{{Short description|American poker player and businessman (born 1985)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}} {{Infobox poker player | name = Faraz Jaka | nickname = "The Toilet" | image = Faraz Jaka partypoker Millions 2019.jpg | caption = Jaka in 2019 | residence = | birth_date = {{birth-date and age|September 9, 1985}} | birth_place = [[San Jose, California]], U.S. | wsop bracelet count = 1 | wsop final tables = 9 | wsop money finishes = 65 | wsop main event best finish rank = 219th | wsop main event best finish year = 2023 | wpt titles = 1 | wpt final tables = 7 | wpt money finishes = 18 | updated = {{nobold|December 2024}} }}
'''Faraz Jaka''' (born September 9, 1985, in [[San Jose, California]]) is an American professional [[poker]] player and businessman who was [[World Poker Tour]] (WPT) [[World Poker Tour#Player of the Year|Player of the Year]] for [[World Poker Tour season 8 results|Season VIII]] (2009–2010).<ref>{{Cite web |last=Nemeth |first=BJ |date=April 26, 2010 |title=Faraz Jaka Survives A Record Number of Challengers to Win WPT Player of the Year WPT World Championship Level 31: 120,000-240,000 |url=http://www.worldpokertour.com/live_update/faraz-jaka-survives-a-record-number-of-challengers-to-win-wpt-player-of-the-year-wpt-world-championship-level-31-120000-240000/ |access-date=July 18, 2017 |website=World Poker Tour |language=en-US}}</ref> He has reached two WPT final tables, six WSOP final tables and his lifetime tournament winnings exceed $10 million.<ref>{{Cite web |date=December 10, 2015 |title=5 People Who Make a Fortune Traveling |url=http://www.yahoo.com/style/5-people-who-make-a-fortune-traveling-073829222.html |access-date=July 18, 2017 |website=Yahoo! |language=en-US}}</ref>
In 2023, Jaka won his first WSOP bracelet in the $1,500 Shootout No-Limit Hold'em event, marking a significant milestone in his poker career.
Jaka is also the founder of '''JAKA Coaching''', a poker training site launched in 2021.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Robinson |first=Peter |date=June 6, 2024 |title=Jaka Coaching Review - Is it Worth It? |url=https://www.pokernews.com/poker-coaching/jaka-coaching.htm |website=[[PokerNews]]}}</ref> The platform has gained significant traction, with numerous students achieving deep runs in major tournaments worldwide, further solidifying his influence in the poker community.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news |last=Holloway |first=Chad |date=September 4, 2024 |title=Angela Jordison Earns Career-High Score After Taking Down MPST East Chicago |url=https://www.pokernews.com/news/2024/09/angela-jordison-wins-mpst-east-chicago-46885.htm |work=[[PokerNews]]}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Hansen |first=Matt |date=September 2, 2022 |title=Angela Jordison Earns Career-High Score After Taking Down MPST East Chicago |url=https://www.pokernews.com/news/2022/09/angela-jordison-talks-about-her-red-hot-run-at-wpt-legends-o-41981.htm |website=[[PokerNews]]}}</ref>
Previously, Jaka was involved in the creation of Checkraise, a poker site aimed at the Brazilian market, live between 2017 and 2019.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |date=June 18, 2017 |title=Faraz Jaka: New Face of Brazilian Poker? |url=https://www.pokernews.com/video/faraz-jaka-new-face-of-brazilian-poker-11015.htm |access-date=July 16, 2023 |website=PokerNews |language=en |type=video}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Checkraise Poker {{!}} Campeonato Brasileiro de Home Games {{!}} » Checkraise Launches Home Games Championship in Brazil |url=https://cbhg.checkraise.com.br/en/checkraise-launches-home-games-championship-in-brazil/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171020034033/https://cbhg.checkraise.com.br/en/checkraise-launches-home-games-championship-in-brazil/ |archive-date=October 20, 2017 |access-date=July 17, 2017 |website=cbhg.checkraise.com.br |language=en}}</ref>
== Early life ==
