Gavin Smith

infobox poker player
firstname=Gavin
lastname=Smith
nickname=Birdguts, Caveman

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caption=Gavin Smith at the 2007 World Series of Poker
hometown=Guelph, Ontario
wsop bracelet count="None"
wsop money finishes=13
wsop main event best finish rank=52nd
wsop main event best finish year=2004
multi-year wsop winner=
wpt titles=1
wpt final tables=3
wpt money finishes=7

Gavin Smith (born 4 September 1968 in Guelph, Ontario) is a Canadian professional poker player who won the WPT Mirage Poker Showdown Championship event in 2005.

Smith learned how to play cards by playing cribbage and rummy with his father. He started playing poker at the age of 26, playing mixed games with co-workers. He became a poker dealer in 1996 and set up his own poker club in 1998. He has also worked as a taxi driver and on a golf course.

Poker

Smith first came to note by winning tournaments in no limit Texas hold 'em and seven card stud in the 1999 and 2000 World Poker Finals at Foxwoods Resort Casino.

World Poker Tour

In May 2005 he won the first prize of $1,128,278 in the World Poker Tour (WPT) Mirage Poker Showdown in Las Vegas, defeating Ted Forrest in the final heads-up confrontation. In October 2005 he made the WPT final table again in the 2nd Annual Doyle Brunson North American Poker Championship, where he finished 3rd, behind Minh Ly and Dan Harrington. He made a third WPT final table in January 2006, finishing 4th. The three WPT final tables earned him the World Poker Tour Player of the Year award for season 4.

World Series of Poker

He first cashed in the World Series of Poker (WSOP) in 2003 and would later make the money in the $10,000 no limit hold'em main event in 2004, finishing 52nd. He went on to cash in 2005 also (471st)as well as in 2007 (592nd).In spite of his many appearances at the WSOP he has not succeded in winning a bracelet yet. He does however have several high finishes including a runner-up finish in 2007 ($1,500 Pot-Limit Hold 'Em for $155,645). The experience Smith gained in mixed-games when he started playing has also served him well as he has several high finishes in H.O.R.S.E. tournaments.

World Series of Poker circuit events

In May 2006, Smith finished 2nd in the World Series of Poker circuit event at Harrah's New Orleans, winning $293,930. Smith had made a bet with Allie Prescott on who would win. If Smith won, Prescott would give him $70,000 per year for 10 years; if Prescott won, Smith would give him $100,000 per year for 10 years. commentary of 2006 World Series of Poker (episode 1) by Norman Chad and Lon McEachern] Peter Feldman went on to win the tournament.

Other poker related activities

He won the B.A.R.G.E. Main Event in 2004, besting a strong field of 249 poker enthusiasts, in Las Vegas, NV.

In July 2006, Smith won the World Pro-Am Challenge event at the Poker Dome Challenge, taking home the $500,000 first prize.

From April 2006 until October 2006, Gavin was one of the hosts of The Circuit radio show sponsored by Card Player Magazine. Smith and Joe Sebok also host PokerRoad Radio with Ali Nejad.

He Won Poker After Dark´s Season 3 Week 2 "19th Hole" defeating Phil Ivey in heads up play.It was his first time on the show.

Smith plays online poker on several sites and has played under the alias "birdguts" as well as his own name on Full Tilt Poker where he plays as one of their Full Tilt Pros.

Smith is good friends with Erick Lindgren who helped bankroll him early in his career.

Smith came in second place at the Pacifica 2008 tournament at the MGM Grand, Las Vegas.

As of 2008, his total live tournament winnings exceed $3,900,000. [ [http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/player.php?a=r&n=14762 Hendon Mob tournament results: Gavin Smith] ]

Prop bets

Smith co-stars with Joe Sebok on a show called "Prop Bets" on the Internet-TV site RawVegas.tv, mainly thanks to the above-mentioned prop bet at the 2006 WSOP.

Smith won a bet with Joe Sebok on who would win the most Card Player Magazine points at the 2006 WSOP. As a consequence, Sebok had to wear a bear outfit on Day 1B, among other funny looking outfits including Wonder Woman.

Smith has a tattoo on his upper right shoulder of a four leaf clover and the initials J.S. He had to get the tattoo after losing a prop bet to Joe Sebok.

Notes

External links

* [http://www.gavinsmithpoker.com/ Official site]
* [http://www.cardplayer.com/poker_magazine/archives/showarticle.php?a_id=15135 Card Player Magazine cover article]
* [http://www.worldpokertour.com/players/?x=profile&id=5273 World Poker Tour profile]
* [http://www.pokulator.com/ten-questions/gavin-smith.html Pokulator 10 Questions interview]