:Erik Seidel
{{Short description|American poker player (born 1959)}}
{{distinguish|Erich Seidel (disambiguation)|Erich Seidl}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox poker player
| name = Erik Seidel
| nickname = Sly, Seiborg
| image = Erik Seidel 2018.jpg
| caption = Erik Seidel in 2018
| residence = Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1959|11|6}}
| birth_place = {{nowrap|New York City, New York, U.S.}}
| wsop bracelet count = 10
| wsop final tables = 51
| wsop money finishes = 151
| wsop main event best finish rank = 2nd
| wsop main event best finish year = 1988
| wpt titles = 1
| wpt final tables = 8
| wpt money finishes = 26
| ept titles = 1
| ept final tables = 1
| ept money finishes = 1
| updated = August 17, 2021
}}
Erik Seidel (born November 6, 1959) is an American professional poker player from Las Vegas, Nevada, who has won ten World Series of Poker bracelets and a World Poker Tour title. In 2010, he was inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame.{{Cite web |last=Rodriguez |first=Julio |date=October 19, 2010 |title=Dan Harrington and Erik Seidel Inducted Into 2010 Poker Hall of Fame |url=http://www.cardplayer.com/poker-news/10000-dan-harrington-and-erik-seidel-inducted-into-2010-poker-hall-of-fame |access-date=October 19, 2010 |website=CardPlayer}}
Early life
Seidel was born in New York City.{{Cite web |last=Schoen |first=David |date=July 5, 2015 |title=Unassuming Erik Seidel merits seat among poker greats |url=https://www.reviewjournal.com/sports/unassuming-erik-seidel-merits-seat-among-poker-greats/ |access-date=August 30, 2023 |website=Las Vegas Review-Journal |language=en-US}} He played professional backgammon in his youth. He eventually became a trader on the American stock exchange stock market and later moved on to poker.{{Cite web |last=Seaton |first=Paul |date=February 18, 2019 |title=Before the Game: Erik Seidel the Trader (Part One) |url=https://www.pokernews.com/news/2019/02/erik-seidel-before-the-game-part-one-33371.htm |access-date=August 30, 2023 |website=PokerNews.com |language=en}}
Seidel was one of the group of now famous players from the former Mayfair Club in New York City, including Stu Ungar, Jay Heimowitz, Mickey Appleman, Howard Lederer, Jason Lester, Steve Zolotow, Paul Magriel, and Dan Harrington.{{Cite web |last=Wise |first=Gary |author-link=Gary Wise |date=February 11, 2011 |title=The Mayfair Players |url=https://www.espn.com/espn/poker/columns/story?columnist=wise_gary&id=6112930 |access-date=August 30, 2023 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}
Poker career
=World Series of Poker=
In his first major poker tournament, Seidel was runner-up in the 1988 World Series of Poker Main Event to Johnny Chan.{{Cite web |title=19th World Series of Poker - WSOP 1988, No Limit Hold'em World Championship |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=8023 |access-date=August 30, 2023 |website=The Hendon Mob |language=en}} This final hand was featured in the 1998 movie Rounders.{{Cite book |last=McManus |first=James |author-link=James McManus |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=drHJelHmhsgC&q=Erik+Seidel |title=Cowboys Full: The Story of Poker |date=2009 |publisher=Farrar, Straus and Giroux |isbn=9781429990684 |page=342}} Seidel made the WSOP Main Event final table again in 1999, finishing in fourth place in the event won by Noel Furlong.{{Cite web |title=30th World Series of Poker - WSOP 1999, No Limit Hold'em World Championship |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=7797 |access-date=August 30, 2023 |website=The Hendon Mob |language=en}}
Seidel won his first WSOP bracelet in 1992.{{Cite web |title=23rd World Series of Poker - WSOP 1992, Limit Hold'em |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=7956 |access-date=2024-04-09 |website=The Hendon Mob |language=en}} Seidel has won bracelets in five different games, including Hold'em, Omaha, and Deuce to Seven Draw.
