'I don't know if I should reveal this' – Cherish Andrews' biggest poker breakthrough

The number one thing I'm looking forward to is just playing. This summer will definitely be my biggest full-time at the series. 

I'm playing almost every no-limit event up to the $25K's for the first time, which I've never done before. I'm excited to play those because those are the best $25K's you can find.

And obviously, playing poker every day, for seven weeks straight, with so much money to win, it’s insane. 

Cherish Andrews has big plans for the 2025 World Series of Poker.

Jesse Becker

Do you have a favorite event in the series?

I think it's actually a new event this year – the $25K half PLO and half NLH. 

You play PLO?

I play a little bit. I started playing PLO in a home game in 2020 during COVID. I liked it. I don't play a ton of it because it's not offered as much as no limit hold'em, but during the WSOP I try to play at every PLO event. 

Do you have a mentor in PLO with whom you work?

No, not really. I watched a few Run it Once videos and some other YouTube videos. I do talk to Christian Harder, who is one of my best friends in poker. He's very good at PLO.

Adam Hendricks is another good PLO player who I kind of have at my disposal for PLO questions. I should have a mentor, but I don't. 

Your game has evolved significantly over the past few years and has had much success. What are some of the keys that helped you move up in stakes?

Honestly, I don't know if I should reveal this, but I will. The number one thing I learned was while playing with a European player one summer in Vegas. He said, ‘It’s known that you should never bluff Cherish because she never folds.'

I was like, 'Wait a second'. I didn’t believe it. I have a reputation for being a station and never folding. That isn't necessarily good. After that discussion, I decided to rethink my game before I went fully pro in 2021. 

Cherish Andrews had to adapt her game before making the jump to a professional level.

Matthew Berglund

I wasn't on the GTO side of poker at all. I've always had a natural talent and aggression and want to win every pot. But I had to dial it back. I can't win every pot; sometimes, you have to fold. It's just how it goes. 

I started asking myself more questions. What does my range look like to my opponent(s)? What do they have? What do they think I have?

I learned to take my time during hands now and make the best decision based off of that. That’s what has catapulted me to where my game is today.

What’s the biggest mistake the lower and mid-stakes tournament players make?

That is exactly what I just shared. Many regs in the mid-stakes are not taking their time to think thoroughly and deeply about what happened pre-flop and post-flop.

What’s the main thing the industry needs to attract more women into the game?

That is always a difficult question to answer because women, for the most part, are more risk-averse. 

I think the number one thing a woman needs to see is another woman, maybe in her age range or background, doing well and succeeding. For me, it was playing with and watching Kristen Foxen the year she won the Ladies' Championship.

Cherish Andrews credits Kristen Foxen with providing her with a template for success as a woman in poker.

What three players would you pick to be on your WSOP Fantasy Draft team this year?

I have to pick people who are kind of on a heater this year, right? First, I’m going to choose Shannon Shorr. Next, it will be Krissy Foxen; I gotta have my girl with me. My last pick would be Michael Rossito.

What would be a positive change or two that you would suggest to the powers that be at the WSOP for this summer?

To make sure the air conditioning is working would be one thing. If we can get one year where the AC keeps us cool the entire time, that would be awesome. 

Last year was the first year they implemented a rule that you must be in line by a certain time for late registration to get seated. However, when you have to travel from Paris to the Horseshoe, that's like a five-minute walk.

They need to be lenient and give you a five-minute window. Last year, they were shutting people out left and right. 

There has to be some leniency for the bigger buy-ins and give people at least five minutes to get from one venue to the other. 

Last question. Do you think Phil Hellmuth will play the Main Event this year after announcing he wouldn’t a few months ago?

I think he's going to play. He likes attention way too much. I think part of him saying he's not going to play was him getting more attention, right? But at the end of the day, I still think he's going to suck it up and play.

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