Nationality
American citizen
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Born (date and place of birth)
September 26, 1974, in Rochester, New York, USA
Residence (current location)
Atlanta, Georgia, USA; planning to live in Las Vegas permanently as of 2025
Children (number, ages)
Two daughters
Year started playing poker
1999
Age when started playing
25 years old
Year turned professional
1999
First major win (amount, tournament, year)
1999 WSOP $3,000 Limit Texas Hold'em bracelet with $202,800 prize
First important tournament
1999 WSOP $3,000 Limit Hold'em event; first major tournament and bracelet win
Main motivation for turning pro
Competitive drive and love for poker; focus on mental battle and competition
Poker education (courses, coaches)
Self-taught through extensive live and online play
Total live tournament winnings
Over $13,000,000 in live tournament earnings as of mid-2025
Number of tournament wins
6 WSOP bracelets; multiple other titles including Calvin Ayre Wild Card Poker Tournament
Number of final tables
20+ WSOP final table appearances
Largest tournament win (amount, tournament, year)
$2,500,000 for 3rd place in 2004 WSOP Main Event
WSOP bracelets (number)
6 (1999, 2005, 2019, 2021 , 2023 )
WSOP cashes (number)
70+ WSOP cashes
WSOP final tables
20+
Best WSOP Main Event result
3rd place, 2004 WSOP Main Event
Online tournament winnings
Significant WSOP Online successes including wins in PLO and H.O.R.S.E. events
Major online titles
WSOP Online $500 Pot-Limit Omaha (2020) among others
Poker team
Founder of PokerStake staking platform
Main cash game limits
High-stakes cash games, including $20/$40 and above
Highest stakes played
Regular in $10,000+ buy-in tournaments and high-stakes games
Notable high stakes sessions
Plays up to 70 hours per week online during breaks from live play
"Big Game" participation
Participated in famous high-stakes cash games
Country ranking
3rd all-time money list in Georgia, 49th in USA
All Time Money List position
107th globally (2024)
Statistics by year (best/worst year)
Notable peak in 2021 with two WSOP bracelets and Player of the Year
Main discipline (Hold'em, Omaha, Mixed games)
No-Limit Hold'em, Pot-Limit Omaha, Mixed games (H.O.R.S.E.)
Format specialization (tournaments/cash/online/live)
Live and online tournaments, mixed games specialization
Preferred table size (6-max, full ring, heads-up)
Prefers full-ring and 8-handed formats
Known formats (NLHE, PLO, HORSE, others)
Limit Hold'em, Pot-Limit Omaha, PLO Hi-Lo, H.O.R.S.E.
Specialization limits
$10,000+ buy-in tournaments, high-stakes cash games
Online rooms where plays
Plays on major platforms for WSOP Online events
Favorite casinos/locations
Binion’s Horseshoe, Rio All-Suite, Horseshoe Las Vegas (WSOP venues)
Style characterization (TAG, LAG, nitty, aggressive)
Aggressive and calculated with strong psychological tactics
Known for bluffs/traps
Known for bold table talk and psychological pressure on opponents
Mathematical or intuitive approach
Combines intuitive play with competitive mental toughness
Style adaptability
Highly adaptable across game types and opponents
Playing strengths
Opponent reading, endurance, mixed game expertise
GTO strategy usage
Incorporates modern poker theory and GTO increasingly in play
Poker software usage
Uses poker training software and staking platform tools
Television appearances (list of shows with specific episodes/dates)
Appeared on ESPN, Discovery Channel, Fox Sports, Travel Channel
High Stakes Poker participation (seasons/episodes)
Participated in High Stakes Poker series
Poker After Dark appearances (episodes/dates)
Appeared on Poker After Dark
Major publication interviews (publication names, article titles, links)
PokerNews, Poker.org, PokerListings featuring career and mindset discussions
Podcast appearances (podcast names, episode titles, dates, links)
Guest on "Feelin’ the Healin’ with Foltzy" podcast
Posting frequency in social media
Regular updates around tournaments and staking platform activities
Type of content in social media
Poker insights, staking promotions, tournament updates
Own business (business names, descriptions, websites)
Founder of PokerStake (poker staking platform)
Poker project investments (project names, involvement details)
PokerStake venture
Poker publication articles (publication names, article titles, publication dates, links)
Multiple interviews and features in poker media
Public disputes with colleagues (names involved, details)
Known for outspoken table talk, sometimes polarizing
Poker community criticism (specific criticisms, responses)
Criticized for aggressive demeanor and table talk; respected for skill
Response to criticism (statements, actions taken)
Focuses on mental aspects and competitive edge, acknowledges psychological tactics
Poker industry awards (award names, years, organizations)
2021 WSOP Player of the Year
Hall of Fame inclusion (hall names, induction years)
Finalist multiple years for Poker Hall of Fame, including 2022 and 2024
Peer recognition (specific recognitions, award details)
Highly respected for skill, endurance, and contributions to poker
Poker publication awards (publication names, award types, years)
WSOP Player of the Year 2021
Special achievements (achievement descriptions, recognition details)
Only player to win WSOP bracelets at Binion’s Horseshoe, Rio, and Horseshoe Las Vegas
Records associated with name (record descriptions, verification)
One of three with top-3 WSOP Main Event and 2nd or better in $50K Poker Players Championship
Contribution to poker development (specific contributions, recognition)
Pioneer of poker staking with PokerStake; longevity in competitive poker
Legacy in poker world (specific legacy aspects, community impact)
Recognized as top all-around tournament player with three-decade career
Industry influence (specific influences, changes attributed)
Helped develop modern staking platforms bridging live and online poker
WSOP (World Series of Poker) - all events all years
2023 | USA | World Series of Poker | Horseshoe Las Vegas | $25,000 H.O.R.S.E. | 1st | $711,313 | 93 |||| 2023 | USA | World Series of Poker | Horseshoe Las Vegas | $10,000 Limit Hold'em Championship | 1st | $316,226 | 130 |||| 2021 | USA | World Series of Poker | Rio All-Suite Hotel | $1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha | 1st | $204,766 | 811 |||| 2021 | USA | World Series of Poker | Rio All-Suite Hotel | $10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better Championship | 1st | $484,791 | 208 |||| 2019 | USA | World Series of Poker | Rio | $50,000 Poker Players Championship | 2nd | $679,426 | 87 |||| 2005 | USA | World Series of Poker | Binion's Horseshoe | $2,000 Pot-Limit Omaha | 1st | $381,600 | 212 |||| 2004 | USA | World Series of Poker | Binion's Horseshoe | Main Event No-Limit Hold'em | 3rd | $2,500,000 | 2,576 |||| 1999 | USA | World Series of Poker | Binion's Horseshoe | $3,000 Limit Hold'em | 1st | $202,800 | 295
WSOP Online events
2023 | USA | WSOP Online | | $1500 Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-Lo | 3rd | $75,000 |||| 2022 | USA | WSOP Online | | $600 H.O.R.S.E. | 1st | $120,000 |||| 2021 | USA | WSOP Online | | $1000 No-Limit Hold'em | 2nd | $150,000 |||| 2020 | USA | WSOP Online | | $500 Pot-Limit Omaha | 1st | $90,000
Occasional poker tournament commentary and analysis