I have snuck into this streamer’s stream a few times and I am glad that I have met him in one of the other streams I am a frequent watcher of. That is where I have found so many amazing streamers, like this streamer. He is funny, charismatic, and interesting. And his name is amazing! I am a lover of tacos and I used to love watching the Smurfs when I was a kid. So let me introduce you to this guy who has brought two of my loves together in his name.
1. What is your Twitch name?
It is TacoSmurfz currently, but my name has evolved many times over the years to become this final iconic name.
2. Is there a special reason you chose that name?
Yes! I chose this name to honor a Streamer from the mixer days who got me into streaming originally who has now passed away. CrankyCanuck was a great streamer, and Taco Farmers union was something unique to his streams. I wanted to do something to honor his legacy and memory after he passed away, and with that I created the Taco Farmers Union Xbox Community and changed my long time gamer tag from BrokerSmurf to TacoSmurfz. I also have a love for the Smurfs, so I blended these loves together into a gamer tag which I then choose to use as my brand 🙂
3. Why did you become a Twitch streamer?
Mostly to have friends to game with, to keep memories of great gaming moments, and time spent with friends. But after spending almost 2 years in the Mixer & Twitch streaming communities, I have come to truly love the streamer lifestyle and some people who devote their time to such a great passion and hobby. Streaming has been a great way to boost my mental health and emotional levels. 🙂
4. Why did you choose to stream on Twitch and not another streaming platform?
Originally I started on Mixer, but after it shut down anybody who knew better came over to Twitch. Its awesome here. I really couldn’t imagine using another streaming platform currently. The Twitch community has been such a warm and amazing place so far.
5. How long have you been a streamer?
I recently have decided to stream on a regular schedule a few months into 2020 and make it an almost daily part of my routine, but I have dabbled in the streamer communities for just shy of 3 years now 🙂
6. Do you only stream or do you have another job? If you are comfortable in telling my readers, what is your other job?
I am hoping some day that I can make streaming a full-time hobby and eventual career, but in the meantime I work in the food service industry as a Line cook for a large Canadian restaurant chain. Because of possible legal issues, I would prefer not to say the company name. 😉
7. What are your favorite games to play & stream?
I have an undying love for Texas Holdem that is unmatched. I am a semi professional Poker Player with about 10 years of experience under my belt in the game. So I stream a lot of Play Money and Real Cash Money games; I am a member of PokerStars and ClubWPT and when my computer is willing, I stream a variety of sit & go cash games and tourneys. I grew up to First-person shooters and Racing simulators as well, so aside from poker I tend to stream a lot of those and EA NHL Hockey, various zombie shooters, and classics like Tetris and older games. Currently, I am streaming from a Xbox 1 console as our household has a streamer PC built. 🙂
8. Do you only stream games or do you stream anything else?
I am without a webcam or Performance PC/laptop currently, so streaming anything other than off my Xbox has been a challenge. Eventually, though, I would really like to do regular streams about my love for my pets and the outdoors. I have a complex history and affinity for Fancy Rats and have many of them as pets. I feel like they deserve to get a bit of recognition for their amazing love and intelligence. I have even thought about setting up a few different cams in the future in the rat cages, sort of like 24/7 rat cams. 😀
9. Do you have any games you would recommend my readers to play, and why?
I am not one to make Recommendations very often, bu8t if I was to give your readers and Followers one game recommendation it would simply be to try Texas Hold em. It is an addicting and exciting game and can be very rewarding with a bit of study. I have paid my rent and bills many times over the last 10 years playing small stakes cash games and single table Sit and go games. There are so many variations of Poker that there is a bit of something for everyone and every skill level. Just remember to play tight and aggressive until you get a good idea of the basic math involved!!
10. Was it hard to talk to your viewers when you first became a streamer? How long before you became at ease with streaming?
At first, it was more learning to fill the dead air and just talk to a microphone. I had to really learn to break out of my comfort zone and not be afraid to fail. Talking to dead space at first feels strange and hollow, but you get comfortable with it over time. I spent a lot of time feeling awkward as I tried new things and different ideas, knowing eventually I would actually have someone there to talk with. Even now, I am still a camera virgin as I am still in line to add a WebCam to my streams, but I am looking forward to those future awkward few hours in front of one for the first time. I know it will be just as rewarding and an upward learning curve as it was to get that microphone vibing. I think most new streamers experience something of the sort. Don’t be afraid to try new things or fail.
11. Would you like to tell my readers anything else about yourself or about your Twitch channel?
First and foremost, I am a loving and dedicated husband and pet owner. My Family, pets, and friends come first. I also have professional experience in the field of SEO and Social Media Management & Administrations.
I love to meet new people and help teach people about poker and introduce people to the Wonder of Pet Rats.
12. What are the links for your Twitch channel and any other channel you would love my readers to know or follow?
“TacoSmurfz” gets Google results for those with a peaked curiosity. All of my links can be found there, Aside from my YouTube and Twitch, I have a plethora of various socials and pages. https://www.twitch.tv/TacoSmurfz Twitter: @TacoSmurfz
Learning more about TacoSmurfz has been a lot of fun. Chatting and watching his streams have been a definite highlight now that I have found him. Fancy rats, games, and being a nice guy who is keeping another streamer’s legacy alive through his streaming name makes TacoSmurfz a great streamer. Come join us in his stream and chat with us about his games and if you would like, about his super cute Fancy rats. I really hope that he does set up cams in the rat cages, too. It will be fun to watch the rats and his stream at the same time.