Ram Vaswani

infobox poker player
firstname=Ram
lastname=Vaswani
nickname=Crazy Horse


caption=Ram Vaswani at the 2005 World Series of Poker
hometown=London, United Kingdom
wsop bracelet count=1
wsop money finishes=13
wsop main event best finish rank="None"
wsop main event best finish year=
multi-year wsop winner=
wpt titles="None"
wpt final tables=0
wpt money finishes=1
ept titles=1
ept final tables=4
ept money finishes=6

Ram Vaswani (born c. 1970 in London) is an English professional snooker player, turned professional poker player and the youngest member of The Hendon Mob. He resides in Finchley cite book | last = Wilson | first = Des | title = Swimming with the Devilfish | publisher = Macmillan | date = 2006 | id = ISBN 1-4050-8952-0 ] with his wife Jackie and daughter Hollie. cite web|url=http://www.thehendonmob.com/joe_beevers/the_sincerest_form_of_flattery.html|title=The Sincerest Form of Flattery|publisher=The Hendon Mob|author=Beevers, Joe|authorlink=Joe Beevers|accessdate=2006-08-11]

Following a brief snooker career, Vaswani became a regular on the poker circuit, and due to his involvement in Late Night Poker, he also became one of the pioneers of poker on television. He is the first (and to date only) person to reach 4 European Poker Tour (EPT) final tables. The latest being at Monte Carlo 2007 (eliminated first, on the first hand) cite web|url=http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=8316|title=European Poker Tour season 1 Dublin results|publisher=The Hendon Mob|author=Butt, Robert|accessdate=2006-08-11] cite web|url=http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=10040|title=European Poker Tour season 1 Copenhagen results|publisher=The Hendon Mob|author=Butt, Robert|accessdate=2006-08-11] cite web|url=http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=14280|title=European Poker Tour season 2 Deauville results|publisher=The Hendon Mob|author=Butt, Robert|accessdate=2006-08-11] one of those final tables bought a win, the Dublin Season 2 (2004) event. He won his first World Series of Poker bracelet in 2007, in the $1,500 Limit Hold'em Shootout event.

His other televised appearances include a win in the Poker Nations Cup, and runner-up in finishes in two more televised events cite web|url=http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=7531|title=2004 Victor Chandler Poker Cup results|publisher=The Hendon Mob|author=Butt, Robert|accessdate=2006-08-11] cite web|url=http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=14092|title=William Hill Poker Grand Prix grand final results|publisher=The Hendon Mob|author=Butt, Robert|accessdate=2006-08-11] .

nooker

Vaswani grew up in Finchley, where his first major game was snooker, where he lived a hustler lifestyle, regularly playing truant to play when he was 13 and 14. cite book | last = Wilson | first = Des | title = Swimming with the Devilfish | publisher = Macmillan | date = 2006 | id = ISBN 1-4050-8952-0 ] At the age of 18, he played professionally for 2 years before realising that although he was making a comfortable living through the game (he once managed to make 3 centuries in one match, and achieved a 147 break), he was spending more time gambling than practicing, and he was unlikely to break through into the top players in the world. (Vaswani's younger brother Sunit did break through in the snooker world, finishing 2nd in the race for the 2001 English Amateur award. Vaswani has since acted as his manager.) cite web|url=http://www.pokerlistings.com/poker-player_ram-vaswani|title=Ram Vaswani - Poker Player Profile|publisher=PokerListings.com|author=Anonymous|accessdate=2006-08-11] cite web|url=http://www.cardplayer.com/cpeurope/archives/showarticle.php?a_id=55&m_id=7|title=Ram Vaswani - The Proper Playboy|publisher=Card Player Magazine|author=May, Jesse|authorlink=Jesse May|accessdate=2006-08-12]

