Duane "Dewey" Tomko (born December 31, 1946, in Glassport, Pennsylvania)[1] is an American former kindergarten teacher turned professional poker player, based in Winter Haven, Florida.
| Dewey Tomko | |
|---|---|
 Dewey Tomko at the 2006 World Poker Tour Bellagio Five Star Tournament | |
| Nickname(s) | Dewey |
| Residence | Winter Haven, Florida |
| Born | Duane Tomko December 31, 1946 |
| World Series of Poker | |
| Bracelet(s) | 3 |
| Money finish(es) | 43 |
| Highest ITM Main Event finish | 2nd, 1982, 2001 |
| World Poker Tour | |
| Title(s) | None |
| Final table(s) | 2 |
| Money finish(es) | 5 |
Tomko was the runner-up in the World Series of Poker (WSOP) $10,000 no limit Texas hold'em Main Event in 1982 (to Jack Straus) and 2001 (to Carlos Mortensen).[2][3] Besides his success in the Main Event, Tomko has won three WSOP bracelets, all in different variations of poker, in addition to various other tournament wins throughout his career.[4]
Early life
editTomko was born and raised in Glassport, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Pittsburgh. He began playing poker profitably as a 16-year-old in Pittsburgh pool halls, which allowed him to finance his education.[5]
Tomko worked as a kindergarten teacher for several years, and often played poker through the night. After Tomko realised that playing poker was more profitable than his job, he left his full-time job, played poker full-time and invested a sum of his winnings into businesses.[5]
Poker career
editTomko won his first career WSOP bracelet in 1979, in the $1,000 No Limit Hold'em event. He defeated Duanne Hammrich heads-up to win the title and $48,000 cash prize.[6]
At the 1984 WSOP, Dewey won two bracelets. First, he won the $10,000 Deuce-to-Seven Draw event for $105,000.[7] The next day, he went back-to-back, winning the $5,000 Pot Limit Omaha with re-buys event for his third bracelet and $135,000.[8]
In addition to his WSOP success, Tomko has made two World Poker Tour (WPT) final tables. He finished runner-up in the 2003 Five Diamond World Poker Classic for $552,853 and in fourth place in the Costa Rica Classic for $14,650.[9][10]
As of 2008, Tomko had played every WSOP Main Event since 1974, the longest streak at the time.[11]
Tomko finished in third place in the 2005 WSOP Deuce-To-Seven lowball event, worth $138,160.[12] He made the final table of the first WSOP $50,000 buy-in H.O.R.S.E. tournament in 2006 ,which featured some of the best tournament and cash game poker players in the world. He finished in seventh place earning $343,200.[13]
As of 2010, Tomko's total live tournament winnings exceeded $4,960,000.[14] Just over half of his tournament winnings, $2,641,573, have come at the WSOP.[15] He is a 2008 inductee into the Poker Hall of Fame. He was inducted alongside Henry Orenstein.[16]
World Series of Poker bracelets
edit| Year | Tournament | Prize (US$) |
|---|---|---|
| 1979 | $1,000 No Limit Hold'em | $48,000 |
| 1984 | $10,000 Deuce-to-Seven Draw | $105,000 |
| 1984 | $5,000 Pot Limit Omaha | $135,000 |
Family
editTomko is married with a son, Derek, who encouraged him to return to playing poker tournaments.[17]
Golf
editTomko is an excellent golfer, spending much of his time on the golf course when he is not playing poker.[18][19] He has played with many of his fellow high-stakes poker players like Doyle Brunson, Phil Ivey, and many others.[citation needed] One of his most frequent golf partners is fellow poker professional Hilbert Shirey, who also lives in Tomko's hometown of Winter Haven, Florida.[20]
Rick Reilly chronicles a day with Dewey on a golf course in his book Who's Your Caddy.[21]
References
edit- ^ "Dewey Tomko - Tournament Poker". Tourney.com. August 1, 2005. Archived from the original on August 1, 2005. Retrieved May 1, 2023.
- ^ "Jack 'Treetop' Strauss, a 6-foot-6 Texan, won the World Series of Poker Main Event". United Press International. May 26, 1982. Retrieved May 1, 2023.
- ^ "WSOP ME Heads-Up Flashback: Carlos Mortensen vs Dewey Tomko". PokerListings. September 8, 2021. Archived from the original on December 8, 2022. Retrieved May 1, 2023.
- ^ "Dewey Tomko". PokerNews.com. Archived from the original on April 17, 2023. Retrieved May 1, 2023.
- ^ a b Pajich, Bob (2010). "A Brief Introduction to Dewey Tomko". New Yinzer. Archived from the original on May 1, 2023. Retrieved May 1, 2023.
- ^ "10th World Series of Poker (WSOP) 1979: No Limit Hold'em". CardPlayer. Archived from the original on May 1, 2023. Retrieved April 30, 2023.
- ^ "15th World Series of Poker - WSOP 1984, No Limit Deuce to Seven Draw". The Hendon Mob. Archived from the original on April 6, 2023. Retrieved May 1, 2023.
- ^ "15th World Series of Poker - WSOP 1984, Omaha Pot Limit". The Hendon Mob. Archived from the original on August 10, 2016. Retrieved May 1, 2023.
- ^ "2003 Bellagio Five-Diamond World Poker Classic, WPT No Limit Hold'em Championship". The Hendon Mob. Archived from the original on April 7, 2023. Retrieved May 1, 2023.
- ^ "Costa Rica Classic, No Limit Hold'em - WPT". The Hendon Mob. Archived from the original on April 7, 2023. Retrieved May 1, 2023.
- ^ Wise, Gary (December 22, 2008). "Winning the right way". ESPN.com. Archived from the original on May 1, 2023. Retrieved May 1, 2023.
- ^ "36th World Series of Poker - WSOP 2005, No Limit Deuce to Seven Draw". The Hendon Mob. Archived from the original on April 6, 2023. Retrieved May 1, 2023.
- ^ "37th World Series of Poker - WSOP 2006, H.O.R.S.E." The Hendon Mob. Archived from the original on February 20, 2023. Retrieved May 1, 2023.
- ^ "Duane Tomko's profile on The Hendon Mob". The Hendon Mob Poker Database. Archived from the original on November 5, 2021. Retrieved May 1, 2023.
- ^ "Dewey Tomko". WSOP.com. Archived from the original on February 20, 2023. Retrieved May 1, 2023.
- ^ Pajich, Bob (October 31, 2008). "Dewey Tomko and Henry Orenstein in Poker Hall of Fame". CardPlayer.com. Archived from the original on April 11, 2023. Retrieved April 30, 2023.
- ^ White, Gary (February 12, 2006). "Is Polk's Poker Master Stil Having Fun? - You Betcha". The Ledger. Archived from the original on May 1, 2023. Retrieved May 1, 2023.
- ^ Boisineau, Jeffrey (April 5, 2015). "Dewey Tomko: Rambling Gambling Man". Pro Player Insiders. Retrieved May 1, 2023.
- ^ Kaplan, Michael (2007). "The Hold'em Hackers". Cigar Aficionado. Archived from the original on May 19, 2022. Retrieved May 1, 2023.
- ^ White, Gary (February 13, 2006). "For Poker Pro, Golf Is a Side Bet". The Ledger. Retrieved May 1, 2023.
- ^ Hudy, Stan (August 25, 2003). "Hudy's Hardcovers: 'Who's Your Caddy' makes for entertaining round". Saratogian. Archived from the original on May 1, 2023. Retrieved May 1, 2023.