In 2007, Andrew fergwrx Ferguson (pictured at right) took down the Main Event of the annual Ultimate Bet Online Championship (UBOC) for $181,000. Two years later, he found the winner’s circle of the PokerStars Sunday 500 for another $87,000. Ferguson is a force in the live and online poker worlds and has gained a considerable amount of experience and insight into the game as a result of a friendship with successful pro Faraz The-Toilet Jaka. This week, Ferguson joins the PocketFives.com Podcast.
The buzz of the online poker community in recent days has been the introduction of Rush Poker tournaments on Full Tilt. In fact, the world’s second largest site will host three Rush Poker events during the ongoing Full Tilt Online Poker Series (FTOPS), the first of which takes place on Saturday, April 24th. Ferguson described his Rush Poker tournament experience so far: “I just recently tried out a $44 Turbo Rush Poker tournament and I really enjoyed it. The only downside I see is that it’s harder to play a higher volume because the action is a lot faster. To keep track of what’s going on, it’d be a lot tougher if you were running three or four of those along with your regular schedule.”FTOPS XVI and the PokerStars Spring Championship of Online Poker (SCOOP) will take the poker community virtually up to the 2010 World Series of Poker (WSOP), which kicks off on May 28th from the Rio in Las Vegas. Ferguson shared his plans for these two grueling online tournament schedules: “I plan to play all of the FTOPS and SCOOP events except for some of the $10,000 buy-in events that really don’t get that big fields and are insanely brutal. I’ve never really done well in any of the big series, but I think it’s going to be absolutely great.” FTOPS XVI guarantees $18 million, while the three-tiered SCOOP guarantees $45 million.
In the midst of a multi-month grind, it’s important to remain in the zone. Ferguson told the PocketFives.com Podcast how he prepares mentally for each day of a major tournament series like the FTOPS, SCOOP, and WSOP: “I go to the gym as much as I can and stay as healthy as possible, which helps with stamina and being able to keep focus. Trying to keep a clean head and not get frustrated with anything is always necessary in any kind of poker.” Ferguson formerly appeared in the top 100 of the Online Poker Rankings.
A total of 57 events comprise the 2010 WSOP, whose Main Event kicks off on July 5th with the first of four starting days. Ferguson shared his WSOP living arrangements: “I’m staying with Jaka and a couple of other PocketFivers. We have a house about 10 minutes from the Rio and plan to stay there through the Bellagio Cup. That should be a really good time.” The Bellagio Cup will run from June 25th to July 16th, culminating in a $10,000 buy-in World Poker Tour (WPT) event on July 11th.In 2007, Ferguson and Jaka shared a house located nearly a half-hour from the Las Vegas Strip, which the PocketFives.com member called “a pain.” The following year, the duo bunked at the Rio, but grew weary of living in a casino. Ferguson explained, “I highly recommend getting a group of guys together and getting a house. Get it close enough where it’s not going to be a hassle for you to get back and forth.” There are several condo complexes located within walking distance of the Rio, which is situated on Flamingo across the interstate from the Strip.
Ferguson was formerly associated with PSMoney.com, which helped players resell money on PokerStars. He started the site along with fellow PocketFives.com member SgtKyle and met Jaka through it, but no longer owns a piece of the action.
On Jaka (pictured at left), who finished 14th in the 2010 WPT Championship, Ferguson critiqued, “His natural instinct and natural abilities in reading any situation are tough to teach, but being around someone like that, you pick up on his thought process. I really was lucky to be able to meet someone like him and learn from him over a year. I would not be at the level of my game right now if it weren’t for Faraz.” Jaka made the final tables of the High Roller Bounty Shootouts at the PokerStars North American Poker Tour (NAPT) Venetian and Mohegan Sun stops.Check out the rest of this week’s PocketFives.com Podcast.
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