Poker career

Early years

Vaswani began playing cards from the age of 9, and at the age of 12, he organised a low-stakes poker game with friends on a trip to Wales. Their teacher stopped them playing, so they ended up playing for sweets instead. Vaswani has long considered seven-card stud to be the most skilful poker variant, and built up his early poker knowledge playing the £100 game at the Victoria Casino on Edgware Road. cite web|url=http://www.fulltiltpoker.com/ramVaswani.php|title=Ram "Crazy Horse" Vaswani|publisher=Full Tilt Poker|author=Vaswani, Ram|accessdate=2006-08-11] cite web|url=http://www.cardplayer.com/cpeurope/archives/showarticle.php?a_id=55&m_id=7|title=Ram Vaswani - The Proper Playboy|publisher=Card Player Magazine|author=May, Jesse|authorlink=Jesse May|accessdate=2006-08-12]

Vaswani met Joe Beevers in Luton when placing bets on dog racing and they later set up a private poker game together. It was in one of these games that they met both Barny and Ross Boatman. Together, the four became known as The Hendon Mob and became regulars on the European poker tournament circuit. In the first published article on The Hendon Mob, journalist Victoria Coren publicised Vaswani's nickname The Looks, referring to his claimed status as the best-looking of the group. Soon after, Vaswani began using the nickname Crazy Horse, sharing his nickname with the Lakota leader Tashunca-uitco. cite web|url=http://www.thehendonmob.com/joe_beevers/youve_got_to_start_somewhere.html|title=You've Got to Start Somewhere|publisher=The Hendon Mob|author=Beevers, Joe|accessdate=2006-08-11]

Vaswani and the rest of The Mob were invited by Nic Szeremeta to appear in the brand new Late Night Poker television series. cite web|url=http://www.thehendonmob.com/joe_beevers/youve_got_to_start_somewhere.html|title=You've Got to Start Somewhere|publisher=The Hendon Mob|author=Beevers, Joe|accessdate=2006-08-11] Vaswani appeared in each of the show's 6 series, reaching the series 2 Grand Final cite web|url=http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=672|title=Late Night Poker season 2 final results|publisher=The Hendon Mob|author=Butt, Robert|accessdate=2006-08-11] and the series 4 cite web|url=http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=921|title=Late Night Poker season 4 semi-final results|publisher=The Hendon Mob|author=Butt, Robert|accessdate=2006-08-11] and 5 cite web|url=http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=7520|title=Late Night Poker season 5 semi- final results|publisher=The Hendon Mob|author=Butt, Robert|accessdate=2006-08-11] Semi-Finals.

Vaswani's first major tournament win happened at the HFl 5,000 LIDO tournament at the Master Classics of Poker tournament in Amsterdam in 1999. cite web|url=http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=12321|title=1999 HFl 5,000 LIDO tournament, Master Classics of Poker results|publisher=The Hendon Mob|author=Butt, Robert|accessdate=2006-08-11] At the time, this was Europe's most prestigious tournament, but he was broke and had to borrow money off Joe Beevers to stake in a cash game to build up money for the entry fee. cite web|url=http://www.cardplayer.com/cpeurope/archives/showarticle.php?a_id=55&m_id=7|title=Ram Vaswani - The Proper Playboy|publisher=Card Player Magazine|author=May, Jesse|authorlink=Jesse May|accessdate=2006-08-12]

The WSOP and beyond

Vaswani first finished in the money of a World Series of Poker (WSOP) event in the 2001 $3,000 no limit Texas hold 'em event won by Erik Seidel cite web|url=http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=3057|title=2001 World Series of Poker $3,000 no limit Texas hold 'em event results|publisher=The Hendon Mob|author=Butt, Robert|accessdate=2006-08-11] . The next year he had a 3rd place finish in the $2,000 limit hold 'em event cite web|url=http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=4389|title=2002 World Series of Poker $2,000 limit Texas hold 'em event results|publisher=The Hendon Mob|author=Butt, Robert|accessdate=2006-08-11] , and a 2nd place finish in the $2,000 1/2 hold 'em - 1/2 seven-card stud event cite web|url=http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=4418|title=2002 World Series of Poker $2,000 1/2 Texas hold 'em event 1/2 Seven-card Stud results|publisher=The Hendon Mob|author=Butt, Robert|accessdate=2006-08-11] . He had another 3rd place finish in 2004 in the $3,000 no limit hold 'em event. cite web|url=http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=6617|title=2004 World Series of Poker $3,000 no limit Texas hold 'em event results|publisher=The Hendon Mob|author=Butt, Robert|accessdate=2006-08-11]

