WSOP: Bracelet Winner Q and A -- J.C. TranTran Talks About Winning His First Bracelet |
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J.C. Tran is a card player's card player, a pro's pro, and has continually showed the tenacity, ferocity, and consistency that make up a great poker player. He has well over $6 million in tournament earnings, booking major wins at the World Poker Challenge, the PokerStars World Championship of Online Poker, and the Five-Diamond World Poker Classic, finishing in the top three of Card Player Player of the Year race in both 2006 and 2007. He has a ton of in-the-money finishes at the World Series, including four final tables, but, until yesterday, he had never managed to seal the deal and take down a bracelet. But, after overcoming a field of 2,718 entrants, Tran finally managed to score one of poker's most coveted titles by winning event No. 49 at the WSOP, a $1,500 no-limit hold 'em tournament.
Card Player caught up with Tran after he had overcome a greater than 3-1 chip deficit to emerge victorious from his heads-up battle with Rasmus Nielsen and claim his first bracelet.
Question: Is poker fun?
J.C. Tran: Right now it is. It's very fun. More fun than ever.
Q: You've waited a long time for this. Obviously you've paid your dues, having won like every tournament in the world, except for at the World Series of Poker. What does this bracelet mean for you, and how does it change your outlook now that you have it?
JC: Well, I mean, coming into this event, I'd come close so many times. This year alone, not just the past several years, and it was disappointing. So, when I came in deep in this tournament, I told myself, hey, you know, play this like it's the main event, like its your last event, and just keep fighting. And that's what I did. I got lucky here and there, but I definitely never gave up when I was low. And the whole way, I didn't really think about the money, I just thought about the bracelet. As a matter of fact, I don't even know what first place is. I just wanted the bracelet. And then we went heads up, and the bracelet was just sitting there, and I was staring at it, I was like, "Please come home with me." Every time I would get beat in a couple of pots, I would glance over at the bracelet and just say "You know what? You need to fight hard for that." And that's what I did. I got lucky and caught some hands, but I never gave up when I was low.
Q: Michael "The Grinder" Mizarachi says money before bracelets. Is he wrong?
JC: You know, money is always important. Always. Everyone is in different situations in their lives. Grinder might need the money more, I don't know. I can use the money; I definitely can use the money. But the bracelet is so important right now. The money is always important. That's what I'm here for. I'm here to play for the money, but at the World Series, when you're deep in an event, the money is already there. Whether you're leaving with $100,000 or $50,000, its already in your pocket. But the bracelet — there's only one person walking away with it. And fortunately enough for me, I'm the one.
Q: You made a joke about your friends stealing your bracelet. You're part of a group of really tight guys that are all really talented and very successful. But none of them except for Quinn Do has won a bracelet. What do you think this means for your guys in terms of how its going to lift their spirits?
JC: I'm very thankful that they're all here to sweat me and be here for me and support me. And, hopefully, that's motivation for them. I heard a couple of the guys mention today that its motivation for them. When you watch something like this, it motivates you to go out the next day to the next tournament and play a lot better and a lot harder. I would guarantee that one of my buddies will make the final table in the next event, just because of this.
Q: You went into heads up with a chip deficit, and it looked like Rasmus was hitting a lot of cards. It looked like it might be his day. Did you feel like you could turn it around?
JC: Yes. I always tell myself, no matter what, that I have a lot of chips. I never once felt like I was in a pushing mode, yet. So, anytime I can still be able to raise a standard raise on the button and not risk a big chunk of my stack, I feel like there's a lot of poker to be played. He had me 4-1 or 5-1 in chips at one point, but as long as I can see flops, we can play some poker. One of the things I respect about him a lot is that he's a flop type of player. And that's what makes a good poker player. You see a lot of these kids that go all in preflop a lot, and that's effective at some points, but its also really dangerous. You can blow off a huge stack like that. Of course, when we saw a lot of flops today, I hit more than he did to be where I am right now.
Q: You had some very long days leading up to today. Do you ever have any problems with stamina?
JC: It's draining. Like last night, I was really tired. I tried to drink some energy drinks and all of that, but my stamina here today was all about the bracelet. That was the motivation, that and the excitement of all of it. I can't be tired. I have a bracelet to play for.
Q: We always see you wearing the Yankees cap. Is there any reason that you went with the hat with the upside down "Y" today?
JC: I was given this hat prior to the Series by a buddy of mine. He said it was a very limited edition. I still love the Yankees, its nothing against them. It's just a styling hat. It's one of like forty made or something like that. And he said I was one of the few to have one, so I said I would sport it at the World Series of Poker. And its pretty lucky so far, right?
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