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| 15 Outs ... One Time! |
| It's Shronk Daddy. It's 15 questions. It's all the poker knowledge you can handle |
| Featuring : David Benyamine |
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David Benyamine is going to continue killing the cash games in the U.S., and there’s nothing we can do about it. We’ve tried enticing him with tournament success (two WPT final tables, one WPT title), we’ve tried telling everyone to play on the Internet (so, um, yea, he got on the Internet and killed everybody there too), and we even tried getting him DEPORTED [in 2004 he was deported for: a) having a similar name as someone on a terrorist watch list, or b) not having a work permit]
So, guess what guys, we’re just gonna have to learn to live with him, cuz he’s not going anywhere. |
JustinShronk: I’ve been leading off every interview with this question – what is your take on the whole WSOP main event final table delay?
DavidBenyamine: If I make the main event final table, it’s [the delay] not going to upset my life very much because I live in Vegas, however, it will be a little hard for people that don’t live here. I think it is going to be a huge advantage to the amateur players, and will even the playing field for the final table. |
JS: If, after the final table is set, one of the final nine players (a total amateur) approaches you and asks you to be his coach, is that something you would be interested in doing? Also, this year is unique in that there is no precedent for what kind of compensation the pro/coach should get for their services. What do you think is a fair deal – 5% of the guy? A flat fee? Some other more creative business deal? Basically, what would it take for you to say, “Yes, I’ll coach you”?
JG: I don’t think I would be interested in coaching someone, for a couple of reasons. I like to do things 100% and I don’t feel that I would be able to put the necessary time into it. I also don’t think the person would be interested in paying me what it would take for me to put the time into it. |
JS: You play a LOT more cash games than tournaments, and with the field sizes today it’s so hard to win a bracelet. Is winning a bracelet something that’s important to you? If so, have you put any extra time in as we approach the Series to try to get some of that tournament feel back into your game?
JG: Winning is important and playing your best is important. You just need to play your best and not necessarily be “bracelet” orientated. In the long run, doing your best will pay off. |
JS: Bluff Magazine and a few poker bloggers have been coming out with their “Best Player to Have Not Won a Bracelet” lists. Most of the guys mentioned are people you’ve played with a TON. I’ll give you some of the names on the list, and you tell me who you think has the best chance to win a bracelet this year (and no, you can’t say yourself or Erica): Patrik, durrr, Lindgren, Gavin Smith, The Grinder, Gus, JC Tran, Nam Le, Roland de Wolfe, OR someone else that I didn’t list?
JG: I don’t want to name a specific person here. There are a lot of really good players out there that haven’t won a bracelet yet. I really don’t know who is favored over whom among those names as far as winning a bracelet. It really depends on the amount of tournaments they play and the luck factor. It is too hard to answer now, but check back with me at the end of the Series.
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JS: What are some of the big adjustments you have to make in your game when, instead of a table of Doyle, durrr, Patrik, Barry, and Ivey, you’re playing a bunch of no-names that have so much less experience than yourself AND the players you’re used to playing against?
JG: One of my biggest adjustments will be focusing. I’m used to playing with the same people, and not having to focus as much, most of my plays are automatic because I know how they play. With players I haven’t played against before, I will have to analyze every play. |
JS: At the World Series, most of the players at your starting table are going to know who you are, while you’ll know nothing about them to start. Is that always a disadvantage or is there a way to use that to your advantage?
JG: If players know me, they know that I’m not afraid to gamble. I can use this to my advantage. When it will be time to tighten up, I can use that to my advantage. It can go both ways. It’s all about adjusting your game when you need to, and I believe that I am very good at that. |
JS: Well, this year, you might be playing a few more events filled with your top-notch friends thanks to the addition of all the $10,000 buy-in events. Pros’ views are very split on this, especially when it comes to tournament poker – would you rather play in a $10,000 PLO event that you know is going to have a more concentrated field of great players, OR would you rather play in a $1,500 NLHE event where the fields are huge and the starting stacks are small, BUT the players are much worse?