Vaswani is the only player to have made 4 final tables on the European Poker Tour (EPT). In the first season, he won the Dublin event cite web|url=http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=8316|title=European Poker Tour season 1 Dublin results|publisher=The Hendon Mob|author=Butt, Robert|accessdate=2006-08-11] and finished 2nd to Noah Boeken in the Copenhagen event cite web|url=http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=10040|title=European Poker Tour season 1 Copenhagen results|publisher=The Hendon Mob|author=Butt, Robert|accessdate=2006-08-11] . In the second season, he finished 5th in Deauville. cite web|url=http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=14280|title=European Poker Tour season 2 Deauville results|publisher=The Hendon Mob|author=Butt, Robert|accessdate=2006-08-11] He also made the final table of the Season 3 Main Event, where he finished 8th. His EPT final table tally is double the next best total, held several other players, including Marc Karam, Marcel Lüske and Noah Boeken.

His other major tournament victories include:
* £500 pot limit seven-card stud, European Poker Classic 2000 cite web|url=http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=596|title=2000 £500 pot limit seven-card stud, European Poker Classic results|publisher=The Hendon Mob|author=Butt, Robert|accessdate=2006-08-11]
* €5,000 European Hold'em Championship, Euro Finals of Poker 2002 cite web|url=http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=999|title=2002 €5,000 European Hold'em Championship, Euro Finals of Poker|publisher=The Hendon Mob|author=Butt, Robert|accessdate=2006-08-11]
* £500 pot limit seven-card stud, Poker Classics 2003 cite web|url=http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=1557|title=2003 £500 pot limit seven-card stud, Poker Classics|publisher=The Hendon Mob|author=Butt, Robert|accessdate=2006-08-11]
* £500 no limit hold'em, Midland Masters 2003 cite web|url=http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=1622|title=2003 £500 no limit hold'em, Midland Masters|publisher=The Hendon Mob|author=Butt, Robert|accessdate=2006-08-11]
* Poker Nations Cup 2006 cite web|url=http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=18488|title=888.com Poker Nations Cup final results|publisher=The Hendon Mob|author=Butt, Robert|accessdate=2006-08-11]

Vaswani was also a quarter-finalist in the 2003 World Heads-Up Poker Championship cite web|url=http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=1450|title=2003 World Heads-Up Poker Championship results|publisher=The Hendon Mob|author=Butt, Robert|accessdate=2006-08-11] , runner-up to Harry Demetriou in the 2004 Victor Chandler Poker Cup cite web|url=http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=7531|title=2004 Victor Chandler Poker Cup results|publisher=The Hendon Mob|author=Butt, Robert|accessdate=2006-08-11] , and a finalist in the pot limit hold 'em Gaming Club World Poker Championship. cite web|url=http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=8561|title=The Gaming Club World Poker Championship results|publisher=The Hendon Mob|author=Butt, Robert|accessdate=2006-08-11]

He finished runner-up in the 2005 William Hill Poker Grand Prix, following a bad beat against eventual winner Phil Laak. cite web|url=http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=14092|title=William Hill Poker Grand Prix grand final results|publisher=The Hendon Mob|author=Butt, Robert|accessdate=2006-08-11] However, commentator Lucy Rokach repeatedly laid claim to him being the best player in the 64-player field, that included former World Champion Scotty Nguyen and WSOP bracelet winners Donnacha O'Dea and Brian Wilson. (Simon Trumper has also referred to him as "the best tournament player in Europe, especially in No Limit.") cite web|url=http://poker.sportinglife.com/Features/story_58467.shtml|title=Who is Ram Vaswani?|publisher=Poker.SportingLife.com|author=Anonymous|accessdate=2006-08-12]

