Nationality
American
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Born (date and place of birth)
December 16, 1988 in Austin, Texas, United States
Residence (current location)
Pasadena, California, United States (grew up there); currently associated with Las Vegas and Austin, Texas
Education (institution, specialization)
Attended college but dropped out to pursue poker; high school at Wakefield High School
Year started playing poker
Around 2006-2007 (started playing seriously as a teenager)
Age when started playing
Approximately 18-19 years old
Year turned professional
Around 2010-2011 when he began playing online professionally as WCGRider
First major win (amount, tournament, year)
2014 WSOP Event #23: $1,000 No-Limit Hold'em Turbo for $251,969
First important tournament
Early online cash games at very low stakes on PokerStars; first notable live tournament participation was by 2014 WSOP
Main motivation for turning pro
Passion for poker combined with prior competitive gaming experience; desire to master high-stakes heads-up poker
Initial bankroll
Started with a $20 deposit on PokerStars, which he grew into $10,000 early in his career
Poker education (courses, coaches)
Self-taught with significant study, later co-founded Upswing Poker training site for formal education
First sponsor/backing
CoinFLEX (first official corporate sponsorship announced circa 2024)
Total live tournament winnings
Over $10.5 million in live tournament earnings; approximately $9.5 million confirmed by multiple sources
Number of tournament wins
4 major tournament titles
Number of final tables
At least 35 final tables in live tournaments
Largest tournament win (amount, tournament, year)
$3,686,865 at 2017 WSOP Event #6: $111,111 High Roller for One Drop
WSOP bracelets (number)
3 WSOP bracelets (2014, 2016, 2017)
WSOP cashes (number)
Approximately 35 cash finishes at WSOP events
WSOP final tables
At least 5 WSOP final table appearances
Best WSOP Main Event result
675th place in 2023 WSOP Main Event
Super high roller results ($100K+)
Cashed 9th place in 2023 Triton Poker Super High Roller London $125K event for $422,500
High roller wins ($25K-$100K)
Multiple high roller cashes including 3rd place at 2016 Aria $25K High Roller
Online tournament winnings
High stakes online cash game winnings reputed to be in millions; net winner of $1 million+ playing at Poker At The Lodge cash games
Major online titles
No major online tournament titles publicly documented
Poker team
Co-owner of The Lodge Poker Club and co-founder of Upswing Poker; affiliated with WPT for online challenge
Main cash game limits
Primarily plays heads-up No-Limit Hold'em cash games $1/$2 up to $500/$1,000 as he scaled up
Highest stakes played
Played $500/$1,000 heads-up cash games online; highest known buy-in tournaments include $111,111 One Drop
Notable high stakes sessions
Known for heads-up battles against elite pros including Daniel Negreanu; streamed heads-up cash session marathons
"Big Game" participation
Participated in televised High Stakes Poker cash games
Estimated cash game profits (if known)
Public estimates suggest multi-million dollar lifetime profits from cash games and high stakes battles
Country ranking
Among USA’s top poker players during peak years
All Time Money List position
Ranked within top 50 on All-Time Money List for tournament earnings
Tournament ROI (if known)
Estimated positive ROI, specifics not publicly detailed
Average tournament win
Average tournament cash around $140,000 considering wins and cashes
ITM percentage
Roughly 20-30% in live tournaments based on cashes versus entries
Final table percentage from cashes
Approximately 14% final table rate from cashes (5 final tables/35 cashes)
Statistics by year (best/worst year)
Best performing year 2017 including One Drop win; steady cashes since 2014 with peaks in 2015-2017 and recent activity in 2023-2024
Main discipline (Hold'em, Omaha, Mixed games)
Heads-Up No-Limit Hold'em specialist
Format specialization (tournaments/cash/online/live)
Primarily live and online heads-up cash games and high roller tournaments
Preferred table size (6-max, full ring, heads-up)
Heads-up and short-handed formats predominantly
Known formats (NLHE, PLO, HORSE, others)
No-Limit Hold'em, Pot Limit Omaha Hi-Lo limited participation
Specialization limits
High stakes heads-up cash games ranging from low stakes to $500/$1,000; tournament buy-ins from $1,000 to $111,111+
Online rooms where plays
PokerStars (early career as WCGRider), ClubWPT Gold (recent heads-up challenge), other high-stakes online platforms
Favorite casinos/locations
Aria, Bellagio, and live venues in Las Vegas and The Lodge Poker Club in Austin, Texas
Style characterization (TAG, LAG, nitty, aggressive)
Aggressive and mathematically oriented heads-up player; known for analytical, balanced, and exploitative style
Known for bluffs/traps
Reputation as a skilled bluffer and trapper with strong game balance in heads-up play
Mathematical or intuitive approach
Strongly mathematical and GTO-influenced, combined with exploitative adjustments
Style adaptability
Highly adaptable to opponents and game formats, especially in heads-up scenarios
Playing strengths
Heads-up No-Limit Hold'em expertise, high-stakes cash game skill, tournament strategy, poker education content creation
GTO strategy usage
Heavy use of Game Theory Optimal strategies, cited as a leading pro in GTO methods
Poker software usage
Extensive use of poker analysis and training software including solvers, databases, and proprietary Upswing Poker tools
Television appearances (list of shows with specific episodes/dates)
Appeared in High Stakes Poker, Poker After Dark, and other televised poker shows
High Stakes Poker participation (seasons/episodes)
Featured player on the High Stakes Poker series
