Tuesday, September 2, 2014

WSOP 2014: Jake Cody and the answer to all poker problems



The poker player's lifestyle, one in all long weeks spent clear of home playing endless tournaments in Las Vegas, doesn't exactly lend itself to a family friendly lifestyle. Too many late nights, in addition to the concentration required to achieve this type of tense and volatile environment. Poker instead suits the loner, reliant on themselves and and not using a responsibilities instead of to play cards.

Or does it? What if having family at the trip with you really helped your game, grounding you in real life and providing you with a welcoming place to flee to on the end of a protracted day? For Jake Cody, here together with his girlfriend Alex and their daughter Arianna, the selection is a no brainer.

"To be honest, having them here has actually helped my poker," said Cody. "It keeps me out of trouble in Vegas. No late nights. I'VE had two nights out for the entire six weeks!"

Jake Cody 2014WSOP EV65 Day3 FUR.jpgJake Cody in action today (Photo: Jayne Furman/Poker Photo Archive)

That's not meant to sound as fun free because it might. For Cody, his central preoccupation clear of the table is his young family, so he's getting the most productive of both worlds.

"We've got a family friend with us," said Cody. "That's been so crucial. It means me and Alex could have a little bit time to ourselves. Or if we wish to exit for dinner we've a babysitter.

"It's too hot for Arianna," said Cody. "WE WON'T take her outside in any respect. But it's good. If I bust a tournament I AM GETTING to head home and spot them. It'd be way worse if I'd been away for this long. In reality I WOULD NOT have come in the event that they couldn't' be here. But I WOULD NOT be capable of be away for them for that long."

It's an important problem for Cody, balancing the wishes of his career with family. He's been in Las Vegas for many of the summer, albeit with a break in between for UKIPT Marbella. But while it would be nice having family around, Las Vegas isn't precisely the easiest place to entertain a baby.

"To be honest it is not an overly family friendly place really," said Cody, with a splash of understatement. "There's stuff to do with kids which can be six to 8 - you will find dolphins and stuff. But with a brand new born baby, there is not much."

But proving that he is able to roll his sleeves up where parenting is concerned, Cody has searched for solutions.

"We've actually joined a toddler class," he said. "It's like an interactive class to get them to play musical instruments and sing stuff. So we went along to that which was funny. I USED TO BE the one Dad there. It was just me and all of the mums clapping along and singing songs."

So while he sings concerning the wheels at the bus, or winds the bobbin up (see children's nursery songs, circa 1920), there's still the business of poker. Does a seven week World Series really sit well with domestic bliss?

"I think obviously you roughly have to be a bit of risky and provides it your all [in poker]" said Cody. "YOU WISH TO make good decisions, but you cannot take into accounts what could go wrong, just like the bad side of items - that you are playing for a large sum of money that would pay on your child's college!

"I just put that behind my mind and just try to play good poker. For probably the most part, for the primary three weeks, I HAVE BEEN playing rather well. Then the last week or so, the last two events, I've not played that groovy. Normally Event I've not played that fab either."

"No major mistakes," said Cody. "ONLY A FEW decisions that I HAVE wrong, like thin value bets once I must have just checked, or when I've not gone for it and that i should definitely have value bet. Not a big mistake where I've triple-barrelled all-in or something, or hero called. Just little things. But if you are making numerous them they add up."

For now Cody will iron out the creases within the usual way, talking through things with friends. For everything else that may bother him a couple of minutes back home should put that right.

Stephen Bartley is a PokerStars Blog reporter.


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