Player Interview: Jay Doshi

When did you first start playing poker and how did you get into it?

I’d played poker only twice in my life, with a few friends, before the England Poker League (EPL). The first time I played I came second! Then while playing pool at my local snooker club i saw signs for the EPL. The following week I went to play and fell in love with the game.

Do you play mainly online or live?

I’ve never played online. I’ve only ever played in the EPL tournaments, aside from playing with friends.

Do you have a favourite type of poker or level?

No-limit Texas Hold’em is my game of choice because it’s the only one I know!

How would you say your game has developed since you started?

Over the last two to three months, on a scale of one to 10, my game has developed from one to about six. I've still got a lot to learn and I'm really enjoying learning techniques from those who have played for a year to those who've been playing 50 years!

Has your style changed over time?

Completely. I started off doing a lot of fishing and no bluffing whatsoever. I have now learned how to be aggressive on certain hands, when to cut my losses and fold and when to just bluff my way through if need be.

Have you mainly improved your game through playing or reading about poker?

I've improved mostly through playing and watching how other people around me play. Luckily I have made some good friends at the EPL who show me their hands when they know it's something that could help me learn the game better. Also I have started learning a lot from watching televised poker.

Do you follow the pro poker scene? If so, which players inspire you?

I've learned a lot from Carlos Mortenson - he's such a brilliant player. By watching him I've learned to stay calm, collected and also to be aggressive at the right times. I've seen him sitting at a table where it's been obvious no one likes him but he gets his own back by beating them in the game rather than getting angry. Brilliant player.

I've actually been looking for a place to watch the WSOP. I really want to see how they play to get me prepped for next year.

Tell us about your journey to the final?

I didn't play too well locally during the first couple of weeks of the EPL but luckily a week before the final I was given some good tips by other players I know. I put them into practice and started performing a lot better. Unfortunately it was too late and I didn't have enough points to go into the final. I played my first semi final and again it was very difficult. I didn't make it through.

After that I went into the second semi-final in a league where I was in the top 40. I came fourth overall so I managed qualified for the final that way.

Did you have a plan for how to play in the EPL final?

Not at all! To tell the truth, I was running late for the final - all I could think about was how to get there quicker. My aim once I got there was just to come in the top 50. I achieved that and afterwards got lucky!

Was it smooth progress for you on to the winner's podium?

Well I started off quite slowly. I won a couple of hands and was second in the chip count on my table for about an hour. After that my chip stack stayed at roughly 12,000, which was about average.

At one point, though, I was down to 3,000, which is about how many we started with. That was only an hour before the final table. I realised I needed a hell of a lot more chips to stay in the tournament so I played far more aggressively and it paid off.

On the final hand before the final table I got four of a kind with pocket fours. That was the big break, and made me chip leader going on to the final table.

The final table was crazy! What were your tactics, and were you surprised it was all over so soon?

Read about the final table here

My aim on the final table was to knock everyone out one by one as I was chip leader. Luckily the cards helped me a bit. I believe I lost only one hand on the final table and played 90% of my cards. I couldn't believe how quickly it was over, I was in shock for about a week after that!

Tell us how the final hand panned out?

The final hand was awesome. One of the players pushed all-in with 57,000 chips. At this point I had over 200,000, so I called him. It helped that I had my favourite hand, which is Q-10 (off-suit). The only other player left in called as well, leaving him 1,000 chips. I had a feeling he would call so I thought, this is my chance to win this once and for all and if the worst comes to the worst, it won't dent my chips too much.

The flop came 2d-7c-Qd. I instantly chucked in another 1,000. The other player still with chips did likewise, taking him all in.

My opponents turned over A-8 and Ad-Jd respectively. I realised one of the players had a potential flush draw.

The turn was 7s and river Ks. After that I don't remember much apart from being jumped on by about 15 people and feeling like the king of the world!

What was the prize?

I won flights, accommodation and a seat to the WSOP Main Event in Las Vegas in 2008. I'm hoping to do well out there. Until then I'm going to spend time promoting the EPL because it's down to them that I've got to this level. I'm very lucky.

Has your EPL win inspired you to take the game more seriously?

I will definitely take poker a lot more seriously from now on but it's very difficult as I do not have the capital to enter tournaments.

For the time being I will be playing only in EPL live tournaments as they are free. If I can somehow raise enough money to enter other live tournaments I will definitely go for it and dedicate myself to winning.

Will you be competing in the next EPL?

No doubt about it!

Finally, what are your three tips for winning a live tournament for Poker Verdict readers?

1. You're the best! Believe that, and you won't fear anyone else at the table

2. Never think you're pot committed. Sometimes you have to cut your losses to play another hand. It took me a long time to learn that!

3. Poker can make or break people - but it's a game. Learn to enjoy poker and winning will come soon after

Find out about the England Poker League here

Read our report of the EPL Final here