Northern California pro Candace Collins put her name on the live tournament map with a 14th-place finish in the World Poker Tour Bay 101 Shooting Star for $39,800 in March of 2014. Collins has nearly $60,000 in tournament earnings, including a 22nd-place finish in the Heartland Poker Tour Colorado main event for $6,603 and two WPT cashes.
Card Player first met Collins during the Card Player Poker Tour Reno Atlantis main event and had the chance to catch up with her during the World Series of Poker.
Diana Cox: Do you have a profession outside of poker, or a prior profession you were in before poker?
Candace Collins: I’m an entrepreneur who recently sold my stake in one of the businesses. Now I’m focusing on my eCommerce site candacelovespoker.com, currently in Beta testing, almost ready to go live!
DC: How many years have you been playing poker? How about playing professionally?
CC: I learned how to play poker online in the good old days right before Bblack Friday. Then about seven years ago I learned more about the game through friends and family and then graduated to live games. I got hooked on the competition and the friends I made while playing.
DC: What are the typical stakes and games you are playing right now, both cash games and tournaments? What casinos are you usually playing in?
CC: I follow any poker tour I can! Now I particularly like to follow tours that count towards my rankings, but I still play local tournaments because I love the game and sticking to my roots. I do play low-limit cash on occasion. Eventually I’d like to expand into learning mixed games.
DC: You broke out with a 14th-place finish at the WPT Bay 101 this year and placed yourself on the larger poker map. Prior to that, would you say you were well known in your local area? Or was that really the first time people may have taken notice of your name?
CC: The L.A. Poker Classic was the first WPT tournament that I’ve played. I came five away from the money in that tournament. Between that and placing in the HPT Colorado just before LAPC and then cashing in the Shooting Star, I think that maybe my name was starting to pop up a little bit I suppose. I’ve been so busy working outside of poker, but now I am in a place where I’m fortunate enough to play more frequently.
DC: The Bay 101 main event was a large buy-in and an incredibly stacked field. Can you tell me about your experience navigating that tournament and how you were able to outlast most of your opponents?
CC: It was surreal to be surrounded by the best poker players in the world, some of which I watched on TV growing up and admired. Shooting Star is so unique that I had the opportunity to knock out the best in the world, and get paid a bounty for it! Day 1B was the day I gained a lot of momentum after I knocked out Jerry Yang. From that point on I told myself, “You can do this.” I was incredibly focused and driven in those WPT events.
DC: Coming off that experience, what did you take away from it? Have you critiqued your style of play since then or changed things about your game?
CC: I am always critiquing my play. I constantly re-live hands and how I could have played them better or how I could have adjusted my bet sizing. More now than ever, I am striving to be the best I can be.
DC: You earned nearly $40,000 from that tournament. Did that drastically change your poker plans for the near future? Did it change the amount and/or size of events you will be playing this summer at the WSOP?
CC: No, it doesn’t change the amount I spend or size of field. I did however gain a little more confidence playing with the best. I am not as intimidated with the professionals as I used to be – unless it’s Phil Hellmuth or Vanessa Selbst – the best in the world.
DC: You just played in the Millionaire Maker at the WSOP, which drew a record setting field. What is it like playing in a tournament with over 6,000 runners versus a tournament with 200 players? Or 500 or 1,000? Does it make a difference while you are playing? Or are the numbers irrelevant?
CC: I just think events like that are so good for poker. I try not to pay attention to the amount of players, more so my table. The more the merrier and the better the prize pool! I am a huge fan of re-entry tournaments and larger fields.
DC: What initially drew you to poker? Is there a particular player or players you would like to model your game after? Or anyone you feel you have learned the most from?
CC: Daniel Negreanu I admire because of how intuitive he is. I learned a lot from him when I knew little about the game through his book and online videos. Phil Hellmuth I admire because, well he’s the best. Vanessa Selbst I respect and admire so much. I would love to be as fearless as her. The list goes on of players that I admire and respect. I like to learn from the best. As far as women there’s several that I adore and look up to. I also strive to be a role model for other women getting into poker.
DC: What are your goals for this WSOP? And where will we be seeing you after the series is over?
CC: To win a bracelet! I am playing several events including the Ladies and Main Event. I am also planning on playing at the WPT Aria in July if it fits in. It looks like they’ve got a unique structure that you have the opportunity to cash day 1 more than once! Sounds like so much fun and I love new ideas.
DC: Is there anything else you would like people to know about you?
CC: My main thing that I want is to be respected in the sport of poker. That will always be my number one priority and I will always strive for that.