World Series 2004 Winner - Greg Raymer

*WSOP and World Series of Poker (from now on referred to as the Main Event and/or World Series)

The Greg "Fossilman" Raymer Story

Meeting the world poker champion, Greg "Fossilman" Raymer, for the first time is quite a bewildering experience. The first thought that comes to mind is - where's the swagger? Of all the champions crowned king of the poker world in the 35-year history of the *WSOP, the 2004 winner is, without doubt, the least pretentious of them all.

After he won a whopping $5 million in prize money in May, one of Raymer's first remarks in a post-tournament press conference was an admission that he is not the world's best poker player. With a mountain of hundred-dollar bills stockpiled on the poker table, belonging to Raymer, it was an odd time for humility. Raymer told reporters that he had a lot more to learn about poker -- a startling admission from a man who had just won the biggest tournament in poker history. Indeed, Raymer's humble outlook, jovial nature, and down-to-earth manner camouflages an intense dedication not only to poker and game strategy, but a commitment to excellence in whatever he wishes to purse.

Raymer, age 39 at the time he won the championship, is the third consecutive world champion to essentially "come from nowhere" to win poker's top prize. He's also the third straight world champion who is married and is a father. Robert Varkonyi (2002), Chris Moneymaker (2003), and Greg Raymer (2004) were all married at the time of the victory. Each winner also has a daughter.

Admittedly a part-time poker player in the decade leading up to his ultimate victory, Raymer's full-time "real" job was a patent attorney for a large pharmaceutical company. He lived in a quiet two-story home in the woods of Southeastern Connecticut, near the Foxwoods Casino. Raymer's passions included his family, fossil collecting - and poker.

Born in North Dakota, Raymer's poker career actually began in college. He started out playing "nickel-dime" poker with fraternity pals. After college and law school, Raymer took up blackjack and card-counting at various Indian-casinos in the Midwest for a spell, before realizing there was a less-risky way to make some extra money. Attorney by day, poker player by night, he played in the local charity games around Chicago, mostly $3-6 Hold'em and Omaha. He later explained, "I bought a bunch of poker books, found RGP (the rec.gambling.poker Internet newsgroup), and went from there, moving up from $3-6 to $20-40 and eventually $150-300 here in Connecticut."

When he moved his family to Connecticut in 1999, Raymer started playing regularly in the weekly No-Limit Hold'em tournament at Foxwoods and began to take tournaments more seriously. He steadily beat cash games - for progressively higher amounts as his poker prowess improved.

But it wasn't until 2000 that Raymer burst upon the poker scene in what was then a small flash. Raymer made the final table at the World Poker Finals, finishing in third place - worth $49,000 in prize money. Despite the impressive finish and nice payout, Raymer was disappointed he did not win the tournament. He later wrote about the experience of being knocked out of a big event: "It felt like the time I got nailed in the stomach playing in a doubles racquetball tournament in high school. At first you think you're okay, and then a couple of seconds later you're doubling over in pain. I guess there's always next year."

"Next year" would actually be four years later for Raymer. He began playing poker regularly online at PokerStars.com, which allowed him to vastly improve his tournament skills, specifically in short-handed and heads-up play. He also continued to discuss poker strategy with friends and colleagues whom he met locally and via the Internet. In the spring of 2004, Raymer won a $160 buy-in satellite shootout at PokerStars.com and earned an entry fee to the World Series Main Event. His life was about to change.

A few months later, Raymer was sitting down at the poker table at Binion's Horseshoe in Las Vegas, playing the biggest tournament of his life amongst the best players in the world. In the end, he defeated 2,575 players, a staggering number of entries which made the 2004 World Series Main Event the biggest poker tournament in history.

When asked to explain the reasons for his victory, Raymer cited his ability to control his emotions. He said, "Normally, it would be difficult to play your best for a solid week. However, for some unknown reason, I was very calm and focused all week long, and made very few plays that I thought were mistakes at the time the decision was made. I wish I knew why I kept my mental processes so even, so I could ensure to repeat it every tournament."

In the end, Greg "Fossilman" Raymer became the second consecutive world poker champion through PokerStars.com - thus earning the popular online poker site the tagline, Where Poker Players Become World Champions.

‡WORLD SERIES OF POKER and WSOP are trademarks of Harrah's License Company, LLC ("Harrah's"). Harrah's does not sponsor or endorse, and is not associated or affiliated with PokerStars.com or its products, services, promotions or tournaments.