Jaka is from [[San Jose, California]] and is of Pakistani descent.<ref>{{Cite web |date=September 7, 2010 |title=World Team Poker - England. Pakistan and other team updates and news |url=http://www.thehendonmob.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=36808 |website=thehendonmob.com}}</ref> He attended [[Piedmont Hills High School]], and during this time, Jaka ran track, breaking 2:00 in the half mile and 4:30 in the mile. He also played for the basketball team, wrote poetry and became an avid hip-hop fan.<ref>{{dead link|date=May 2015}} http://www.gostanford.com/sports/c-track/stats/032903aaa.html {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120318031600/http://www.gostanford.com/sports/c-track/stats/032903aaa.html |date=March 18, 2012 }}</ref><ref>{{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/*/http://www.gostanford.com/sports/c-track/spec-rel/032102aaa.html |date=* |title=Stanford Track & Field Invitational Accepted High School Entries. ''gostanford.com''. March 21, 2002. }}</ref><ref name="cardplayer.com">{{Cite web |last=Tapscott |first=Craig |date=October 1, 2010 |title=Faraz Jaka — Poker Anarchist |url=https://www.cardplayer.com/cardplayer-poker-magazines/65797-faraz-jaka-23-19/articles/19547-faraz-jaka-poker-anarchist |access-date=April 14, 2024 |website=CardPlayer.com}}</ref> Jaka often says it was during this time that he developed the competitive spirit and mental fortitude that would help him in his poker career.<ref name="cardplayer.com" />
==Poker== ===Early career=== Jaka began his poker career playing online and in small live games during his freshman year at the [[University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign]].<ref name="start">{{Cite web |title=Faraz Jaka – internet poker pro |url=http://www.zimbio.com/Poker/articles/I6mu2XTkO1z/Faraz+Jaka+internet+poker+pro |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121006131021/http://www.zimbio.com/Poker/articles/I6mu2XTkO1z/Faraz+Jaka+internet+poker+pro |archive-date=October 6, 2012 |website=www.zimbio.com |accessdate=October 27, 2010 }}</ref> Early on, with little knowledge of the game, Jaka had a habit of playing any two suited hole cards with the intent to draw to a [[Flush (poker)#Flush|flush]]. His frequent use of this play quickly earned him the nickname "The Toilet". Jaka embraced the tag, adopting it as his online alias, and the moniker has stuck ever since.<ref name="Tapscott, Craig 2009">Tapscott, Craig. [http://www.cardplayer.com/cardplayer-magazines/65743-bertrand-grospellier-22-8/articles/18339-generation-next-faraz-jaka "Generation Next -- Faraz Jaka: Flushed with Success"], ''www.cardplayer.com'', May 14, 2009.</ref>
Jaka found early success in high-stake online cash games, soon building his bankroll to more than $170,000 during his sophomore year in college. But as he began playing beyond his means, he was challenging the odds, and probability caught up with him.
{{blockquote|text=“I lost it all,” said Jaka. “It was bound to happen, playing those stakes. At the same time, it was a good life lesson. It made me a lot stronger. A lot of people may have given up at that point, but I reviewed what I’d done wrong and learned from my mistakes.”<ref>{{cite web |last=Tapscott |first=Craig |date=September 22, 2010 |title=Poker Anarchist - World Poker Tour Player of the Year Revels in the Art of Rebellion |url=https://www.cardplayer.com/cardplayer-poker-magazines/65797-faraz-jaka-23-19/articles/19547-faraz-jaka-poker-anarchist |access-date=May 16, 2026 |website=Card Player}}</ref>}}
After some soul searching, Jaka bounced back, switching up his approach and opting to play low buy-in tournaments and sit-and-gos rather than cash games. Today, Jaka credits his decision to focus on studying tournament strategy as essential to his success.<ref name="Tapscott, Craig 2009" />
=== World Poker Tour === Jaka has thirteen cashes at the [[World Poker Tour]] (WPT), including five final tables. In 2024, he demonstrated his short-handed skillset by winning the WPT Rock 'N' Roll Poker Open $10,000 Deep Stack for $313,495 after a grueling heads-up battle against Phillip Krnyaich that lasted several hours.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Richards |first=Connor |date=December 2, 2024 |title=Poker Coach & Former WPT POY Wins RRPO $10,000 Deep Stack for $313,495 |url=https://www.pokernews.com/news/2024/12/faraz-jaka-wins-rrpo-deep-stack-47495.htm |website=[[PokerNews]]}}</ref>
