Andrew Black
Encyclopedia
Andrew Black is a poker
player from Belfast
, Northern Ireland
, who presently resides in Dublin.
Black played cards with his mother when he was younger, and began playing more seriously in 1986, whilst he was studying for a law degree at Trinity College, Dublin. He was a member of a long running poker school in the Junior Common Room (The JCR), that previously had noted poker players Donnacha O'Dea
and Padraig Parkinson
as members. He also began playing in the Griffin Casino in Dublin, reportedly because of the free food and coffee.
He was knocked out of the 1997 World Series of Poker
(WSOP) main event by the eventual winner, Stu Ungar
. There were rumors that Ungar got lucky and defeated Black's AK while holding AQ. Black dispelled this rumor and candidly affirmed that Ungar "just outplayed me" and that the AK vs. AQ story was nothing more than journalistic spice.
The following year a documentary titled Million Dollar Deal (narrated by John Hurt
) was made of his visit to the same tournament. When he lost that too, he discarded all his possessions, travelled to England and lived in a semi-monastic
Buddhist environment for 5 years.
Black successfully returned to poker in 2004, dominating in Irish tournaments and placing fifth in the 2005 WSOP main event. He led the final table of the main event at one stage holding over 1/3 of the chips in play, however he was unable to maintain this lead and finished 5th, winning $1.75m.
In 2005 he appeared on the chatshow Heads Up with Richard Herring
to discuss his faith and his poker career.
Since the 2005 WSOP main event, he has made a money finish on both the European Poker Tour
and the World Poker Tour
. In 2006 Black made the final table of the Tournament of Champions
where he once again held a huge chip lead only to cripple his stack when he overplayed AK and ran into Daniel Negreanu
holding pocket Kings. Black once again was eliminated in 5th place earning $100,000.
Black enjoyed a spectacular start to 2007 placing 2nd for $100,000 in the Pot Limit Omaha event and 3rd in the No Limit Main Event for $750,000 at the Aussie Millions in Melbourne, Australia. At the EPT Grand Final in Monte Carlo
, Black once again enjoyed a deep run in a major event reaching the final table before exiting in 7th for $320,000.
In 2007, Black won the Pot Limit Omaha side event at the Irish Open. He got €54,589 for the win. He defeated Michael Greco heads-up.
At the 2007 WSOP, Black finished in the money in two Pot Limit Omaha events, finishing 7th and 11th respectively.
At the 2007 WSOP Main Event, Black played day 1A. He was one of the early chip leaders, building his stack from 20,000 to over 80,000. Despite this, Black did not make it past day 1. He was eliminated when his 45 ran into AA on a 433 flop.
In 2008, Black beat Roland De Wolfe
heads-ups to win Premier League Poker II and $250,000. His 2008 continued with a 16th place in the WPT World Poker classic for $105,525 and three further cash finishes in the WSOP.
Black is an official pro at Full Tilt Poker
.
As of 2009, his total live tournament winnings exceed $4,100,000. His 16 cashes as the WSOP account for $2,189,351 of those winnings.
Poker
Poker is a family of card games that share betting rules and usually hand rankings. Poker games differ in how the cards are dealt, how hands may be formed, whether the high or low hand wins the pot in a showdown , limits on bet sizes, and how many rounds of betting are allowed.In most modern poker...
player from Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
, who presently resides in Dublin.
Black played cards with his mother when he was younger, and began playing more seriously in 1986, whilst he was studying for a law degree at Trinity College, Dublin. He was a member of a long running poker school in the Junior Common Room (The JCR), that previously had noted poker players Donnacha O'Dea
Donnacha O'Dea
Donnacha "The Don" O'Dea is an Irish professional poker player. In his youth he was a swimmer, and represented Ireland in the 1968 Olympics. He was also the first Irish swimmer to swim 100m in less than one minute...
and Padraig Parkinson
Padraig Parkinson
Padraig Parkinson is an Irish professional poker player. He is chiefly recognised as the grand final winner of Late Night Poker series 5 and as the third-place finisher of the 1999 World Series of Poker, where he lost to fellow countryman Noel Furlong.Originally, Padraig refused to play in Late...
as members. He also began playing in the Griffin Casino in Dublin, reportedly because of the free food and coffee.
He was knocked out of the 1997 World Series of Poker
1997 World Series of Poker
The 1997 World Series of Poker was held at Binion's Horseshoe. Most notably, it was the only WSOP where the final table of the main event took place outdoors, at the Fremont Street Experience, just outside of Binions...
(WSOP) main event by the eventual winner, Stu Ungar
Stu Ungar
Stuart Errol "Stu" Ungar was a professional poker and gin rummy player, widely regarded to have been the greatest Texas hold 'em and gin rummy player of all time....
