| NOVEMBER 3, 2009 - 6:55:24 PM PST |
MEET NOVEMBER NINER JOE CADA |
by: WSOP.com Staff
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As soon as he was old enough to play in the World Series of Poker, Joseph Cada hit the ground running. Cada entered in 13 events at the 2009 WSOP, cashing in two of them. He sits fifth in chips among this year’s November Nine and is poised to become the youngest WSOP Main Event world champion in history.
WSOP.com: What if any has been the biggest change in your life since making that final table back in July?
Cada: There hasn’t been a significant change in my life since making the final table. I live the same lifestyle still and continue to play around the same amount of poker.
WSOP.com: Take us through a typical day for you during the break between Main Even play.
Cada: Most of my days are uneventful. I wake up probably around 12:30 and start my day off basically being lazy around my house for a few hours unless I have stuff to get done.
I play poker a lot with the free time I get and depending on how well I am doing, I might play more/less poker. I play on two soccer teams and have been playing all my life and I’m a really competitive person.
WSOP.com: It was recently revealed that Jeff Shulman has enlisted Phil Hellmuth to help him prepare for the final table. Have you procured the services of a poker coach or training academy?
Cada: No I haven’t received any poker training. I’m very comfortable on my style of play, and have been playing professionally for a few years now. I have made a nice comfortable living off of poker. I have a bunch of friends that are really good so if I ever have questions about certain situations or tough spots I may save the hand and go over it with them later.
WSOP.com: Do you still play in local games? How do your opponents react to you?
Cada: I really don’t play in that many local games, the game has to be pretty big to gain my interest to sit down at a live table.
WSOP.com: How have your friends and family treated you since coming home with more than $1.2 million with the potential to earn much more? Any funny stories to share?
Cada: Often the final table is a subject of discussion in the down/free time. My family always talked to me about poker a lot before but not quite as much as now, but they always wonder how I have been doing and such. I have a nice car and house and a bunch of toys like Wave Runners and a Camper and so on, so I don’t feel the need really to spend any of the money as of now. I’m looking to invest a lot of the money back into poker and to start up a business in the near future.
WSOP.com: Was there one particular hand during the tournament in July that was instrumental in your becoming a November Niner? Could you describe how it played out?
Cada: I remember most of my hands but not too many stand out to me believe it or not. I won a few decent-sized pots but no huge one or huge double up. My most crucial hand was on Day 8 when my stack dwindled all the way from 8 million to 2.2 million and I knocked out Marco (Mattes) with 8-8 versus 5-5 preflop for about 1.6 million. I was very fortunate on how I ran. I didn’t take any terrible beats or even give out any. I tried to play good pot control and play most of all my hands in position to control the size of the pot.
WSOP.com: Heading toward November 7th, which is it that makes your heart palpitate more, the potential to win over $8.5 million, or that you will be playing at the highest profile poker table in history, in front of millions worldwide?
Cada: Ever since I remember, when I started playing poker I dreamed of winning the Main Event, but it always killed me because I was never old enough and knew the odds of actually getting there. Even if you are a great tournament player, the variance of big player field tournaments is extremely high. To be put in this spot now especially after my first year in the
WSOP, I’m very grateful and the answer would probably be both.
WSOP.com: Did you play with a chip protector?
Cada: No, I never really play with a chip protector, I normally just use one of my chips at the table to protect my hand and I’m not the type to believe in superstition or luck and only want my head to be focused on poker at the time.
WSOP.com: How confident are you that you can take down the crown?
Cada: I’m very confident in my ability to play, but then again playing so many tournaments and poker in general I’m very aware of what my actual odds of winning are. I would like to think they are higher then what they are, but they are not. You can only do so much to increase your ROI (return on investment). I would give myself probably 8 to 1 odds of winning it, given having 7 percent of the chips in play.
WSOP.com: Is there a player at this final table you fear the most?
Cada: Well I would prefer Ivey not to obtain a lot of chips but I think they are all good players and nice guys.
WSOP.com: Who is the one player at the table you feel you are most familiar with? And least familiar with?
Cada: Most familiar with probably Eric Buchman and least familiar with Darvin Moon.
WSOP.com: Have you been watching the Tuesday night telecasts on ESPN? What do you think thus far? Anything surprise you?
Cada: Always watched the telecasts even when I wasn’t old enough to play in the Main Event. I am really excited to see the later episodes when we are getting closer to the November 9 and see the hands.
WSOP.com: How many people are planning to attend your final table play at the Rio November 7-10? Does that make you feel more comfortable or more nervous?
Cada: I have too many to count that will be attending the final table. It will make me probably a little more disheartened if I go out early with all these people flying out, but it won’t affect my style of play or anything like that.
WSOP.com: Regardless of where you finish, the ability to beat out 6,485 players and receive more than a million-dollar payday is an incredible achievement. Have you been able to recognize that or is it simply about finishing the job now?
Cada: Yeah, I recognized that at the beginning of the tournament and knew what the odds of actually getting there were. Now I am very focused on finishing the job and plan on being at the top of my game with no mistakes.
WSOP.com: What is one thing you want the public to know about you that they may not from watching ESPN or reading stories about you?
Cada: I am a very easy going guy and don’t consider myself any different than any of my other friends. I was always really quiet in high school but have been extremely competitive my whole life.
Not many people besides close friends and family know the amount of time I invested in poker. Everyone always wants to start playing poker when they see my success, but they didn’t see behind the curtains. It is a very stressful game when you are trying to make a living off of it.
There have been times where I have gone through $100,000-$150,000 downswings in a matter of weeks. The most important thing that I have learned is don’t let it affect your personal life, and if it does, then don’t play.
WSOP.com: With winning the Main Event of the World Series of Poker comes the title of “Reigning World Champion of Poker.” Would you embrace the role of poker ambassador or is that something you would have a hard time with?
Cada: I would absolutely love nothing more then being the youngest to win it and embrace the role, even though I am very shy when it comes to cameras and such.
WSOP.com: Can you share the weirdest/funniest story that has happened to you since making the November Nine?
Cada: The only story I can think of is when I was back home I was walking through the Mall with one of my friends and someone yelled out my name saying they knew me. They asked for an autograph and picture and were about my age telling me they play poker. I think someone so average such as myself, to be kind of in the spotlight and have people recognize me is pretty crazy.
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