Jennifer Matiran Interviews David The Dragon Pham

Always attracted to mythical beasts and legendary poker players, our Jennifer Matiran reached out to Hawaiian Gardens casino host Phi Nguyen to arrange for her to interview top-notch poker pro David "the Dragon" Pham.

Jennifer Matiran: David why do they call you "the Dragon?" Is it because you were born in the year of the dragon?

David "the Dragon Pham: In 1991 I won a 7-card stud tournament, but it was on the final table, when I was knocking everyone out, that all my friends keep saying I was on fire, on fire like a dragon. My friend Steve nick named me "the Asian Dragon." I felt that nick name was a little long and I just became known as David "the Dragon" Pham. The name stuck to me ever since.

JM: Honestly, you are one of my favorite players, because I think you are a little crazy! Sometimes, I wonder: How can he call and be right so often? What makes you so good a reading the hand?

DP: I not strictly a numbers player, I read the people's faces... their body language... I watch how they bet, and I watch how the pot grows. One time I called a million dollar bet with only an ace high because I felt in my gut it was the best hand.

JM: Oh my goodness, did you win?

DP: Yes I did.

JM: I believe that the way I feel affects how I play. Do you believe that the way you feel affects the game that you play?

DP: I think that when my mind is clear and everything else in my life is going okay, I can play well.

JM: Do you believe in luck?

DP: I think you have to feel well and have luck to win. When someone feels good, but has no luck it only takes a few hours of play and they won't feel good anymore because the balance of their chips will be too low. Oh, I believe in luck. If you just play because you feel good, you may not win; but when you combine luck and feeling good you can win.

JM: Do you trust your instincts more than math when you are playing?

DP: You need to do the math Jennifer, but you also need to use all the tools and instincts at your disposal.

JM: Why do you think you're one of the best at heads-up play?

DP: I can play with good hand or bad hand. Not everyone can play with a bad hand.

I can adjust to the other player.

JM: You were born in South Viet Nam?

DP: Yes, February 10, 1967

JM: When did you come to America?

DP: In 1986.

JM: Did you know how to play poker when you arrived?

DP: No, I learned from my cousin Men "The Master" Nguyen. At that time, I was working for him at his dry cleaners making maybe $200 a week and sleeping on his couch. Every night, Men would go play poker and come home and sit in the living room to count his hundreds of dollars in winnings.

One night, I said to Men "What did you do? How did you get all that money?" He told me "Okay, I play poker." Then, I would go with him anytime Men had a poker game. I watched him win a lot of money. I asked him to teach me and he did. He taught me what position to play, what hands to play. I started playing in the small $2-$4 games. The second day I played, I hit a jackpot and won about $12,000. I sent some money home and then moved up to the higher $5-$10 game.

Within one month I lost all that money. I felt so bad, so I quit playing for a few years 1989-1992. Eventually, I opened a nail saloon with my wife, and just spent my time working for the next six years. But I was always thinking about poker. My wife said to me, "David, other people are doing it, you have to find a way."

While working, I spent hours dealing hands, calculating the average number of good hands dealt. That was important to know. If you deal 1,000 hands, average is only 2 good hands per deal. It wasn't until we sold the business that I started playing poker again at the clubs. When we sold our nail saloon business, my wife told me I had to go for it. So I went to tournaments to watch how they play. I watched a lot of good players, I studied them, knowing that they are human beings first, trying to figure out why their minds play so well.

JM: So you never read books on poker?

DP: No.

JM: You don't believe in them?

DP: Not really.

JM: (laughing) You had Men the Master; of course you didn't need a book. Okay, tell me more.

DP: In 1998-2000 nolimit play started to become popular. I was still working in the nail salon. I played in $20-$40 games ... sometimes $40-$80. Although I won more than I lost, I did not make a lot of dough, but I learned more every day that I played. Then in 2000 I played in larger games and won. I kept winning and eventually was named Player of the Year by Card Player Magazine.

JM: You were Player of the Year in 2000, runner-up in 2004, and won Player of the Year again in 2007. That's amazing; how did you do that? What is your secret to winning these tournaments?

DP: Tournament play is different than live play. At tournaments you can calculate the amount of chips each player has and make use of that knowledge.

Even from the beginning, my strategy is to use my strength to attack and knock out players. I attack players with fewer chips than me. You have to watch your chips, because you have to keep your chips level or keep building up your stacks, because the blinds keeps going up and if you're not building your stacks, you're essentially going backwards.

JM: Do you talk or drink alcohol at during a tournament? DP: Not really, sometimes I a say a word or two. I do drink alcohol, but not while I am playing.

JM: Are your parents proud of your accomplishments? Do you take care of them?

DP: Yes, and whatever I make playing, I always take care of my parents first. They are number one.

JM: Would you let your children become professional poker players?

DP: I have two boys. My 13-year-old sometimes watches me play poker online. I always talk with him, I tell him that you have to go to school, become an engineer, a teacher, or a doctor, which is better than playing poker. Poker is a very cutthroat business. It is a very hard business. It's not as simple as it seems on television.

JM: Did you ever think that you would become famous for playing poker?

DP: No; I did it to take care of my family... I play poker like it's a business.

JM: So the fame just came?

DP: Yes.

JM: What do you think of the $1,000 limit games at Hawaiian Gardens?

DP: It's really good. I think a lot of players picked up a lot from watching TV and by playing online, because there are a lot of good players there. I see all these games $30-$60, $40-$80, no-limit and I think they do a very good job at Hawaiian Gardens.

JM: What do you think of women players?

DP: A lot of women players are good players, but I don't think they are as strong as men.

JM: What do you mean by that, do you think they are not as strong mentally?

DP: A good woman player cannot compare to a good male player with the same skills, because I think they women are too emotional... I think they get a little frightened.

JM: Who is your favorite player?

DP: There are lots of good players; they all have their own style. I like many players for different reasons.

JM: How do you come back so quickly after a big loss? How are you able to play another big game the next day?

DP: I clear the loss from my mind.

JM: How do you do that?

DP: I have to just let it go. I just push it from my mind.

JM: Do you know what percentage of tournaments that you win?

DP: I don't know percentages, but if I play tournaments, I know I can get to final table in at least one out of five.

JM: When you are losing, do you find that you treat your family differently?

DP: No. When I am losing my family knows and they give me a little more space.

JM: What's next for you? DP: I have one tournament coming up then I am taking some time to be with my family.

JM: Anything you want to share with your fans?

DP: I really enjoy them cheering for me. I don't ever want to disappoint them.

Next issue: Jennifer interviews the one and only Men "The Master" Nguyen.

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