AimlesslyChasingAmy

Most players know the “television” pros.  And the young hot shot online pros seem to know each other.  But I’m always amazed that there are some really talented players that seem to stay below the radar screen.  In an age where poker is the rage, how is it that some tournament pros can still operate in the field’s blind spot?

I was in Tunica in January 2006 and overheard a conversation between two youngish players on a break.  One player was relating a hand where he totally got outplayed.  He was passing it off as a bad beat, explaining how “some guy in seat three” never should have called on the turn…yada yada yada.  When he sat back down, I realized that the “guy” was Reza Payvar (pictured above).  The young player had no clue; maybe in more ways than one.  I realize that there are a lot of WSOP bracelet winners out there, but if you really want to make a go of the poker thang, maybe you should know who they are.  Payvar won his WSOP bracelet in 2005 for the $2000 Limit Hold’em event.  He’s grossed over $700K in tournament cashes.  I suspect he can play.

Gary Gibbs is another WSOP bracelet winner that players don’t often recognize.  Granted Gibbs started into poker later in life than most; but what a start.  He won his WSOP bracelet in the 2004 Seniors event.  Maybe people don’t think those bracelets count.  But since he’s piled on an additional $300K to his tournament cashes since then, it looks like that bracelet wasn’t a fluke.  I think that unless you’re Doyle Brunson, some players assume you aren’t a threat if you put more than 50 candles on your birthday cake.  And as I’m not getting any younger, I’m hoping the age blind spot continues; I need any edge I can get.

Don’t know the guy pictured above?  That’s Dan Schmiech, winner of the 2005 WSOP $5K Limit Hold’em event.  He’s grossed almost a cool million in tournament cashes, including a stunning 32nd place (out of 8773) in last years WSOP Championship event.  I saw him in Tunica last month, where he just missed the final table with his 10th place finish at the WSOP Circuit event at the Grand.  He’s always a threat, boyz and girlz.

And you should know Bill Edler for any number of reasons.  OK, so he doesn’t have a WSOP bracelet yet, but he’s got upwards of $700K in cashes, including four WSOP money finishes in just the last couple of years.  I’ve heard the “nice guy” label get over used in poker, but Edler is truly one of them.  If you’re one of the hard working tournament reporters like Jason Kirk, you already know that: Edler and Gavin Smith almost always treat the tournament media to a much appreciated meal out during an event.

And as far as stealth players go, I’d have to nominate Doug Carli for being able to consistently cash and yet escape his fifteen minutes of fame.  Again, no bracelet here - but has already racked up a couple of WSOP final table finishes in his two years of play.  It’s really just a matter of time before he hits a really big one - although $640K in two years is nothing to sneeze at.  I got to spend an enjoyable dinner with Doug and his wife in Tunica - just great people with a very balanced perspective on the poker world in which they now live.

Can you tell I’ve been trying to organize the thousand or so pictures I have of poker players?  And for every picture I posted today, there are 10 more of “pros you should know” that I didn’t get to.  In the next day, I’ll try to pick some of my favorite pictures - silly or classic - of some of the pros you do know and post them over at Calistri’s Corner.