PokerSchoolOnline Live Tour

NewJane Interviews CC5318, the Top PSO Finisher at the $300+$30 NLHE Event at the Peppermill in Reno

NewJane: Congratulations on your excellent finish at the Live Tour event! Tell us about the event that qualified you for the Live Tour Final tourney next year.

CC5318: This was the $300+$30 NLHE Event at the Peppermill in Reno during their Fall Poker Tournament. Starting chips were 4000, blinds at 25-25, and 30-minute levels. Four other PSO'ers, and 193 unknowns entered this event. I was seated in my LEAST favorite seat at the table, #1 (right next to the dealer). It is my least favorite because reading other players is a HUGE part of my B&M NL game and I just cannot see as good from this seat.

NewJane: Tell us some interesting facts about your life, such as place of employment, family matters, hobbies, or educational background.

CC5318: I work for the Carson City Sheriff's Department in Carson City, Nevada. I am assigned to the Patrol Division, meaning I drive a "Black and White" on a daily basis. We are single person units so I do not have a partner.

I am recently divorced (for the second time), but poker had nothing to do with it. We started as friends and finished there. I have 3 children, 14, 12, and 4. Oldest is a boy and the other two are girls. My son lives with me, and the girls live with their respective mothers.

My hobby is learning to ride horses with my new girlfriend Evynne (pronounced Evan). I don't list poker as a hobby because I believe playing at a semi-pro level goes beyond a hobby.

NewJane: Give us a little glimpse into your poker background. How long have you played? Do you prefer online play or live? Where is your favorite place to play live? Do you like tournaments or ring games? What is your game of choice?

CC5318: I started playing poker in the Army when I was 18. 5 card draw was the first game I learned. Later I played at Harold's Club in Reno in January 1988, on my 21st birthday. Originally I played 7 card stud, then I switched to Texas Hold 'Em in 1997. I began playing NLHE in 2002. I am a member of the "E-crew" at Ultimate Bet. I have been on the crew for about 8 months now.

Live play gives me an advantage because I get a chance to watch my opponent, BUT online taught me how to read boards, use position better, and study betting patterns; plus there is always a game. I like them both equally.

My favorite place to play in Reno is at the Hilton, my favorite place in Las Vegas is the Bellagio which is hands down the best poker room in Nevada.

I have made much more money in the last 2 years playing tournaments vs. ring games; but the ring games have kept my bankroll growing in between wins.

NewJane: How long have you been a member of PSO?

CC5318: I joined PSO after the 2003 WSOP. I went to the WSOP thinking I was a "player". I quickly discovered I had a lot to learn!

NewJane: What do you think was your greatest strength in the tourney? Your biggest weakness?

CC5318: My greatest strength is my ability to be patient in early rounds and not put chips in the pot with marginal hands.

My biggest weakness is losing focus in between hands when I am not involved.

NewJane: Do you remember any key hands you want to tell us about? Positive or Negative outcomes…

CC5318: Level 3 (blinds 50-100), when on the button, I picked up 2 red 6's. I limped along with 4 others and we took a flop of A-6-3 with 2 spades. First player to act bet out 300 in to a 450 chip pot, a VERY loose player raised to 600, all others folded to me. I knew the raiser had very little based on how he put in his chips, and that he would also call with any flush draw. I elected to just call. The original bettor also called, the pot was now 2250. The turn brought the Jack of spades. All players checked to me, and I checked as well. It was obvious again the loose player hated the flush card…BUT the first player to act really liked it (facial expression). I checked behind them. The river was another Jack. The first player bet out 500 making the pot 2750. I was trying to figure out just how much he would call with his flush. After about 30 seconds I made it 1000 more. He instantly called and showed his spades. I took down a very nice pot which nearly doubled my stack.

Level 6 (150-300 w/50 ante) I flopped 2 pair from the BB in an unraised pot. I led out with a pot sized bet in to 4 other players. All folded to the cutoff who raised. I had him covered, and his expression told me he was not happy with his hand; so I moved all in on him. He looked disgusted and said, "Oh well, you can't be in forever" and called. He showed top pair, Jacks. I had him drawing to 5 outs for all his chips…PERFECT. The turn was a blank. The river did not agree with my mathematical edge and gave him one of 2 remaining Jacks to give him trips and the pot, and sent my stack down to 2200. Had I won, my stack would have been over 12,000 making me one of the leaders; instead, I was forced to revert to short stack strategy.

NewJane: What are some of the differences you notice in online play as opposed to live play?

CC5318: The number one difference is the trash talking. People say things online they would never say to a persons face. This is why my chat is generally turned off when I play online, with the exception of PSO.

Online players also make much looser (and generally poorer) calls. I think it is because they don't actually have to handle the chips and put them in the pot…it is just a mouse click. You also see many more people playing any ace and any 2 suited cards. Ironically, these are usually the same players who claim online poker is rigged when their Ace-little or 9-5 suited gets beat by quality like AK or AQs.

NewJane: If you could have dinner with any current poker tourney pro, who would it be and what would be the question you would ask first?

CC5318: Howard Lederer. How have you continued to be successful in tournaments year in and year out, despite ever growing fields?

NewJane: What poker books have helped your game?

CC5318: Dan Harrington's first book, "Harrington On Hold 'Em: Expert Strategy for No Limit Tournaments"; Tom McEvoy and T.J. Cloutier's book, "Tournament Poker", and of course, Doyle Brunson's book, "Super System".

NewJane: What new poker games are you interested in learning?

I am still striving to improve my No Limit Hold 'Em game, no other poker games interest me at the moment.

NewJane: Here is your chance to address anything I neglected to ask that you are dying to share.

I recently won an all expenses paid trip (via super satellite) to the Howard Lederer Reality Poker Camp starting December 1st. I am looking forward to playing with and learning from my favorite pro.

Finally, I was very successful at online tournament poker in 2004 winning in the mid 5 figure range. I won trips to the WSOP main event and the WPT in Aruba. I did not cash in either event, but did turn a nice profit in the ring games. 2005 has been a very hard year. I have been running bad and losing more than my fair share of races. Despite the poor run, I am still ahead for the year in the 4 figure range. Further proof that solid play gets the money, year in and year out.

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