Behind the Scenes with Joseph Cheong by Linda Johnson

Since becoming one of the 2010 World Series of Poker (WSOP) November Nine finalists, many articles have been written about 24 year old Joseph Cheong. These have detailed his aggressive playing style, his poker background, his previous tournament wins, and lots of other biographical data. One thing most articles don’t provide is insight to what was going through his mind throughout the Main Event of the WSOP, so that is what I focused on during a recent interview.

I’d like to thank Eugene Castro of Poker Players International for introducing me to Cheong. Now let’s get inside the head of one of the November Nine.

Linda Johnson: How has your life changed since you became a member of the 2010 WSOP November Nine?

Joseph Cheong: To be honest, things haven’t changed as much as you would think. I still enjoy hanging out with my friends and playing poker. I’ve been able to travel and play big tournaments on my own that I otherwise would have been staked to play.

Linda Johnson: What opportunities have come to you as a result of making the November Nine?

Joseph Cheong: The biggest opportunity so far has been joining Full Tilt Poker. There have been other similar opportunities involving sponsorships and endorsements, but I really have not put too much effort into pursuing them.

Linda Johnson: Did you change your playing strategy as the field narrowed to ensure making the final nine?

Joseph Cheong: Yes and no. I don’t have a set strategy when I play poker; I constantly try to adjust to the players around me. The only time I really had to take the equity of making the November Nine into consideration was during the 10-handed bubble stage. Everyone treated it like a satellite and I had to tighten up quite a bit mainly because everyone else was playing tighter.

Linda Johnson: At what point were you fairly certain that you would be one of the last nine players?

Joseph Cheong: I wasn’t sure until only nine players were left. To be fair, as the chip leader going into Day 8, I felt pretty confident. But as you know, halfway through the final day, I lost a big chunk of my chips and had to sweat it until we were down to the final nine.

Linda Johnson: What do you think your chances are of winning the championship?

Joseph Cheong: It’s hard to say since anything can happen in poker. I’ve heard that the online sports books have me listed at 7.5-to-1 to win. I can at least say with confidence that that’s a great bet!

Linda Johnson: Who will be with you at the Rio during final table play?

Joseph Cheong: I’ll have a mixed bag of high school, college, and poker friends. My parents and brother are also coming out to watch the event.

Linda Johnson: Who do you think your toughest opponent at the final table will be?

Joseph Cheong: Jonathan Duhamel will definitely be the biggest threat because of his overwhelming chip lead.

Linda Johnson:  I heard you say in an interview that you would prefer to take second place rather than first. Is that still true and, if so, why?

Joseph Cheong: It’s sort of an inside joke between my friends and me. However, if I could take first place money and finish in second place without the bracelet, I would prefer that option. I would just hate to be known for one accomplishment for the rest of my life. It doesn’t help that I’m more of a reserved person and would rather not be famous.

Linda Johnson: Did you acquire an agent along the way to the November Nine?

Joseph Cheong: Yes. I’m working with Poker Players International right now.

Linda Johnson: Fans are interested in the details of endorsement deals. If you don’t mind sharing, please let us know how things work from Day 1 of the Main Event as far as offers made to players to wear logos, offers to wear patches, and any special endorsement deals. In other words, what’s it like behind the scenes as far as competition among all of the different online poker sites to get you to endorse them?

Joseph Cheong: This was my first experience with agents and endorsements and it was pretty confusing. No one really knew what they were talking about and I had to deal with a lot of shady characters. To be honest, I still have no idea how it works.

Linda Johnson: Why did you choose to wear the PokerGives.org patch at the final table and to donate some of your winnings to Poker Gives?

Joseph Cheong: I just feel so fortunate to be in my situation and want to give something back.

Linda Johnson: What do you plan to do with the majority of your winnings? Is there anything in particular that you want to buy to celebrate your victory?

Joseph Cheong: I haven’t really thought much about it. I don’t want to allocate the money in my head before I know exactly how much I have. The only sure plan I have is to help out my family. I would also love to be able to support some of my poker friends financially.

Linda Johnson: How would you describe your playing style?

Joseph Cheong: Spewy.

Linda Johnson: How does your family feel about you playing poker?

Joseph Cheong: My dad is a huge poker fan. He followed my progress during the Main Event from China. He would send me random texts during the tournament. Needless to say, he’s very excited. My mom doesn’t really know much about poker, but she understands the magnitude of the situation and is very happy for me.

Linda Johnson: If you weren’t a poker player, what would you be doing for a living?

Joseph Cheong: I really don’t know. I can’t imagine ever working a 9-to-5 job or having a structured lifestyle of any sort. I have a feeling I would have found some other similar niche like professional video gaming or day trading.

Joseph, thank you for being so cordial and communicative. I appreciate that you took the time out of your busy schedule for this interview. Thanks also for your donation to PokerGives.org and for wearing the Poker Gives patch at the final table. And by the way, congratulations on your win in a $5,000 No Limit event at Bellagio’s Festa al Lago!