As of 2007, his total live tournament winnings exceed $3,000,000. cite web|url=http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/player.php?a=s&n=3|title=Ram Vasawani - Stats|publisher=The Hendon Mob|author=Butt, Robert|accessdate=2006-08-11]

Vaswani appeared in Late Night Poker Masters in late 2006 on Channel 4, in the same heat as season 6 champion Peter Costa and Willie Tann, but did not progress. cite web|url=http://www.thehendonmob.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=10192&highlight=late+night|title=Late Night Poker Masters - The Players|publisher=The Hendon Mob|author="Reporter"|accessdate=2006-08-12]

Vaswani has written over 20 articles for The Hendon Mob's website cite web|url=http://www.thehendonmob.com/ram_vaswani/|title=Articles by Ram Vaswani|publisher=The Hendon Mob|author=Vaswani, Ram|accessdate=2006-08-11] , and a poker lesson for Matthew Hilger's site [http://www.internettexasholdem.com internettexasholdem.com] . cite web|url=http://www.internettexasholdem.com/pokertutor/setInfo.php?siid=32|title=Ram 2-table SnG|publisher=www.InternetTexasHoldem.com|author=Vaswani, Ram|accessdate=2006-08-11]

Vaswani regularly plays $100-$200 no limit hold 'em online, and is sponsored by Full Tilt Poker. cite web|url=http://www.fulltiltpoker.com/ramVaswani.php|title=Ram "Crazy Horse" Vaswani|publisher=Full Tilt Poker|author=Vaswani, Ram|accessdate=2006-08-11] He has also played $200-$400 pot limit Omaha on the site, where he has won pots in excess of $160,000. cite web|url=http://www.thehendonmob.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=10850|title=Ram vs Luigi|publisher=The Hendon Mob|author="Expo" et al|accessdate=2006-08-13]

Other gambling

Vaswani has been described as "an avid gambler who 'would bet on anything that moves'". cite web|url=http://poker.sportinglife.com/Features/story_58467.shtml|title=Who is Ram Vaswani?|publisher=Poker.SportingLife.com|author=Anonymous|accessdate=2006-08-12] This has led to him being known for having a fluctuating bankroll due to the variance in his sports betting hobby. Joe Beevers has indicated that Vaswani will often have $100,000 in his pocket one day; but it will be gone the next. Vaswani has indicated he is not too concerned about the outcome of bets he makes, so long as he has made the right decision in each case. cite book | last = Wilson | first = Des | title = Swimming with the Devilfish | publisher = Macmillan | date = 2006 | id = ISBN 1-4050-8952-0 ] He is also a keen golf player cite web|url=http://www.worldpokertour.com/magazine/index.php?x=detail&aID=106|title=Ram Vaswani|publisher=World Poker Tour|author=Vaswani, Ram|accessdate=2006-08-12] , and has had large financial upswings and downswings as a result of wagering on his game. cite web|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/2006/08/20/bowil20.xml|title=The Predatory Thrill of Poker|publisher=The Daily Telegraph|author=Flusfeder, David|accessdate=2006-08-27] Also, during the 888.com Poker Nations Cup, Vaswani made numerous large wagers with the Swedish team, and staked large amounts of money on Chinese poker, which he considers to be a game of pure luck. cite web|url=http://www.cardplayer.com/cpeurope/archives/showarticle.php?a_id=55&m_id=7|title=Ram Vaswani - The Proper Playboy|publisher=Card Player Magazine|author=May, Jesse|authorlink=Jesse May|accessdate=2006-08-12]

Notes

External links

* [http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/player.php?a=r&n=3 Hendon Mob tournament results]