Paul Wasicka Basic Info:
Wasicka was born in Dallas, Texas. In 2006, at 25, he took 2nd place in the 2006 World Series of Poker, outlasting over 8,700 players and winning over 6 million dollars. In 2007, he won the NBC National Heads-Up Championship and $500,000 dollars.
Paul Wasicka on preparing for the 2006 World Series of Poker:
"I would say in the last two and a half years, I've done something poker-related — reading books, playing online, talking about hands, watching poker on TV — for eight to 10 hours a day, every day."
--Wasicka in an AP news story
Paul Wasicka's Losing Hand:
Pocker 10s
It was heads-up between Jamie Gold and Paul Wasicka in the wee hours of the morning. When the flop came Queen-8-5, Wasicka bet $1.5 million in chips. Gold moved all-in and Wasicka called. Wasicka showed pockets 10s, but Gold had Q-9, and had paired his queen on the flop. The turn was an ace and the river a 4, which did not help Wasicka, and he was out and Gold's queens were golden.
It was heads-up between Jamie Gold and Paul Wasicka in the wee hours of the morning. When the flop came Queen-8-5, Wasicka bet $1.5 million in chips. Gold moved all-in and Wasicka called. Wasicka showed pockets 10s, but Gold had Q-9, and had paired his queen on the flop. The turn was an ace and the river a 4, which did not help Wasicka, and he was out and Gold's queens were golden.
Paul Wasicka Trivia:
- Until February, 2006, he was managing his brother-in-law's restaurant, Via Toscana, in Louisville, Colo.
- In the 2 years before the 2006 WSOP, he estimated he played 3,000-7,000 hands a day, almost all of it online
- Wasicka describes himself "very spiritual" and believes he "was blessed with the ability to play poker."
How Do You Pronounce "Wasicka"?:
WAH'-sih-kah
Paul Wasicka's Notable Tournament Finishes :
- 2nd Place, 2006 Main Event, World Series of Poker
- 4th Place, 2007 LA Poker Classic Main Event
- 1st Place, 2007 NBC National Heads-Up Championship
