New Year Poker Talk With Faraz Jaka Part IFaraz Jaka Reminisces On 2011 And Looks Ahead To An Exciting New Year |
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Sitting with all the chips today at the PCA main event in the Bahamas is one very happy Faraz Jaka. So it’s perfect timing for his two-part special where he tells all about the ups and downs of 2011, his experience of the Christmas holidays, his best memories, lessons learned, and plans for this year.
Hopefully Jaka can keep the memento up in time for the second part tomorrow but for now he discusses his view of post-Black Friday, frog racing, Christmas hopping, and the Fresh Prince of Bel Air…
Rebecca McAdam: How was your 2011?
Faraz Jaka: 2011 was quite the transitional year for a lot of us! A lot of people have been entirely focused on how unlucky they are or how unfair life has been to them with the news that came out on April 15th about online poker this year. The way I look at it is: Every industry has its ups and downs. Just look at the NFL, it was just in 1967 that the NFL and AFL even merged! There wasn’t even a Super Bowl yet! Just think if years from now the WSOP isn’t even the most prestigious event that poker players look forward to every year. Think about what alcohol distributors went through during the prohibition. Rather than worry too much about the past it’s better to just look at the present and future situation. Post-April 15th I had to remeasure the value of every hour I put into poker from a playing and sponsorship perspective and make the necessary adjustments of how I was allocating my time to poker and other business endeavors in my life.
RM: What were you most proud of?
FJ: A moment in 2011 that I remember feeling very proud was a week or two after Black Friday in April. I remember seeing how so many people in the industry were completely lost and confused and had absolutely no direction without poker. Some had over 90 percent of their net worth in their Full Tilt accounts and could not believe what just hit them. The Full Tilt situation and poker ban in the U.S. was definitely a major hit to me but because I had already planted seeds in other industries and areas of business I was too busy and had too many personal goals to let Black Friday crush me mentally. The scenario is very similar to athletes who dedicate their entire life to only one thing then come find out they have an injury or a change or strike in the industry that prevents them from being able to run with their gig. It’s cliché but so true, DON’T PUT ALL YOUR EGGS IN ONE BASKET!
RM: Name the best place you traveled to in 2011…
FJ: My favorite trip of 2011 was Melbourne, Australia for the Aussie Millions! I am absolutely in love with that city in their summertime (January). The event is amazing, and so is the city around it. I usually stay there an extra week or two after the event to go run around the area. It was my third trip to Australia, some of my highlights on these trips have included: A visit to the Opera house in Sydney, Scuba diving in the Great Barrier Reef, visting New Zealand, watching locals in Cairns gamble on frog racing in the bars!
RM: What’s your ideal way to spend Christmas?
FJ: My parents were born in Pakistan and do not celebrate Christmas so as a result I never grew up doing so either. (We had our own two holidays a year called EID) A lot of people think this is a sad thing but just like everything else in life you have to look at is as an opportunity. Usually everyone has the same Christmas celebration every year that they experience. Instead I get to do what I call CHRISTMAS HOPPPINNN! I have been to tons of different friends and business partners Christmas family celebrations that I’ve probably seen a much wider variety of Christmas celebrations than most who actually celebrate it!
RM: What would be an ideal present to give to you?
FJ: I don’t think I have any one magic present that would necessarily always make my day. It would probably depend on what I needed during the particular period of time. Currently all my traveling luggage is pretty beat up from living out of a suitcase for so long so I would love some new gear for the road!
RM: What were your New Year’s eve plans?
Fj: Attending a wedding! Interesting day to choose for a wedding I suppose but with the right group of people attending the wedding it turned into quite the epic celebration!
RM: What was your best memory of 2011?
FJ: The 90’s costume party I threw in Chicago in April. A ton of my friends and business partners flew in for the party, I dressed up as Fresh Prince of Bell Air which I quickly learned wasn’t too far from the way I dress anyways [laughs]. We had guests show up as the Spice Girls, Vanilla Ice, and even a 6’4, 302-pound Defensive End from the Redskins dress up as Steve Urkel! I love themed parties and usually throw one a year. Looking forward to the next one. Disco night possibly?
Check out Part II tomorrow.
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