Vincent Burgio (born c. 1940)[1] is an American professional poker player and writer.[2] A member of the Senior Poker Hall of Fame,[3] he was a columnist for Card Player Magazine and is the author of Pizza, Pasta and Poker and Inside Poker: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.[4] He is based in West Hills, California.[1]
| Vince Burgio | |
|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | Plaza Vince |
| Residence | West Hills, California, U.S. |
| Born | Kansas City, Missouri, U.S. |
| World Series of Poker | |
| Bracelet(s) | 1 |
| Final table(s) | 7 |
| Money finish(es) | 28 |
| Highest ITM Main Event finish | 4th, 1994 |
| World Poker Tour | |
| Title(s) | None |
| Final table(s) | 1 |
| Money finish(es) | 1 |
Early life and education
editBorn in Kansas City, Missouri,[3] Burgio first learned to play poker at the age of eight, playing penny ante with his family at Christmas.[5] He is a graduate of the University of Missouri, and moved to California in 1976.[6]
Poker career
editIn 1987, Burgio sold his construction business to focus on playing in poker tournaments full-time.[1]
Burgio came to note as the winner of best all-around player award at the 1992 Queens Poker Classic.[5] By 1994, he held four titles from the classic, plus an Ace-to-Draw title from the Poker Hall of Fame.[5]
Burgio won his first World Series of Poker in 1994, defeating 211 opponents for the title.[7] He won a WSOP bracelet in the Seven-Card Stud Hi-Lo event, defeating a final table including both Howard "The Professor" Lederer and Jay Heimowitz. Burgio also made the final table of the $10,000 no limit hold'em main event that year, finishing in 4th place.[8] He also finished in the money of the Main Event in 1998.[9]
Burgio has made one World Poker Tour (WPT) final table, finishing 5th in the first season Gold Rush event won by Paul Darden.[10]
Burgio has also competed in numerous events of the Ultimate Poker Challenge and has won two events.[11][12]
As of 2023, his total live tournament winnings exceed $2,200,000.[13]
Writing career
editBurgio wrote a regular column for CardPlayer Magazine.[2] He was called "The Andy Rooney of Poker" for his coverage of "quirky" human interest stories.[6]
He has authored his autobiography entitled Pizza, Pasta and Poker: The Private & Public Life of a Professional Poker Player.
Personal life
editHis wife, Debbie Burgio, supported his decision to become a full-time poker player.[1] He has four grown daughters.[6]
References
edit- ^ a b c d McCarthy, D (April 7, 1955). "West Hills Man Plays Cards Right". Daily News. Los Angeles, California. ProQuest 281491716. Retrieved November 21, 2023 – via ProQuest.
- ^ a b O'Neal, Dori (October 30, 2008). "Wildhorse's fall poker roundup kicks off Nov. 5". McClatchy–Tribune News. ProQuest 456931541. Retrieved November 21, 2023 – via ProQuest.
- ^ a b Barnhart, Aaron (April 13, 2004). "Red Hot Poker – TV networks and players are winning big at card game". The Kansas City Star. pp. E-1, E-6. Retrieved November 21, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Cox, Diane (March 25, 2014). "Card Player Poker Tour Spotlight: Vince Burgio". Card Player. Retrieved November 22, 2023.
- ^ a b c "Three honored in big poker tournament". Las Vegas Review–Journal. April 26, 1994. ProQuest 259954064. Retrieved November 21, 2023 – via ProQuest.
- ^ a b c Rose, Ron (2004). Poker Aces: The Stars of Tournament Poker. Dayton, Ohio: Via Quinta. pp. 18–19. ISBN 0-9749724-0-1.
- ^ "25th World Series of Poker - WSOP 1994, Seven-Card Stud Split". The Hendon Mob. Retrieved April 6, 2024.
- ^ "25th World Series of Poker - WSOP 1994, No Limit Hold'em World Championship". The Hendon Mob. Retrieved April 6, 2024.
- ^ "29th World Series of Poker - WSOP 1998, No Limit Hold'em World Championship". The Hendon Mob. Retrieved April 6, 2024.
- ^ "3rd Annual 49'er Gold Rush Bonanza, No Limit Hold'em - Main WPT Event". The Hendon Mob. Retrieved April 6, 2024.
- ^ "Ultimate Poker Challenge, No Limit Hold'em". The Hendon Mob. Retrieved April 6, 2024.
- ^ "Ultimate Poker Challenge, No Limit Hold'em". The Hendon Mob. Retrieved April 6, 2024.
- ^ "Vince Burgio's profile on The Hendon Mob". The Hendon Mob Poker Database. Retrieved December 6, 2023.