Nationality
American citizen from the United States.
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Born (date and place of birth)
Born on December 29, 1942, in Pennsylvania, United States.
Residence (current location)
Primarily resided in the United States, including Las Vegas, Nevada; passed away in Tunica, Mississippi.
Education (institution, specialization)
Specific verified educational background not publicly documented; typically, professional poker players have varied educational histories, often learning poker through experience.
Children (number, ages)
Had three children including Kathy Kolberg, a former professional poker player.
Year started playing poker
Began serious professional poker involvement by early 1980s, with tournament results from 1983.
Age when started playing
Started playing poker seriously as a teenager; tournament play in early 40s.
Year turned professional
Professional career notable starting 1983-1984 with major tournament success.
First major win (amount, tournament, year)
1984 WSOP Main Event winner with $660,000 prize and a $5,000 Seven Card Stud bracelet same year.
Who introduced to poker / first mentor
No verified specific mentor; many pros learn poker through playing experience and peer interaction.
First important tournament
Early tournaments include 1983 America’s Cup of Poker with multiple money finishes.
Main motivation for turning pro
Motivated by competition, challenge, and financial opportunity in poker and related trading.
Initial bankroll
Starting bankroll not publicly documented; professional players typically build bankroll gradually through winnings.
Poker education (courses, coaches)
Learned primarily through live play experience; expert in Seven Card Stud and Lowball.
First sponsor/backing
No documented early sponsorship or backing deals; uncommon in that era.
Total live tournament winnings
Career live tournament winnings over $3,900,000.
Number of tournament wins
3 WSOP bracelets and 2 Super Bowl of Poker Main Event titles.
Number of final tables
Approximately 18 WSOP final table appearances.
Largest tournament win (amount, tournament, year)
1984 WSOP Main Event, $660,000 prize.
WSOP bracelets (number)
3 - 1984 $5,000 Seven Card Stud, 1984 $10,000 NL Hold’em Main Event, 1993 $1,500 Limit Omaha.
WSOP cashes (number)
26 total WSOP cash finishes.
WSOP final tables
18 at WSOP.
Best WSOP Main Event result
Winner, 1984 WSOP Main Event.
Super high roller results ($100K+)
No documented $100K+ buy-in results.
High roller wins ($25K-$100K)
No known $25K-$100K high roller wins.
Online tournament winnings
No significant online winnings recorded.
Major online titles
None recorded.
Poker team
No known affiliations.
Main cash game limits
Not detailed; played high stakes cash games typical of era.
Highest stakes played
Known for high-stakes live cash games in Seven Card Stud and Limit games.
Notable high stakes sessions
Not specifically documented.
"Big Game" participation
No confirmed participation.
Estimated cash game profits (if known)
No public data.
Country ranking
Top-tier player in the United States in his era.
All Time Money List position
Among leading players of his generation with multi-million winnings.
Tournament ROI (if known)
Not publicly calculable.
Average tournament win
Typical large tournament payouts in six figures.
ITM percentage
Not calculated publicly.
Final table percentage from cashes
Approximate 18-20% based on cashes and final tables at WSOP.
Statistics by year (best/worst year)
Peak years early 1980s to early 1990s; returned to win a bracelet in 1993.
Main discipline (Hold'em, Omaha, Mixed games)
Seven Card Stud, Omaha, Limit Hold’em specialization.
Format specialization (tournaments/cash/online/live)
Live tournament focus with limit and mixed game expertise.
Preferred table size (6-max, full ring, heads-up)
Full ring tables favored.
Known formats (NLHE, PLO, HORSE, others)
Seven Card Stud, Limit Omaha, No Limit Hold’em.
Specialization limits
Mid to high limit stakes preferred.
Online rooms where plays
Not applicable.
Favorite casinos/locations
Las Vegas and Tunica venues.
Style characterization (TAG, LAG, nitty, aggressive)
Aggressive style, particularly in Seven Card Stud and heads-up play.
Known for bluffs/traps
Known for aggressive bluffing and risk-taking.
Mathematical or intuitive approach
Mix of intuitive and analytical play.
Style adaptability
Strong adaptability across formats and opponents.