. There were rumors that Ungar got lucky and defeated Black's AK while holding AQ. Black dispelled this rumor and candidly affirmed that Ungar "just outplayed me" and that the AK vs. AQ story was nothing more than journalistic spice.
The following year a documentary titled Million Dollar Deal (narrated by John Hurt
John Hurt
John Vincent Hurt, CBE is an English actor, known for his leading roles as John Merrick in The Elephant Man, Winston Smith in Nineteen Eighty-Four, Mr. Braddock in The Hit, Stephen Ward in Scandal, Quentin Crisp in The Naked Civil Servant and An Englishman in New York...
) was made of his visit to the same tournament. When he lost that too, he discarded all his possessions, travelled to England and lived in a semi-monastic
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
Buddhist environment for 5 years.
Black successfully returned to poker in 2004, dominating in Irish tournaments and placing fifth in the 2005 WSOP main event. He led the final table of the main event at one stage holding over 1/3 of the chips in play, however he was unable to maintain this lead and finished 5th, winning $1.75m.
In 2005 he appeared on the chatshow Heads Up with Richard Herring
Heads Up with Richard Herring
Heads Up with Richard Herring or HUWRH, was a British celebrity chat show written by and starring Richard Herring, who is best known as one half of comedy duo Lee and Herring, the stars of BBC Two shows Fist of Fun and This Morning With Richard Not Judy...
to discuss his faith and his poker career.
Since the 2005 WSOP main event, he has made a money finish on both the European Poker Tour
European Poker Tour
The Pokerstars European Poker Tour is a series of poker tournaments similar to those in the World Poker Tour , created by John Duthie, winner of the inaugural Poker Million tournament. It began in 2004 as part of the worldwide explosion in Texas Hold 'em popularity...
and the World Poker Tour
World Poker Tour
The World Poker Tour is a series of international poker tournaments and associated television series broadcasting the final table of each tournament. It was started in the United States by attorney/television producer Steven Lipscomb, who served as CEO of WPT Enterprises , the firm that...
. In 2006 Black made the final table of the Tournament of Champions
World Series of Poker Tournament of Champions
The World Series of Poker Tournament of Champions is an invitational freeroll poker event. Wins in this event do not count as official WSOP bracelets, but the winner receives a large trophy in the shape of the official World Series of Poker logo. In 2010, the WSOP Tournament of Champions returned...
where he once again held a huge chip lead only to cripple his stack when he overplayed AK and ran into Daniel Negreanu
Daniel Negreanu
Daniel Negreanu is a Canadian professional poker player. He has won four World Series of Poker bracelets and two World Poker Tour Championship titles. He is currently ranked second in the all-time career earnings list and is the star of poker game show Million Dollar Challenge. He plays a big...
holding pocket Kings. Black once again was eliminated in 5th place earning $100,000.
Black enjoyed a spectacular start to 2007 placing 2nd for $100,000 in the Pot Limit Omaha event and 3rd in the No Limit Main Event for $750,000 at the Aussie Millions in Melbourne, Australia. At the EPT Grand Final in Monte Carlo
Monte Carlo
Monte Carlo is an administrative area of the Principality of Monaco....
, Black once again enjoyed a deep run in a major event reaching the final table before exiting in 7th for $320,000.
In 2007, Black won the Pot Limit Omaha side event at the Irish Open. He got €54,589 for the win. He defeated Michael Greco heads-up.
At the 2007 WSOP, Black finished in the money in two Pot Limit Omaha events, finishing 7th and 11th respectively.
At the 2007 WSOP Main Event, Black played day 1A. He was one of the early chip leaders, building his stack from 20,000 to over 80,000. Despite this, Black did not make it past day 1. He was eliminated when his 45 ran into AA on a 433 flop.
In 2008, Black beat Roland De Wolfe
Roland De Wolfe
Roland De Wolfe is an English professional poker player and a former writer for the poker magazine Inside Edge.After winning first prize in an event at the 2004 Gutshot Poker Festival, he went on to make a money finish in the $1,000 No Limit event of the 2005 World Series of Poker.In July 2005, he...
heads-ups to win Premier League Poker II and $250,000. His 2008 continued with a 16th place in the WPT World Poker classic for $105,525 and three further cash finishes in the WSOP.
Black is an official pro at Full Tilt Poker
Full Tilt Poker
Full Tilt Poker is an online poker card room that opened in June 2004 with the involvement of poker professionals Howard Lederer, Phil Ivey, Andy Bloch, Mike Matusow, Jennifer Harman and Chris Ferguson...
.
As of 2009, his total live tournament winnings exceed $4,100,000. His 16 cashes as the WSOP account for $2,189,351 of those winnings.