Brandon Cantu Interview With Jenny Woo

In continuation to my run of interviews with some talented poker players - Jenny was able to sit down with Brandon Cantu who has just recently joined the UltimateBet.com team and has added another WSOP bracelet this year to his resume.  

JENNY:  You've done well at this years WSOP winning Pot Limit Omaha Hi/Lo 8 or better and placing 2^nd in event 39 No Limit Hold'em.  How many events did you play?  And do you have any regrets or anything you would have changed?

BRANDON:  I played probably about twenty-five events - I would say.  I'm guessing at the top of my head.  Regrets.  No, I actually don't have any regrets.  Well, actually my one regret is that I didn't win the $1,500 No Limit Hold'em.  I thought I should have won it, but I felt that I played a little bit bad head's up.  That was my only regret.  Even though I had chances to win it but I kind of ran bad on the cards. 

There's nothing I would have changed except for the way I played the main event.  I don't think I brought my A game for the main event.  I think I got a little complacent and a little too arrogant in my play.  That's about it.

JENNY:  What biggest challenge did you face this year?  (If any)

BRANDON:  The biggest challenge that I faced was getting something going this year.  I kind of struggled the first six months of 2009 until midway through the World Series and then everything came together.  I was just wondering if it was going to be all of 2009 or if things were going to finally change.   

JENNY:  What has been the most memorable moment for you this year at WSOP?  And how was your overall experience?

BRANDON:  The memorable moment is going to be the obvious - winning the bracelet.  I just know how hard that is to do.  It was just unbelievable.  (Haha)  Even though it's been a couple of years - you always wonder when will be the next time that you'll win one.  It just feels good to finally get it.

JENNY:  Where do you go from here?  Are you going to take a nice vacation?  Are you going to be playing more tournaments?

BRANDON:  I haven't played any poker since the main event and I don't want to play at all.  (Haha)  I just want a nice vacation.  I really haven't been playing any live poker.  I played a little bit online on UltimateBet but from here I'm going to be playing at the Bellagio Cup tomorrow.  So I just try to eat well and do some healthy things until tomorrow and then play that one because it's a pretty big one.  It's a $15,000 buy-in.

JENNY:  What's your game of choice online and live?  And what would you say is your style of play in both?

BRANDON:  My game of choice is obviously No Limit Hold'em tournaments.  That's both online and live.  I have had so much more success at it.  I use to play a lot of cash games but recently I kind of just stop playing them because I've been doing so well at tournaments.  So I've been mainly doing tournaments and not as much cash.

JENNY:  How has the experience been thus far with the UltimateBet team?

BRANDON:  The experience has been great.  Everybody has been so good to me at UltimateBet.  I'm actually really glad that I signed up with UltimateBet because it feels like they're really using me and promoting me.  Everything has been really good. 

JENNY:  How often are you playing online at UltimateBet.com?

BRANDON:  You know - I signed with them right at the World Series and I haven't really been able to play that much just for the fact that the World Series was going on.  It just seemed like I was living at the World Series all day, everyday.  I've played a little bit - I haven't played that much but after the Bellagio Cup I'm going to be playing a lot more online.

JENNY:  When Moneymaker won at the WSOP in 2003 you were one of those in the wave of people getting their start in poker.  But are there any players out there that you admire?

BRANDON:  I don't know if it's that I admire Moneymaker but it was kind of inspirational watching him.  (haha)  I was actually playing just a little bit right before that but that was kind of the first thing you see on t.v.  And then back then when you use to watch poker on t.v. - it just seemed like it was such a bigger thing then it is now because it was new.  But I don't know who I actually admire. 

JENNY:  You're a seasoned player as well as successful over the years you've been playing.  You obviously need skill to be successful at the game of poker, but do you think there's luck involved as well?

BRANDON:  Yeah, there's plenty of luck involved.  I mean - it takes the perfect amount of skill and luck.  It's just over time skill is going to take over but luck is always there.  If you're not lucky - you're never going to win anything.

JENNY:  What key advice would you give someone just getting their start in the game?

BRANDON:  Haha.  I don't give out advice.  I don't want anyone else getting better at it. 

JENNY:  Come on.  Share your secrets with me.  (haha)

BRANDON:  You don't like that one?  I don't give advice.  I don't want anyone getting better.  (Haha)

JENNY: Okay.  Fair enough.

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