JG: It doesn’t matter to me what the event buy-in is. I, of course, do enjoy playing against weaker players in lower buy-in events. But for me, it’s about motivation, doing my best in all of the events I play and not being necessarily “buy-in” orientated. |
JS: The last few guys I’ve interviewed have been Internet guys, so I asked them about if their family supported what they did, and if that support was a big factor in their success. You have a support system of sorts, but in your case you have your fiancée, fellow poker pro Erica Schoenberg. Does it help being able to come home to someone that actually understands that you can run bad in a game, but still have a positive expectation (and possibly let you tell a few bad-beat stories)? How much does that empathy help you deal with the HUGE swings that take place at the stakes you play?
JG: It always helps to come home to someone that understands. It helps me to be able to discuss what I need to, and know that they will understand what I am going through. |
JS: So, when you and Erica met, she was obviously less experienced than you. I’m sure you’ve taught her quite a lot about the game, but MY question is – what is something she’s taught YOU about the game that has helped in your career?
JG: Erica has taught me a lot of things. I guess the most important thing she has taught me is patience in tournaments. She has gone deeper in tournaments than me because high-stakes cash game players typically gamble more in tournaments. Erica is all about surviving in tournaments. I can’t really talk about the other things she has taught me because I want to use them as a weapon against other players. |
JS: Name someone that you HATE to play against – someone that just always seems to have your number and you can never seem to beat him/her in a pot?
JG: I don’t really fear any players out there. I am lucky, because I haven’t had a bad run against any players yet.
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JS: Who do you think is the best mixed-game cash game player in the world right now? Who is the best PLO and/or NLHE cash player in the world right now?
JG: I don’t think you’re going to like my answer here. I again can’t name anyone specifically. There are several players that are great at these games. Any of them can win. Some days one of them will play better than the others because of sleep and focus. The next day another may beat them. Among the top players, it is a pretty level playing field. |
JS: If, for some reason, you had to quit poker altogether, but you could back five people for the rest of their careers - who would you back? And why?
JG: I can’t answer this with any names. The poker community is very small and most are my friends. I can’t name anyone here because there are definitely some better players out there, but they all have a lot of heart, and out of respect, I can’t name anyone. |
JS: Because of the governmental laws hindering the online poker industry, the lackluster US economy, and more and more pros claiming that it’s nearly impossible to make a living traveling the tournament circuit (travel expenses, tournament juice, variance swings that last for forever, etc), Brandon Adams, who I know you’ve played with a bunch (and is about to get his PhD from Cambridge in Economics) said: “The poker economy is in terrible, terrible shape, and I think it will get worse. Poker players (also) tend to take risk in the real economy as well, and risk-takers are the first ones taken down in tough economic times.” Do you see poker continuing to grow over the next few years? What do you think the poker landscape will look like in five years?
JG: I admire and respect Brandon for what he does and for achieving his PHD. He is certainly more qualified than I am to answer this question, however, I have to disagree with Brandon. Poker is still growing at an accelerated rate. There are continual efforts out there for poker to expand. I don’t think it will slow down for a long time. |
JS: Ok, the entire PokerRoad audience is dying to know – have you set a date yet? Chad Brown and Vanessa Rousso just got engaged in December and it’s been right around a year for you guys – do I smell a “who can stay engaged the longest” prop bet ??
JG: No, we haven’t set a date. We don’t know how long are engagement will last. We do know that it doesn’t really matter. Our engagement shows our commitment to each other. My family lives in France and we would have to get them all here. We also are focused on poker right now and we want to have a perfect wedding, which takes a lot of time to plan. There is no prop bet with Chad and Vanessa here. I’m sure I’ll read about their wedding soon enough. |
Dammit, I want a bet! Email in with some lines on who stays engages the longest and we can get some action goin
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