Dan Colman's Amazing 2014: A Look Back

Dan Colman won more than $22 million in 2014. Of course, the bulk of his earnings came from topping the field of 42 in the $1 million buy-in Big One for One Drop that was good for over $15 million.

But that was not his only victory this year, as the 24-year-old landed in the winner's circle in three other major tournaments, almost all with a first place prize of at least $1 million. The exception was the WPT Alpha8 in London that provided a mere $957,396 in first place prize money.

What makes Colman's 2014 achievements even more remarkable is the fact that prior to a 3rd place finish in November 2013 for $194,000 at PartyPoker's Playground Poker Fall Classic in Canada, he hadn't cashed for more than $70,000. Colman had only one other title to his name before 2014, and that was for winning a $1,080 Super Satellite at the 2011 Doyle Brunson Five Diamond World Poker Classic that gained entry to a $10,000 tournament. Nine other players won the same prize.

2014 Re-visited

The year began modestly enough for the poker star at the PCA in the Bahamas where 27th place in a $25,500 High Roller saw him more than double his money and earn $59,300. He got his groove going in April at the €100,000 Super High Roller EPT Grand Final in Monte Carlo where his first championship of the year was good for a $2,127,398 payday, according to the Hendon Mob DB.

The next month, Colman landed in 5th at the same venue in a €10,300 Turbo 6-Max for $68,526 before heading to the WSOP at the Rio in Las Vegas. In June, he finished 3rd and 19th in $10,000 and $5,000 WSOP tournaments, respectively, that added over $134,000 to his bankroll.

One Drop win

Later that month is when he managed to prevail in the One Drop, besting Daniel Negreanu heads-up and causing a bit of controversy upon winning when he hardly even cracked a smile and chose not to be accomodating to the media. He later posted on the online poker forum 2 + 2 that he's been playing poker “long enough to see the ugly side of this world."

Colman posted his feelings further, stating, "I capitalize off this game that targets people’s weaknesses. I do enjoy (poker), I love the strategy part of it, but I do see it as a very dark game.”

While some were perplexed that Colman appeared to be biting the hand that feeds him, so to speak, others stated that he certainly has a right to his opinion. Regardless of his feelings about the game's downside as he sees it, Colman's outstanding run continued in Las Vegas in July when he landed in 3rd at the Aria in a $100,000 Super High Roller for $796,821 in prize money.

More controversy

A journey to Barcelona in August and another final table in a Super High Roller put $1,118,479 in Colman's bank account for a runner-up finish to his buddy, Olivier Busquet. More controversy ensued when the two finalists chose to wear t-shirts that made a political statement about the fighting between Palestine and Israel. The event's sponsor, PokerStars, has since implemented a dress code that bans such expression of beliefs.

Ten days later, Colman was back on American soil and back in the winner's circle at the Main Event of the 2014 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open. He outplayed a field of 1,449 for another million-dollar payday -- $1,446,710 to be exact.

His WPT Alpha8 victory in London for slightly less than a million dollars followed in October. Colman put the finishing touch on an incredible 2014 by landing in 7th place in November in a Super High Roller at the APPT 2014 Asia Championship of Poker in Macau for$373,932.

Simply outstanding

All told in 2014, 11 cashes, 9 final tables, 4 victories, and over $22 million earned. Whether or not you agree with the stance Colman has taken in choosing not to be an ambassador for the game, he had a truly fantastic year that may never again be duplicated in terms of the amount of money won. Well done, Dan.