Nick Schulman

Some stories of poker greatness are quite shiny and glamorous, but not the one of Nick Schulman. Born in 1984 in New York City by the time he was fifteen, he has already dropped out of school, lived reckless life and had very little expectations for his future. He used to play pool for living, making about $500 a week, mostly off the people much older than him, who would make a mistake of underestimating the youngster’s skills and often walk out of the establishment with their pockets empty. He discovered poker when he was seventeen, and started playing online on his friend’s account. It did not take him long to figure out that there was a lot of money to be made with this game, so he went on and made an account for himself under the alias “The Takeover”. He started off by playing $10-20 sit and goes, but soon it was not enough for Schulman and he transitioned to cash games. After a little while, he was making more money an hour than he would dare dream about just few months earlier. It didn’t bother him too much that his style of living was rather unhealthy due to lack of sleep and eating junk food practically every day because the amount of money he was making was just insane. As soon as he was legally allowed, he started making the name for himself on the live circuit as well. Although his first steps in the live poker came in the underground clubs around New York City, it wasn’t long before the common raids made him look for a safer environment. In November of 2005 he played and won the WPT World Poker Finals, Mashantucket, taking home more than $2.1 million. Then he came close to repeating his success in the same tournament in 2007, when he finished runner-up, banking $865,000. During the 2009 WSOP, he got the first bracelet on his wrist, after winning $10k WSOP No Limit Deuce to Seven Draw Championship. Another bracelet came in 2012, and it was once again the 2-7 event. With numerous other final tables, his overall live winnings are in excess of $7.1 million, placing him in the 53rd spot for the All Time Money List, and 38th for the US All Time Money List. Adding to that two bracelets and the WPT title, his poker resume is truly impressive, and he is just an EPT victory shy of the Triple Crown. Off the felt, one of the funniest prop bets he has made to date was a no-shaving bet with Huck Seed for $20,000 but no money exchanged hands, as neither of them could make it all the way. In his free time Nick Schulman enjoys reading and relaxing, as well as playing pool, which still remains his favorite hobby, and learning how to golf.