Life Outside Poker is a new podcast for PokerNews hosted by Connor Richards that seeks to pull back the curtain on poker players and allow viewers and listeners to get to know them on a personal level.
For the sixth episode, Connor spoke with longtime poker pro and coach Faraz Jaka, who was fresh off a runner-up finish in the World Series of Poker (WSOP) $25,000 Heads-Up No-Limit Hold'em Championship. Jaka talked about running up a six-figure bankroll in college, going broke and moving down stakes, battling back from a debilitating back injury to win his first bracelet in 2023 and running deep in this year's $25,000 Heads-Up Championship.
Jaka also talked about his site Jaka Coaching, discussed what makes a good poker coach and offered advice for players looking to grind the WSOP this summer.
Benny Glaser raised under the gun before Philip Sternheimer reraised in the cutoff. Jason Mercier called in the big blind, while Glaser also came along.
Mercier and Glaser both took two while Sternheimer stood pat. Sternheimer then bet and both players called.
Sternheimer again stood pat while his two opponents drew one. He bet again and Mercier folded, but Glaser called as both players stood pat on the last draw.
The action was checked down and Glaser showed 8x7x5x4x2x to win the pot.
Benny Glaser opened from the button, Danny Wong three-bet from the small blind and Glasser four-bet. Wong made the call. Both players drew one and checked. Wong then bet after the first draw, Glaser raised it to two big bets and Wong called. Both players stood pat.
With no draws remaining Wong checked, Glaser bet and Wong opted to fold.
Jonathan Cohen raised on the button, Jason Mercier reraised in the small blind, and Benny Glaser put in another raise from the big blind. Cohen folded, while Mercier called.
Mercier took two and Glaser one. Glaser bet, Mercier raised, and Glaser called.
Mercier stood pat and led out with a bet on the second draw, while Glaser took one and called. Mercier again patted the last draw and bet.
Glaser took one more but folded this time as Mercier took down another pot.
Philip Sternheimer drew one from the cutoff on the first draw, while Jason Mercier drew two in the big blind. Sternheimer then bet and Mercier called.
Mercier drew one and Sternheimer stood pat and bet. Mercier called and both players stood pat.
Sternheimer bet again and Mercier called. Sternheimer pointed to Mercier to indicate he had won the pot, and Mercier showed 8x7x6x5x2x before Sternheimer mucked.
Jonathan Cohen opened from the button and received calls from Jason Mercier in the small blind and Benny Glaser in the big blind. Glaser drew three while Cohen and Mercier each took two.
After the first draw Mercier bet, Glaser folded and Cohen called. Both remaining players drew one.
Cohen called another bet from Mercier after the second draw and drew one while Mercier stood pat.
With no draws remaining Mercier checked, Cohen bet and Mercier folded.