Here in just a few hours, I’m going to be re-starting the $10,000 Six-Max event at the WSOP. I’m currently third in chips. I’m looking to closing this one out. The $670,000 for first place would be great.
I finished fourth in two different WSOP events last year and was runner-up in another the year before. Really the only summer I didn’t do well at the WSOP was in 2010, the year after I won the Main Event. I didn’t adjust well enough to my new image and how people were playing against me after I won. It was hard to get away with certain things as I had before, such as playing an aggressive style. But I was able to adapt after that and have done decently at the WSOP since.
It’s hard to believe it has already been five years since I won the Main Event. Time really flies — it goes by so fast. The game has changed so much during that time, too. Back when I first started online, no one had any programs or these ways of crunching data, and it seemed like everyone was new and just learning the game together. Not many people knew what they were doing, either, and I remember going on a crazy upswing online just before the Main Event that year.
The edge online isn’t as big as it used to be, but I disagree with people who say action online isn’t there anymore. I see people making mistakes and losing money all the time, and there’s real benefit to be had from playing with an even keel and thinking carefully about every decision. So I’m still playing online a lot and constantly studying and trying to improve, because there’s still a significant edge there in my opinion.
Speaking of studying the game, another thing I’m looking forward to when I go to Vegas is teaching a WSOP Academy class, which I’ll be doing for the first time at the end of June. I’ve done a lot of teaching of friends and online before, but never something quite like this.
I feel like I’m a good teacher. I can explain my thoughts well and can communicate ideas in ways that are understandable. There are a lot of poker players who are better than me who aren’t necessarily great at explaining their thinking. I watch a lot of instructional videos and know that while the instruction can be good, the delivery sometimes can be very monotone or boring to follow. But I think I’m good at keeping things interesting and students engaged, and so I’m excited at this chance to try my hand at teaching a class.
I’ve always wanted to teach. I’ve also wanted to coach soccer. I find teaching others exciting and fun, and of course you learn, too, as you teach, which can make it even more enjoyable and rewarding. I’ll be teaching the class along with Greg Merson and Greg Raymer, so we’ll be a group of Main Event champs doing the instruction.
There’s a lot to look forward to this summer. Wish me luck at the tables, and in the classroom, too.
Joe Cada is a member of Team PokerStars Pro
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