t perceive a single phrase.”
The engagement goes past language. “Once I sit at a desk with somebody, all of a sudden their family and friends tune in. They share it with friends, they usually begin watching. It turns into a connective worldwide neighborhood.”
Learning His Personal Sport — Body by Body
Again dwelling, Schneiders turns his recorded classes into research materials. “We choose the related key spots and undergo them. My coach analyzes the technical facet, the GTO technique. However we additionally search for tells: who has an itch on their face, who fiddles with their chips. Once I’m sitting on the desk I generally don’t discover these issues.”
Working with coaches like Ben ‘BenCB’ Rolle, Schneiders found how stay tells and bodily conduct can reveal excess of solver output. “We picked up some actually cool stuff,” he says. “Like folks clinging to their playing cards—and it was aces. I didn’t see it in actual time, however we might on the footage. It’s a distinct type of evaluation than on-line poker.”
That course of has modified his play. “I’ve made higher calls or greater folds attributable to studying about tells. In fact, generally you go incorrect, but it surely helps rather a lot. And other people within the chat love recognizing this stuff, too. They touch upon them and use them for their very own recreation.”
Quick Video games and Enjoyable: The Spin & Go Spirit
Through the Prague pageant, Schneiders joined colleagues Nick Walsh and others on the new Stay Spin & Go tables—an idea designed to convey the favored on-line format into real-world play. “I really like them,” he says. “I used to stream numerous Spin & Gos on-line. I similar to the fast-paced format. It’s extra interactive; you work together with the 2 different folks greater than in a daily poker recreation. It’s full of life. It’s a very cool expertise.”
He remembers his first Spin & Go Championship fondly. “I performed final yr right here in Prague. It was numerous enjoyable. I solely lasted one spherical—I’d have liked to last more—but it surely was a lot enjoyable. We are able to do some nice content material at these tables, play with buddies, and simply get pleasure from. It’s a pleasant format.”
Adapting from On-line to Stay Poker
When requested what recommendation he’d provide on-line gamers making the bounce to stay occasions, Schneiders places numerous emphasis on mindset. “On-line may be very technical,” he explains. “Stay is a really human, interactive expertise.” His recommendation is easy: “Be extra social. Open your self as much as extra views on how folks see the world and the sport. Don’t keep in your GTO world; go on the market and expertise it.”
He sees stay success as rooted in notion and presence. “Stay is in regards to the really feel of issues, the power. Who’s tight, who’s free, who’s drained or distracted, who you set off… These items matter way more than GTO.”
That’s what makes stay poker uniquely rewarding. “There are such a lot of gamers who could be tremendous profitable in stay poker that wouldn’t stand an opportunity on-line. They miss all of the GTO stuff, however they know find out how to play their opponent.”
The Ache and Pleasure of Tournaments
After years in money video games, Schneiders finds the event grind extra fulfilling, and doesn’t hesitate when requested about which of the 2 codecs he prefers. “Undoubtedly tournaments. Regardless that they’re extra painful. In money video games, you win numerous classes. In tournaments, you bust 80 to 85% of the time. However the reward is a lot higher while you go deep.”
He nonetheless remembers his first win vividly. “It was a $22 six-max event. I gained $1,000, which was solely two buy-ins for my money video games again then, but it surely meant a lot extra. It’s not in regards to the cash. It’s in regards to the expertise. You outlast 250 folks. You’re the one in first place. It’s a distinct feeling.”
The Poker Dream in 2025 — Difficult however Alive
When requested in regards to the “poker dream,” Schneiders didn’t sugarcoat it. “Someone requested me not too long ago: at 29, is it too late to go poker professional?” he says. “And I instructed them, sure and no.”
He sees three predominant challenges: funds, mindset, and technique. “To change into a professional lately takes rather a lot: work, dedication, stamina, and keenness,” he explains. “When you don’t have ardour, you gained’t make it. It’s too robust. Solely perhaps 5 to 10 p.c of high professionals actually win.”
His recommendation? Begin small. “Begin as a pastime. Use the smallest stakes you may afford with out monetary stress. Construct slowly. Poker as a facet hustle works much better. Make it your ardour first, your career later.”
And that zeal nonetheless fuels him. “I simply attempt to share the love for poker,” Schneiders concludes. “It doesn’t need to be an expert pursuit. It may be a pastime, a facet ardour, an exquisite recreation. So long as you keep inside your limits and method it responsibly, it’s essentially the most stunning pastime on the planet!”
