16 days to London – Meet Jeff Sarwer

Cash Game Festival: Hi Jeff! Could you start by telling us what you do for a living?
Jeff Sarwer: I am currently a part-time poker player, and in the past I was a real-estate professional. Now I am trying to figure out what my next business or project in life should be.
CGF: How long have you played poker and what made you start playing? Are you a cash game or tournament player mainly?
JS: I started as a live MTT tournament player in 2009, but over the years I have found myself playing more cash games as well.
CGF: How would you classify yourself as a poker player? Strength/weaknesses? Different approach in cash games/tournaments?
JS: I consider myself to be an informed poker tourist as I have had the good fortune to spend a lot of time with top players, but I haven’t put in the volume they have so wouldn’t consider myself to be as skilled.
For cash games I look for games with wild action, perhaps the hardest part in cash games for me is playing in a tight game with solid regulars who don’t make many mistakes. If I am in that game then I am likely to sit out pretty soon since it can make me impatient and blow up.
In tournaments however, I don’t mind being at a tight table after antes have come into play. It gives me a chance to chip up and the whole tournament life element makes decisions and bluffs different.
But as far as pure poker profit goes, nothing beats a loose cash table filled with people who don’t give a damn about the money and keep re-buying. In tournaments they bust and you don’t see them at your table again.
CGF: Do you have any other game or sport interest as a hobby/profession? And if so, does that interest help your poker skills in any way?
JS: I love playing almost all sports from tennis to football to basketball, but I am better known for coming from playing chess. I find that chess is a good game for building patience and discipline and have found that I generally play poker better after having played in a serious chess tournament. The main reason is that when you lose the plot in a serious chess game it tends to be game over so it teaches you to be very accurate. But in poker you (usually) can go on and play the next hand. So chess builds consistency.
CGF: Do you have any interesting memory/story/poker hand to tell us about that you have experienced in a live environment?
JS: I recently saw something pretty funny in a live tournament in Tallinn. It was a bounty event and some guy shoved with AQ suited and a guy called him quickly with QT offsuit, and when he saw the other guy had AQ he calmly said “Oooh sorry about that man”.
The the dealer then dealt a T high board and the QT was good and held to the river. The guy with QT calmly took the chips and bounty as if it was to be expected that he would always win the hand and the guy with AQ was stunned. 🙂
CGF: Can you tell us your favourite poker destination(s) and what makes it the best stop/place?
JS: I actually love Tallinn as a destination. I like the city so much that when I am away from the table I feel great so I tend to play well. And yes the action can be good too.
CGF: These people are all involved with Cash Game Festival in London: John Scanlon, Warren Lush, Enri Orav and Martin “Franke” von Zweigbergk. Choose one/more of them that you have some sort of relationship to and tell us your view on his impact on the poker scene/industry? 
JS: I have known “Franke” for years, and he is one of the most energetic and positive people you will ever meet. I think he has a very good affect on the poker scene, he understands that bringing fun into the game is what will keep it alive.
With Franke, you can go out with him and he will end up bringing groups of strangers together who don’t know each other and making them be best friends. I have personally witnessed this on many different occasions. To say he is a party starter is an understatement!
CGF: What do you think about the concept of a cash game only festival compared to the standard tournament festivals where cash games isn’t the focus?
JS: It is a great idea that should have been thought about a long time ago. Many poker players prefer cash over tournaments, why not celebrate it and put it to the forefront and give it the attention it deserves?
What did you think about the past event(s) in Tallinn and what do you expect from the upcoming event in London?
JS: I loved the festivals in Tallinn as did most players, and I expect even more interest this time around in London since things that are fun and exciting tend to grow exponentially as they move along. The fact that players can try out a whole bunch of exciting versions of poker that are often only played in home games is also great since we all like to try new games in a bigger environment.
I expect this will be a great success and look forward to being there!
CGF: Thank you Jeff and we wish you good luck and look forward to seeing you in London!

Follow Jeff Sarwer online

• Twitter: https://twitter.com/jeffsarwer
• HendonMob: http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/player.php?n=116914