Playing strengths
Card reading, Stud and Omaha expertise, aggression, endurance.
GTO strategy usage
Pre-GTO era player.
Poker software usage
No documented software use.
Television appearances (list of shows with specific episodes/dates)
None documented.
High Stakes Poker participation (seasons/episodes)
None.
Poker After Dark appearances (episodes/dates)
None.
Documentary films featuring (titles and links)
None documented.
Major publication interviews (publication names, article titles, links)
Poker media interviews around WSOP wins.
Podcast appearances (podcast names, episode titles, dates, links)
None recorded.
Own podcast/channel (name, platform, subscriber count, link)
None.
Facebook (account link)
None.
YouTube channel (name, subscriber count, link)
None.
Twitch channel (name, follower count, link)
None.
TikTok presence (account link, follower count)
None.
LinkedIn profile (link)
None.
Posting frequency in social media
Not applicable.
Type of content in social media
Not applicable.
Current sponsors (company names, deal details if public)
None documented.
Sponsorship contract history (previous sponsors, dates)
None.
Poker site ambassadorship (site names, contract details)
None.
Own business (business names, descriptions, websites)
Stock options trading after early poker career.
Poker project investments (project names, involvement details)
None documented.
Coaching services (availability, platforms used)
None documented.
Coaching rates (if public)
N/A.
Educational materials (book titles with ISBN, course names with platforms, video series titles with links)
None.
Affiliate programs (program names, partnerships)
None.
Merchandise (product types, where sold, links)
None.
Written poker books (titles, publication years, ISBN, publisher)
No authored poker books.
Training series participation (series names, platforms, links)
None.
Masterclasses and seminars (event names, dates, locations)
None.
Coaching work (platforms used, student testimonials)
None.
Notable students (names if public, their achievements)
None.
YouTube educational content (video titles, view counts, links)
None.
Poker publication articles (publication names, article titles, publication dates, links)
Featured in poker media about WSOP victories.
Magazine columns (magazine names, column titles, frequency)
None.
Conference speaking (conference names, dates, topics, video links)
None.
Poker scandal involvement (scandal names, details, outcomes)
None.
Accusations of unfair play (specific incidents, resolutions)
None.
Casino/room conflicts (venue names, incident details)
None.
Legal proceedings (case details, outcomes, court documents)
None.
Public disputes with colleagues (names involved, details)
None.
Tournament rule violations (tournament names, violations, penalties)
None.
Tax issues (if public, details, resolutions)
None.
Poker community criticism (specific criticisms, responses)
None.
Response to criticism (statements, actions taken)
N/A.
Poker industry awards (award names, years, organizations)
Inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame in 1994.
Hall of Fame inclusion (hall names, induction years)
Poker Hall of Fame inductee, 1994.
Peer recognition (specific recognitions, award details)
Respected as top player and Stud specialist of his era.
Poker publication awards (publication names, award types, years)
Hall of Fame induction, no other recorded awards.
Special achievements (achievement descriptions, recognition details)
1984 WSOP Main Event winner, 3 WSOP bracelets, 2 SBOP titles.
Records associated with name (record descriptions, verification)
Known for 1984 WSOP Main Event win and Stud prowess.
Contribution to poker development (specific contributions, recognition)
Popularized Pot-Limit Omaha in Europe, advanced Stud and Lowball strategy.
Charity tournaments (tournament names, amounts raised, beneficiaries)
None documented.
Legacy in poker world (specific legacy aspects, community impact)
Remembered as one of the greatest Stud players and WSOP champion with lasting impact.
Industry influence (specific influences, changes attributed)
Contributed to popularity of Stud and Omaha, influenced poker growth in 80s-90s.
WSOP (World Series of Poker) - all events all years
1993 | USA | World Series of Poker | Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino | $1,500 Limit Omaha | 1500 | 1 | 61,800 | | | |||| 1984 | USA | World Series of Poker | Binion's Horseshoe | $5,000 Seven Card Stud | 5000 | 1 | 137,500 | 132 | | |||| 1984 | USA | World Series of Poker | Binion's Horseshoe | $10,000 No Limit Hold'em Main Event | 10000 | 1 | 660,000 | 132 | |
None.