Dan “Jungleman” Cates reveals how he made his name - Paul Phua Poker

Описание: Watch the new video interview for the Paul Phua Poker School, in which Dan Cates reveals how he went from playing poker with scraps of paper at high school to the biggest poker games in the world.

When did you first start playing poker?

Dan Cates: I first got into poker when l was something like 15, and I just liked the idea of playing a game for money because l was good at games. And l played with some friends in high school during lunch periods using torn-up little pieces of paper as chips, playing for $10 or whatever.

How did you improve your game?

Dan Cates: When l was learning other games, l tried to find the specialists that were best in those games, because normally the specialists are the best players in their games. So l tried to learn from specialists each time l learned a game, or get their opinions on things, if l had no idea what l was doing, anyways. Also, it’s helped in random different ways, too, like other players gave me their opinions or whatever on things, and over time I learned more and more. But in the start, it was just all me.

What are your strongest attributes as a player?

Dan Cates: I guess one of my strongest attributes would be that l understand the game. l think l understand the game better than most opponents. Just how it works, and all the decision tree points. l have a very good memory for each decision tree point, and also how players play different ones of those. Yeah, l have a very good memory for both of those things. And another thing would be… it’s either that, or that l adjust better than they do. It’s one of those two things.

Do you prefer cash games or tournament games?
Dan Cates: I prefer cash games, for multiple reasons. Well, the reasons l prefer cash games are that, firstly, if you play a tournament you can’t get up until you bust or win, which is pretty inconvenient. And also in a cash game the deeper it is, the easier it is to play worse. So l prefer situations where my opponents are more likely to make mistakes. Yeah, l just prefer the game to be harder, and l think it’s more fun.

What’s your best moment in poker?

Dan Cates: l can think of a couple. Firstly, when l had no money at all, and when l was still playing $10 tournaments or whatever, l guess it must have been $20 tournaments, because l played a $25 tournament and l had already spent, like, six months playing; and then with over a thousand entrants, l forget how many entrants, l somehow won this tournament for $5000, which was more money than l, like, ever had at the time. Before that time l had not been profitable at poker, and then finally, in that one moment, l was now a profitable poker player. And that recuperated all my losses. No, l put more than six months in, l put more like nine months in, and was losing, still, overall, but l was winning in terms of… l was winning in theory, and winning slowly at that point.

What’s your screen name and how did you choose it?

Dan Cates: My first one was Jungleman12 and l was called ‘Jungleman’ when l played live because players… because I was, like, kind of a crazy person, and also because l was, like, pretty hairy, l had a lot of hair. l had longer hair, too. So they called me Jungleman just to, like, sort of mock me, and I thought it was a funny name. And yeah, it stuck, for a long time.

More Dan 'Jungleman' Cates videos:
   • Dan “Jungleman” Cates & Paul Phua: “I’d 3-...  
   • Beginners’ poker tips from Phil Ivey, Dan ...  
   • Dan “Jungleman” Cates & Paul Phua: “I just...