Gavin Smith's Vital Stats:
Gavin Smith was born in 1968 in Ontario, Canada and now lives in Vegas. He started playing poker in 1994 when he found roving charity casinos in the Toronto area. He turned pro in 1998 and found immediate success, making two final World Poker Tour tables that year. In 2006, Gavin’s was named WPT Season 4 Player of the Year.
Gavin Smith's Poker Nickname:
"Birdguts" -- which is his alias on Full Tilt Poker, which he represents.
Gavin Smith at the Table:
Gavin is known as a talkative, unconvential and agressive player -- a dangerous combination.
Gavin Smith's Notable Tournament Finishes:
- 1st -- 2006 No-Limit Hold'em World Pro-Am Challenge, Las Vegas
- 2nd -- 2006 World Series of Poker Tournament Circuit Event, Harrah's, New Orleans, No-Limit Hold'em main event
- 4th -- 2006 World Poker Tour Gold Strike, Tunica - $10,000 No Limit Hold'em Event
- 3rd -- 2005 World Poker Tour, Bellagio Festa Al Lago IV, Las Vegas, $10,000 no-limit Hold'em Event
- 1st -- 2005 Mirage Poker Showdown, Las Vegas, $2,000 No Limit Hold'em event
Something You Might Hear Gavin Smith Say if You Were at his Table:
“I’m sorry for the bad beat that I’m about to give you”
--Gavin Smith, twice, when calling with lesser hands during the WSOP Circuit event. He finished second.
Gavin Smith's Poker Friends:
He and Erick Lindgren are good friends -- Lindgren actually bankrolled Smith when he first started out.
Gavin Smith Trivia:
- When not playing poker, he likes to golf, rollerblade, and play pool.
- He studied economics as an undergrad in college
- He is a national spokesperson for Black Velvet Canadian Whiskey
My Impressions of Gavin Smith:
I’ve only met Gavin Smith once, during the 2006 World Series of Poker, and I found him an immensely likeable guy. My first day there, I was going around taking pictures of people I recognized, and as he noticed me taking his picture as he played poker, he smiled at the camera, asked me who I was working for and after he introduced himself, he said, “I’m Gavin Smith,” and held out his hand, smiling. “I know,” I laughed, and shook his hand. “Thanks,” I said, “and good luck.”
The rest of my week there, he always smiled at me when I sweated him at the table. In a genuine way, not in the Yeah-I-Know-You’re-With-The-Press pressed-mouth smile, wave-from-the-hip way that some players do.
When I watch players, I often categorize them into two groups: Players I think would be fun to play with and players who I hope to never see across from me. I'd definitely be happy to sit down with Gavin, and even invite Gavin to my home game, though he'd rip it apart.
