Q:Perry Friedman, thanks for your time and this interview, can you tell
something about your self, where you live and if you are married and have
children??
A: I live in Henderson, NV (suburb of Las Vegas) with my girlfriend and our
two
dogs.
What did you do for work before coming a pro poker player?
I was a software engineer.
Was there a point where you decided that you'd make a run at going pro?
Poker has never been my primary source of income. I began taking poker more
seriously around 1999 when I entered my first WSOP event, and I made my
first WSOP final table in 2000.
What poker books you have read??
Super/System,
The Theory of Poker,
Tales from the Tiltboys, and several
others, but most of the others were not very good so I won't mention them.
How many hours a week do you spend at a table now? And Online?
I don't play live cash games. During the World Series of Poker, I play live
(tournaments) almost every day, but the rest of the year, it's mostly just
online cash games. I play about 10 hours a week online, but that varies
widely depending on my travel and personal schedule.
Where do you play online?
Full Tilt Poker
what's your nickname online?
Perry Friedman
When you play, do you play more tournament or more cash games?
Live I only play tournaments, online I mix between cash games and Sit-n-Go's.
Who are your favourite or most admired players?
Chris Ferguson and Phil Ivey.
What's your favourite start hand?
Pocket A's (or rolled A's in stud)!
What's the highest prize money you have ever won?
$196,455 for my 3rd place in $2,000 No Limit in 2005. That was more than
when I won my Omaha Hi/Lo in 2002!
Did you ever played at the Amsterdam Masters?
I have not, but I might in the future. I hope to start playing in Europe
next year.
Is there a particular tournament you really wanna play and win?
The World Series of Poker Main Event, of course!
Have you ever stood up and flipped over a poker table because you were so
furious?
No. I don't really tilt much at the table. I'm pretty even keeled.
Whats the craziest thing you have seen at the poker table?
I've seen fist fights at $1-$5 stud games, but one of the weirdest things
was this year at the WSOP. There was a woman on the rail putting on makeup
for nearly 2 hours, and word had spread through the whole section and
everyone was watching her. The photographers were even taking pictures! We
had prop bets being proposed at my table throughout and when she finally
finished, applause broke out in the section!
What advice would you give to the people who are watching poker on TV and
playing online, hoping to go pro?
Have something to fall back on. It's not as glamorous as it looks on TV and
the ups and downs are pretty big. Make sure you can manage your money, and
your temperament. Test your skills online and work your way up. When it
comes to cash games, you probably need to play tighter than you are. Most
people play too loose. Remember, the money you make in poker is the money
you save!
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