The countdown to the 2025 WSOP is on. 100 bracelets. All the poker players. And PokerOrg will be on the floor from start to finish.
Kathy Chang has long been a fixture on the mixed-game circuit and credits much of her passion and skills in the games to the late Miami John Cernuto, who coached her for many years. You can find Kathy playing cash games and tournaments in Las Vegas and Los Angeles and competing in most mixed-game festivals throughout the year.
What are you most looking forward to at the 2025 WSOP?
I’m honored you even asked me because I'm not at the level of many players you’ve interviewed. But I'm doing okay representing the low rollers and the ladies in mixed games, and I'm looking forward to the bracelet events at the WSOP this year.
You won four tournaments earlier this year. That’s a good start toward taking home some gold...
Yeah, I actually won three events in one week — it was crazy.
Can I just say one thing? Since May is Mother's Day month, I want to give a shoutout to all the moms in poker. That adds another element to this game, and I'm super proud of myself for raising a spectacular daughter. It's just incredible how much time and energy it takes to be a mom, but then to try to play good poker on top of that. That journey has been amazing for me.
Who would you swap 5% with this summer?
Ari Engel, definitely. He's a solid guy. He knows all the games, plays well, and is very humble. He's been a good role model for me, and I've learned a lot from him. Whenever I play with him, I observe what he's doing. You learn from the best. There are a lot of great players, and I've been fortunate to play with many of them.
'Poker keeps my brain working'
What change would you like to see the WSOP make this summer?
Definitely the food. I mean, a hot dog cart is not going to cut it. You don't have time or the resources to go and get good food. I’m a dietitian; it’s very important to me. Have salads, bowls, wraps, and tacos. It's easy to do, right?
And we need a place to sit. Phil Hellmuth has his own suite so he can go and relax. Some of us can't afford to have our suite and we need a place to hang out.
Also, I appreciate that they have a lot of mixed game events, but why not add a tag team mixed game? That could be a lot of fun.
What's your end goal with the game and your career in poker? Will you continue to play the rest of your life?
If I am healthy and capable, sure. They say you're supposed to have four hobbies. One that keeps your brain working, and poker keeps my brain working. I also love poker for social reasons. It's hard to connect with people in this world, right? With poker, you connect with people you would never meet otherwise.
I'm a talker. I won't sit there for 12 hours and not say anything. Some people have their headphones on, and that's fine. And Phil Ivey, he's done phenomenally in our industry, saying few words at the table, but that’s not my style.
I enjoy the game. I enjoy learning. I enjoy playing. I enjoy meeting new people. I enjoy traveling. By playing and loving the game, you get all these opportunities you wouldn't have otherwise. I love all of that.
Phil Hellmuth says he’s not playing the Main Event. The long days and nights are too brutal at his age. What’s your take on that?
The WSOP Main Event is about two weeks long. Even if you're younger, most of us are not trained for that. You could be the fastest one around the block, but if you haven't run 26 miles, you're not set up for that.
I play for 12 hours and am so hyped up I can't even sleep for a while. Then you go back the next day, the next day, and the next. It's grueling. I mean, will you ever see somebody over 50 win that thing? It's going to be hard, just because of the endurance required.
I guess it depends on how Phil does for the rest of the summer. What's he going to do? Is he really going to sit it out? Doyle Brunson played it into his eighties. Just go play, Phil. Maybe you're not going to win it; perhaps you're not going to make it to day 10 or whatever. But go play for four or five days. You'll be fine.
You can follow Kathy Chang on X.
Feature image courtesy of WPT.
