2015 WSOP Player to Watch - Dutch Boyd

Every year since 2003 (except for 2008), Dutch Boyd has cashed at the WSOP in Las Vegas. That includes this year, as the controversial poker pro began the 2015 festival by reaching 117th place in $1,500 Omaha Hi-Low Split-8 or Better to grab $2,354 in prize money.

Boyd is hoping to better his 2014 WSOP results, but has his work cut out for him if he should manage to do so. Last year, he cashed six times at the Rio, including winning his third gold bracelet when he outlasted a field of 1,688 in a $1,000 NLHE event to win $288,744.

His other five cashes in 2014 added more than $37,000 to his bankroll, the best of which was an 11th place finish in $1,500 H.O.R.S.E for $11,605. Boyd recorded only one cash at the 2013 WSOP, navigating his way to 395th place in the Main Event for $28,063.

ME Final Table Near-Miss

Boyd is no stranger to landing in-the-money in the Main Event. His first-ever WSOP cash occurred in a ME, way back in the Chris Moneymaker year of 2003. Boyd finished 12th that year out of 839 runners, taking home $80K in the process and propelling him on a career path that included visits to the WSOP cashier cage in 12 of 13 years.

Two years later in 2005, Boyd again cashed in the Main Event. Finishing 177th was good for $39,075 in a field of 5,619, the Hendon Mob reported.

The following year, Boyd captured his first gold bracelet in $2,500 Short-Handed No Limit Hold'em. It was his only WSOP cash in 2006, but one to remember for not only the WSOP title, but also for the first place prize money of $475,712.

More final tables followed among three in-the-money finishes in 2007, as Boyd landed in 3rd place in $3,000 Seven Card Stud Hi-Low Split-8 or Better for $71,650 and 5th place in $5,000 Six-Handed NLHE for another $169,369.

Streak Interrupted

While his poker resume contains no WSOP entries in 2008, Boyd was indeed a formidable opponent on the felt at other events that year. The best of which was a championship at the $2,620 Doyle Brunson Five Diamond World Poker Classic for $162,605.

After three cashes at the 2009 WSOP that included a final table, Boyd followed it up with three more in 2010. He collected his second WSOP gold bracelet that year, topping a pack of 384 entrants in $2,500 Limit Hold'em Six-Handed and earning a payday of $234,065.

A couple min-cashes in 2011 were followed by four in-the-money finishes the next year, with 8th place in $3,000 Pot Limit Omaha the best of the bunch. That Omaha final table added $35,038 to Boyd's bankroll.

Down But Not Out

That bankroll, despite reaching $2,479,647 in live tournament winnings, was down to zero by late 2012. Boyd ran into hard times brought on by the failure of PokerSpot, an online poker site that hit the market prior to the likes of Full Tilt and PokerStars, but ended up in the red and owing players money.

Boyd also became entangled in legal battles pertaining to cyber-squatting. A lawsuit initiated by 2 + 2 saw Boyd on the losing end, resulting in the drainage of more cash.

Through it all, Boyd has endured, writing a book about his experiences called Poker Tilt. It's on my list of books to read, as several reviews have recommended Poker Tilt as a real page-turner.

Although Poker Tilt may be a tell-all, the complete story has yet to be told, as Boyd continues cashing at poker tournaments. His WSOP in-the-money finishes total 31 with his latest score this year, with perhaps many more to follow.