On December 9, 2023, Seidel won his tenth bracelet in the $50,000 Super High Roller at WSOP Paradise (Bahamas) for $1,704,400 to tie Doyle Brunson, Johnny Chan, and Phil Ivey for second most WSOP bracelets all time.{{Cite web |last=Richards |first=Connor |date=December 9, 2023 |title=Erik Seidel Joins Exclusive 10-Bracelet Club, Wins WSOP Paradise Super High Roller ($1,704,400) |url=https://www.pokernews.com/news/2023/12/erik-seidel-wins-tenth-bracelet-45058.htm |access-date=December 10, 2023 |website=Poker News |language=en}}
=World Poker Tour=
During the sixth season of the World Poker Tour (WPT), Seidel won the 2008 WPT Foxwoods Poker Classic, earning $992,890.{{Cite web |last=Murphy |first=Steven A. |date=December 24, 2010 |title=Erik Seidel Enters Poker Hall of Fame |url=https://www.cardplayer.com/cardplayer-poker-magazines/65806-erik-seidel-23-25/articles/19850-erik-seidel-enters-poker-hall-of-fame |access-date=August 29, 2023 |website=CardPlayer}}
In April 2011, Seidel came just short of winning his second WPT title at the Hollywood Open. He finished as the runner-up and won $155,103.{{Cite web |title=Hollywood Poker Open, No Limit Hold'em - Main Event |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=51175 |access-date=August 30, 2023 |website=The Hendon Mob |language=en}}
=European Poker Tour=
In May 2015, Seidel won the 2015 European Poker Tour Grand Final €100,000 Super High Roller for €2,015,000.{{Cite web |title=European Poker Tour - EPT Monte Carlo Grand Final, No Limit Hold'em - Super High Roller (Event #14) |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=293071 |access-date=August 30, 2023 |website=The Hendon Mob |language=en}}
=Other poker ventures=
In January 2007, Seidel finished in second place in the Aussie Millions $100,000 event and took home $550,000(AUD), beaten by Erick Lindgren in Heads-Up play.{{Cite web |title=2007 Aussie Millions Poker Championship, $100,000 Hold'em Event |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=25752 |access-date=August 30, 2023 |website=The Hendon Mob |language=en}}
In January 2008, Seidel finished in second place in the Aussie Millions $10,000 main event and won $1,000,000(AUD).{{Cite web |title=2008 Aussie Millions Poker Championship, No Limit Hold'em - Main Event |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=29591 |access-date=August 30, 2023 |website=The Hendon Mob |language=en}}
In March 2010, Seidel finished in second place in the National Heads-Up Poker Championship and collected $250,000 after a 2–1 loss to Annie Duke in the final.{{Cite web |last=Slagter |first=Josh |date=March 8, 2010 |title=Annie Duke defeats Erik Seidel to win NBC Heads-Up Championship |url=https://www.mlive.com/deadmoney/2010/03/annie_duke_defeats_erik_seidel.html |access-date=August 30, 2023 |website=mlive.com |language=en}}
In January 2011, Seidel finished in fourth place in the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure High Roller Event for $295,960, then went on later that month to take 3rd in a A$100,000 buy-in Aussie Millions tournament for $618,139. Just five days later, Seidel pocketed $2,472,555 when he won the Super High Roller Event at the Aussie Millions.{{Cite web |date=February 4, 2011 |title=Card kings take Crown for $4.5m |url=http://www.australianjewishnews.com/card-kings-take-crown-for-4-5m/ |access-date=August 30, 2023 |website=The Australian Jewish News |language=en-US}}
In February 2011, Seidel won the High Roller Event at the LA Poker Classic for $144,570.{{Cite web |title=2011 L.A. Poker Classic, High Roller Event |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=50472 |access-date=August 30, 2023 |website=The Hendon Mob |language=en}}
In March 2011, Seidel won the National Heads-Up Poker Championship, defeating 2003 World Champion Chris Moneymaker in the final. The $750,000 he collected for the win moved him into first place on the all-time tournament money list.{{Cite web |last=Keefer |first=Case |date=March 6, 2011 |title=Erik Seidel wins heads-up title, becomes poker's top earner of all time |url=https://lasvegassun.com/news/2011/mar/06/erik-seidel/ |access-date=August 4, 2022 |website=Las Vegas Sun |language=en}}
In May 2011, Seidel won the $100K Super High Roller event at the WPT World Championship for $1,092,780. He defeated fellow Team Full Tilt member Erick Lindgren heads up for the title.{{Cite web |last=Fast |first=Erik |date=May 2, 2012 |title=WPT Championship and $100k High Roller Highlight Prestigious Series |url=https://www.cardplayer.com/poker-news/13232-preview-of-bellagio-five-star-world-poker-classic-and-wpt-championship |access-date=August 29, 2023 |website=CardPlayer}}
