Cyndy Violette will turn 48 in August, but she looks as fit as ever. Plus, she's at the top of her game right now. Violette is coming off seven cashes at the WSOP in 2006 and six the year before, including three final tables. No doubt the former blackjack and poker dealer will be looking to add to the WSOP bracelet she took home from the Seven-Card Stud Hi-Lo event in 2004 and her 22 lifetime WSOP cashes.
PokerListings.com sat down with the lovely Ms. Violette as she took a break from play at the $2,500 Omaha Eight-or-Better/Seven-Card Stud Hi-Lo Eight-or-Better tournament where she'd already made the top 32 and the money. Always affable, Violette talked about how living right can be the path to success in poker, her support system and what she thinks of all these young Internet players breaking into the game, all while enjoying the latest offerings from the personal chef she's hired for the 2007 WSOP.
It's early days, but how is WSOP 2007 going for you so far?
We'll I've played two events and cashed in both, so that's so far so good. I made one final table last year and three the year before, so I'm on my way again.
So what's your ultimate goal for this year's WSOP?
This year I want another bracelet. But, really my goal is to cash in every event, or at least every one I play in. I'm going to play in as many as I can. A lot of them overlap so it depends.
What are you eating?
(Laughs) It's a tamale. All vegetarian, organic. I have a chef with me for the tournament. He delivered it about an hour ago.
So what else do you do to stay in shape mentally and physically for the WSOP?
I exercise, meditate, get massages. Every time I'm not playing I do something that will be good for me. I love yoga, the treadmill, Pilates. I really love Pilates these days. Sometimes it's hard, but when I'm home and I have a few hours I'll get on the treadmill, do some stretching, whatever I can.
So are these good habits something you just got into recently?
No, I've been a vegetarian for like 15 years and into a healthy lifestyle for a lot longer. It just helps you feel cleaner, better, gives you better energy. With poker, the better you feel the better you will do right? And it's like that with anything. Things don't bother you as much when you are feeling better, a bad beat doesn't bother you, somebody that says something. I mean, everything is just better. All these things factor in when you are playing because your attitude is important.
You live in Los Angeles these days; where are you staying during the WSOP?
Actually, I just bought a place here in October, so I live here and I live in L.A. I'm in the middle of decorating it too during the tournament. My painter was supposed to come two weeks ago, and he didn't show up so I had to go out and find another painter, so I'm in the middle of all that. I had a bunch of stuff come in from L.A. yesterday, so it's pretty hectic.
Isn't that just the type of thing you want to avoid because it can distract you during a big poker tournament?
I can block it all out. I think I'm pretty good at that. But that's what a healthy lifestyle does for me. It's only difficult to block things out when I don't do the right things. That's what I've learned through the years.
You have a WSOP Gold bracelet in Seven-Card Stud, but is there any specific event you feel is your strongest?
I love the mixed games, Stud games and actually, I've done well in the No-Limit. All my cashes in the past have been in No-Limit, pretty much, except for my bracelet. Limit Hold'em and Pot-Limit Hold'em as well. But I really like the mixed games too.
Are you one of these players who thinks an event like the $50,000 H.O.R.S.E. tournament gives us a true picture of who the best poker player in the world is?
I've always said that. The Main Event should not be just No-Limit Hold'em. It should be the H.O.R.S.E. event. You need to play all the games to call yourself the best.
Are you going to take any time off during the WSOP?
I feel like I need to, but no, I'm going to be here the whole time. I might take a day off, but I'm not going anywhere. It'll be all about preparing for playing. I might go see Kenny Loggins though. I love him.
OK, so you're kind of dating yourself with that comment. But you are an established pro, a veteran if you will. Last year Jeff Madsen became the youngest player in history to win a bracelet at just 21, and last night Steve Billirakis bested him winning the $5,000 Mixed Hold'em Championship only a couple weeks after turning 21; what do you think of all these young guns taking over the poker world?
I can see why they love the game, why they are into it. But it doesn't affect me at all really. I don't play on the Internet at all. It's a whole different breed these young kids. They don't have experience. They haven't been rolled in the barrel a few times, as Barry Greenstein would say.
They think it's easy being a poker pro, but there's a lot more to it than they know. I don't know because I don't have the experience playing on the Internet, but I think, in order to get through these big fields, to be consistent, you have to have the experience playing live.
So who do you lean on when things get tough, do you have some family and friends here with you at the WSOP?
My dad's here all the time. He's with me today. He lives here in town. My daughter is here too. She lives in L.A., but she'll be back and forth, and I have my cook, so I've got my support team. I've got everybody I need.
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You have to hand it to Cyndy Violette, she looks good, feels good and is already two-for-two in cashes at the 2007 WSOP. Keep eating those tamales, Cyndy, and I'm sure it won't be long before PokerListings.com interviews you again for our WSOP 2007 Bracelet Winners section. And, oh yeah, enjoy that Kenny Loggins show.
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