His first final table appearance came at the WPT Bellagio Cup V, where he finished runner-up to [[Alexandre Gomes]], earning $774,780. Other final table professionals included: [[Justin Smith (poker player)|Justin Smith]] (3rd), [[Alec Torelli]] (4th) and [[Erik Seidel]] (6th).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Bellagio Cup V, No Limit Hold'em - Championship Event |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=36994 |access-date=April 14, 2024 |website=[[The Hendon Mob Poker Database]] |language=en}}</ref> In the same season, Jaka made another final table at the WPT [[Doyle Brunson]] Five Diamond World Poker Classic, finishing third for $571,374, behind the winner [[Daniel Alaei]] and runner-up [[Josh Arieh]]. This final table also featured [[Shawn Buchanan]](4th) and [[Scotty Nguyen]] (5th).<ref>{{Cite web |title=2009 Doyle Brunson Five Diamond World Poker Classic, No Limit Hold'em - Main Event |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=39167 |access-date=April 14, 2024 |website=[[The Hendon Mob Poker Database]] |language=en}}</ref> He also made a deep run in the $25,000 WPT Championship event where he finished in 14th place earning $51,736.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Eighth Annual Five Star World Poker Classic, No Limit Hold'em - Championship Event |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=40434 |access-date=April 15, 2024 |website=[[The Hendon Mob Poker Database]] |language=en}}</ref>
=== World Series of Poker === At the [[World Series of Poker]] (WSOP), Jaka achieved a major career milestone in 2023 by winning his first gold bracelet in the $1,500 Shootout event at the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas. He conquered a field of 987 players to claim victory and earned $237,367.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Geist |first=Jeremy |date=July 15, 2023 |title=Prominent Poker Coach Faraz Jaka Leads By Example and Wins First Bracelet in Event #85: $1,500 Shootout |url=https://www.pokernews.com/news/2023/07/faraz-jaka-wins-2023-wsop-event-85-shootout-first-bracelet-44119.htm |website=[[PokerNews]]}}</ref>
Jaka has sixty five cashes,<ref>{{Cite web |title=All Time WSOP Cashes, Top 5000, Page 2: Hendon Mob Poker Database |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/ranking/144/2#1383 |access-date=2024-12-10 |website=[[The Hendon Mob Poker Database]] |language=en}}</ref> including nine final tables,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Faraz Jaka's profile on The Hendon Mob |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/player.php?a=r&n=85636&sort=place&dir=asc |access-date=2024-12-10 |website=[[The Hendon Mob Poker Database]] Poker Database |language=en}}</ref> one where he finished in third place behind the winner [[Matt Hawrilenko]] and runner-up Josh Brikis at the [[2008 World Series of Poker]] in the $5,000 No Limit Hold'em – Six Handed event and received $400,525.<ref>{{Cite web |title=40th World Series of Poker - WSOP 2009, No Limit Hold'em - Six Handed |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=35107 |access-date=April 15, 2024 |website=[[The Hendon Mob Poker Database]] |language=en}}</ref> Later at the [[2010 World Series of Poker]], he made it to the quarterfinal round of 256 entries in the $10,000 Heads-Up No-Limit Hold'em Championship earning $94,956.<ref>{{Cite web |title=41st World Series of Poker - WSOP 2010, No Limit Hold'em - Heads Up Championship |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=40122 |access-date=April 15, 2024 |website=[[The Hendon Mob Poker Database]] |language=en}}</ref> In 2017, Jaka made other two final tables ($10,000 No-Limit Hold'em Championship<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cross |first=Valerie |date=June 19, 2017 |title=Faraz Jaka Day 1 Chip Leader in Event #36: $5,000 No-Limit Hold'em 6-Handed |url=https://www.pokernews.com/tours/wsop/wsop-2017/event-36-no-limit-holdem-6-handed/post.255224.htm |access-date=July 18, 2017 |website=PokerNews.com |language=en}}</ref> and the $2,620 No-Limit Hold'em The Marathon), cashing a total of five events this summer, which totaled over $272,000 in winnings.<ref name="stats" />
===World Series of Poker bracelets=== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Year ! Tournament ! Prize (US$) |- | [[2023 World Series of Poker|2023]] | $1,500 Shootout No-Limit Hold'em | $237,367 |}