In August 2011, Seidel finished runner-up to David Rheem in the $20,000 buy-in 6-Max No Limit Hold'em tournament at the inaugural Epic Poker League for $604,330, which brought his earnings for 2011 to over $6.2 million.{{Cite web |title=2011-12 Epic Poker League - Event 1, No Limit Hold'em Six Handed - League Main Event |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=53278 |access-date=August 30, 2023 |website=The Hendon Mob |language=en}}
Seidel mentored journalist Maria Konnikova, starting in 2016, teaching her poker and the mindset that it requires. Seidel taught Konnikova Texas Hold'em and eventually she participated in tournaments and won $350,000. In 2020, Konnikova published a book about her experience: The Biggest Bluff: How I Learned to Pay Attention, Master Myself, And Win.{{Cite web |last=Konnikova |first=Maria |date=June 23, 2020 |title=How I Became a Poker Champion in One Year |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2020/06/how-i-became-poker-champion-less-year/613372/ |access-date=July 22, 2020 |website=The Atlantic}}{{Cite web |last=Paterniti |first=Michael |date=June 23, 2020 |title=How a Writer With a Ph.D. in Psychology Became a Poker Champ |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/23/books/review/maria-konnikova-the-biggest-bluff.html |access-date=July 22, 2020 |website=The New York Times}}
=Career earnings=
As of December 2023, Seidel's total live tournament winnings exceed $45,500,000, ranking him seventh on the all-time money list.{{Cite web |title=Erik Seidel's profile on The Hendon Mob |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/player.php?a=r&n=212 |access-date=December 10, 2023 |website=The Hendon Mob Poker Database |language=en}}
=World Series of Poker bracelets=
Seidel has won ten WSOP bracelets in his storied poker career. His ten bracelets are tied for third all-time, trailing only Phil Hellmuth Jr and Phil Ivey.{{cite web | last=Chaffin | first=Sean | title=Poker News | website=Erik Seidel: World Series Of Poker ‘Bracelets Handed Out Like Halloween Candy’ | date=2024-11-08 | url=https://www.cardplayer.com/poker-news/29504-erik-seidel-world-series-of-poker-bracelets-handed-out-like-halloween-candy | access-date=2025-02-23}}
| class="wikitable"
! Year ! Tournament ! Prize (US$) |
| 1992
| $2,500 Limit Hold'em | $168,000 |
| 1993
| $2,500 Omaha 8 or Better | $94,000 |
| 1994
| $5,000 Limit Hold'em | $210,000 |
| 1998
| $5,000 Deuce to Seven Draw | $132,700 |
| 2001
| $3,000 No Limit Hold'em | $411,300 |
| 2003
| $1,500 Pot Limit Omaha | $146,100 |
| 2005
| $2,000 No Limit Hold'em | $611,795 |
| 2007
| $5,000 World Championship No-Limit Deuce to Seven Draw Lowball w/rebuys | $538,835 |
| 2021 O
| $10,000 Super Million$ High Roller | $977,842 |
| 2023 P
| $50,000 Super High Roller | $1,704,400 |
An "O" following a year denotes bracelet(s) won during the World Series of Poker Online
An "P" following a year denotes bracelet(s) won during World Series of Poker Paradise
Personal life
Seidel is married and has two daughters, Elian and Jamesin.{{Cite web |last=Konnikova |first=Maria |date=June 23, 2020 |title=How I Became a Poker Champion in One Year |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2020/06/how-i-became-poker-champion-less-year/613372/ |access-date=August 4, 2022 |website=The Atlantic |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Erik Seidel Player Profile, Biography and Poker Career |url=https://www.poker.org/erik-seidel-player-profile/ |access-date=August 4, 2022 |website=Poker.org |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=December 5, 2016 |title=NUMBER CRUNCH: Erik Seidel Breaks Through $30 Million in Earnings |url=https://www.pocketfives.com/articles/number-crunch-erik-seidel-breaks-through-30-million-in-earnings-592708/ |access-date=August 4, 2022 |website=PocketFives |language=en-US}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{commons category|Erik Seidel (poker player)|Erik Seidel}}
- [https://www.cardplayer.com/poker-players/735-erik-seidel Card Player profile]
- [https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/player.php?a=r&n=212 Hendon Mob profile]
- [http://www.pokerlistings.com/poker-player_erik-seidel?show=bio#pp-bio PokerListings profile]
- [https://www.pokernews.com/poker-players/erik-seidel/ PokerNews profile]
- [https://www.wsop.com/players/profile/?playerid=268 WSOP profile]
- [https://www.worldpokertour.com/player/erik-seidel/ WPT profile]
{{Team Full Tilt}}
{{1990s WSOP Bracelet Winners}}
{{2000s WSOP Bracelet Winners}}
{{2020s WSOP bracelet winners}}
{{National Heads-Up Poker Championship Winners}}
{{Poker Hall of Fame}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Seidel, Erik}}
Category:American backgammon players
Category:20th-century American Jews
Category:Game players from New York City
Category:Poker players from the Las Vegas Valley
Category:World Poker Tour winners
Category:World Series of Poker bracelet winners
Category:National Heads-Up Poker Championship winners