Poker After Dark appearances (episodes/dates)
Participated in Poker After Dark episodes
Major publication interviews (publication names, article titles, links)
Featured in PokerNews, CardPlayer, PokerListings interviews and podcasts extensively
Podcast appearances (podcast names, episode titles, dates, links)
Frequent guest on major poker and crypto-related podcasts
Own podcast/channel (name, platform, subscriber count, link)
Runs own popular YouTube channels and a podcast featuring poker and crypto content
YouTube channel (name, subscriber count, link)
Doug Polk channel with over 1 million subscribers, multiple poker strategy and commentary videos
Posting frequency in social media
Regular content updates on YouTube and Instagram with poker strategy, commentary, and crypto topics
Type of content in social media
Poker training, news commentary, heads-up strategy, crypto analysis, interviews, high-stakes cash game streams
Current sponsors (company names, deal details if public)
CoinFLEX (crypto exchange brand ambassador)
Sponsorship contract history (previous sponsors, dates)
First corporate sponsorship started with CoinFLEX circa 2024
Poker site ambassadorship (site names, contract details)
Lead brand ambassador for CoinFLEX crypto platform
Own business (business names, descriptions, websites)
Co-founder of Upswing Poker training site and co-owner of The Lodge Poker Club in Austin, Texas
Poker project investments (project names, involvement details)
Involved in esports team ownership and various crypto ventures alongside poker career
Coaching services (availability, platforms used)
Offers coaching mainly through Upswing Poker platform
Educational materials (book titles with ISBN, course names with platforms, video series titles with links)
Created multiple video courses and poker training content on Upswing Poker including heads-up strategy series
Affiliate programs (program names, partnerships)
Runs affiliate partnerships via Upswing Poker and own online content
Merchandise (product types, where sold, links)
No prominent personal merchandise line publicly documented
Training series participation (series names, platforms, links)
Upswing Poker Lab training series featuring Doug Polk and elite coaches
Masterclasses and seminars (event names, dates, locations)
Conducted online masterclasses and seminars through Upswing Poker and poker events
Coaching work (platforms used, student testimonials)
Professional coaching via Upswing Poker with accessible study paths and hand analysis
YouTube educational content (video titles, view counts, links)
Multiple educational videos on poker strategy with high view counts on Doug Polk YouTube channel
Poker publication articles (publication names, article titles, publication dates, links)
Contributor and featured subject in articles on PokerNews, CardPlayer, Poker.org, and other poker media
Conference speaking (conference names, dates, topics, video links)
Speaker at poker industry conferences and training events
Public disputes with colleagues (names involved, details)
Known public rivalry with Daniel Negreanu, including a heads-up challenge and online exchanges
Poker community criticism (specific criticisms, responses)
At times criticized for outspoken and controversial social media commentary
Response to criticism (statements, actions taken)
Responded with thoughtful explanations and engagement in poker community discussion
Peer recognition (specific recognitions, award details)
Widely recognized as one of the best heads-up No Limit Hold'em players of the 2010s
Special achievements (achievement descriptions, recognition details)
First player to win $1 million net at Poker at The Lodge cash game sessions (publicly reported)
Contribution to poker development (specific contributions, recognition)
Significant contribution to poker education and popularizing GTO strategy through Upswing Poker and social media presence
Legacy in poker world (specific legacy aspects, community impact)
Influential figure in advancing heads-up poker strategy, education, and poker as an esport-style profession
Industry influence (specific influences, changes attributed)
Helped pioneer use of advanced solver-based study methods widely adopted by modern pros
WSOP (World Series of Poker) - all events all years
2023|USA|World Series of Poker|Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino|$10,000 MAIN EVENT No-Limit Hold'em World Championship|10000|675|27500|10043|||2023|USA|World Series of Poker|Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino|$25,000 Heads Up No-Limit Hold'em Championship|25000|2|313362|64|||2017|USA|World Series of Poker|Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino|$111,111 High Roller for One Drop No-Limit Hold'em|111111|1|3686865|130|||2016|USA|World Series of Poker|Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino|$1,000 Tag Team No-Limit Hold'em|1000|1|76679|863|||2015|USA|World Series of Poker|Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino|$10,000 No-Limit Hold'em 6-Handed Championship|10000|2|406261|259|||
Triton Poker Series
2023|UK|Triton Poker Super High Roller Series|London|$125,000 No Limit Hold'em Super High Roller|125000|9|422500| | |
Aria High Roller Series
2016|USA|Aria High Roller|Aria Resort & Casino|$25,000 No Limit Hold'em|25000|3|86400|||2016|USA|Aria High Roller|Aria Resort & Casino|$25,000 No Limit Hold'em|25000|7|43200|||2014|USA|Aria High Roller|Aria Resort & Casino|$25,000 No Limit Hold'em Eight Max|25000|7|42923|||
Poker Masters
2017|USA|Poker Masters|Las Vegas|$50,000 No Limit Hold'em|50000|2|468000|||2017|USA|Poker Masters|Las Vegas|$50,000 No Limit Hold'em|50000|5|144000|||
Aussie Millions
2015|Australia|Aussie Millions|Melbourne|$250,000 AUD No Limit Hold'em|218850|3|808857|||
Regular poker event commentator for PokerGO and online poker news channels