=== Other poker events === Jaka won the $1,000 No Limit Hold'em event at the 2008 L.A. Poker Classic, earning $104,900 the event was held at the [[Commerce Casino]] in [[Los Angeles]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=2008 L.A. Poker Classic, No Limit Hold'em |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=29308 |access-date=April 15, 2024 |website=[[The Hendon Mob Poker Database]] |language=en}}</ref> At the [[North American Poker Tour]] (NAPT) in 2010 in the $25,000 Invitational High Roller Bounty Shootout, Jaka came in fifth winning $95,000 which includes the bounties that were won.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2010 Deep Stack Extravaganza, Invitational High Roller Bounty Shootout |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=42868 |access-date=April 15, 2024 |website=[[The Hendon Mob Poker Database]] |language=en}}</ref> In 2012 at the Pokerstars Caribbean Adventure, he finished third for $755,000.<ref>{{Cite web |title=PokerStars Caribbean Adventure - PCA 2012, No Limit Hold'em - Main Event |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=60116 |access-date=April 15, 2024 |website=[[The Hendon Mob Poker Database]] |language=en}}</ref> He led the tournament on day 2 and at the beginning of the final table.<ref>{{Cite web |date=January 9, 2012 |title=2012 PCA: Faraz Jaka flush going into Day 3 |url=http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/pca/2012/2012-pca-jaka-khan-headed-to-day-3-089903.html |website=pokerstarsblog.com}}</ref>
As of 2024, his total live tournament winnings exceed $7,300,000.<ref name="stats">{{Cite web |title=Faraz Jaka's profile on The Hendon Mob |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/player.php?a=r&n=85636 |access-date=March 25, 2024 |website=[[The Hendon Mob Poker Database]] |language=en}}</ref>
== Entrepreneurship == Faraz Jaka received bachelor degrees in economics and business from the [[University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign]] and has often been quoted as saying he considers himself "a businessman first and a poker player second."<ref name="cardplayer.com" /><ref>{{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/*/http://www.free-press-release.com/news/200802/1204303042.html |date=* |title=PocketFiver Faraz Jaka wins over $100,000 at the Los Angeles Poker Classic. ''free-press-release.com''. February 29, 2008. }}</ref> As he has experienced increased success in the poker world, Jaka has made good on this statement, investing his earnings in real estate and startups.<ref name="axiscasterboarding.com">{{cite web |url=http://www.axiscasterboarding.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4&Itemid=17 |title = 安全检测 - 认证线路}}</ref>
Between 2017 and 2019, Jaka launched a poker site called Checkraise in the Brazilian market.<ref name=":3" /> He declared in an interview that he worked over 50 hours per week on this project, dedicating less time to playing poker.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Jaudon |first=Gaelle |date=May 16, 2018 |title=Faraz Jaka: An interview with one of the most colorful characters in the live tournament scene - Somuchpoker |language=en-US |work=Somuchpoker |url=http://somuchpoker.com/faraz-jaka-an-interview-with-one-of-the-most-colorful-characters-in-the-live-tournament-scene/ |access-date=July 5, 2018}}</ref>
Since 2021, Jaka has operated JAKA Coaching, a poker training website that offers weekly live lessons and a library of training videos.] Students of the program have achieved tournament wins in various international events.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" />
== References == {{reflist|35em}}
== External links == * [http://www.cardplayer.com/poker-news/7286-tournament-trail-q-and-a-faraz-jaka Tournament Trail Q and A -- Faraz Jaka] * [https://www.espn.com/espn/poker/features/pokerCards/_/playerId/19 ESPN – 2010 Players to Watch] * [http://www.pokernewsdaily.com/faraz-jaka-internet-poker-pro-10260/ Faraz Jaka – Poker Player Profile] *[https://www.cardplayer.com/poker-players/66564-faraz-jaka Card Player profile] * [http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/player.php?a=r&n=85636 Hendon Mob profile] *[https://www.pokernews.com/poker-players/faraz-jaka/ PokerNews profile] *[https://www.worldpokertour.com/player/faraz-jaka/ WPT profile] *[https://www.wsop.com/players/profile/?playerid=32592 WSOP profile]
{{World Poker Tour Player of the Year Award Winners}} {{2020s WSOP bracelet winners}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jaka, Faraz}} [[Category:American poker players]] [[Category:American people of Pakistani descent]] [[Category:1985 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:People from San Jose, California]] [[Category:World Series of Poker bracelet winners]]