David Williams (card player)
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| Image:David-williams-2004-WSOP.jpg David Williams in the 2004 World Series of Poker | |
| Nickname(s) | None |
|---|---|
| Hometown | Dallas, Texas |
| World Series of Poker | |
| Bracelet(s) | None |
| Money finishes | 2 |
| Highest ITM main event finish | 2nd (2004) |
| World Poker Tour | |
| Titles | None |
| Final tables | 2(+1) |
| Money Finishes | 4 |
David (Dave) Anthony Williams (born June 9, 1980 in Arlington, Texas) is a professional poker and Magic: The Gathering player.
Magic
His initial foray into Magic's Pro Tour came in the late 1990s. He had already won over $30,000 playing Magic when he made the cutoff for the final day of competition of the 2001 World Championships in Toronto. However, he was disqualified without prize because a few of the cards in his deck were bent slightly more than the other cards in his deck. They were all copies of the same card, Accumulated Knowledge, and the tournament's judges were able to cut the deck to one of them every time they tried. The tournament staff became suspicious because they noticed that each time that Williams had cut his own deck as part of pregame shuffling procedure, Accumulated Knowledge was the top card. Williams disputed the determination that he cheated, saying that he had simply borrowed those cards and not noticed the bend. Williams was suspended by the Duelists' Convocation International from sanctioned Magic: The Gathering tournaments for one year.[1]
During this suspension, Williams started to play high-stakes Texas hold 'em, especially on the Internet. He made a successful comeback after his suspension was finished, and won money at several more Magic events, though his focus was mainly on poker.
Poker
Williams was mentored in poker by "The Flying Dutchman" Marcel Lüske, with whom they both had a mutual friend in Holland, Noah Boeken.
Williams's poker success was capped at the 2004 World Series of Poker. He qualified through an online poker site and made it to the finals of the main event, ultimately finishing second to Greg "Fossilman" Raymer, but still winning $3.5 million for the runner-up prize, the highest by an African American in a WSOP Main Event, besting Phil Ivey's 10th place finish a year earlier.
Four months later, he finished second at the Borgata Open World Poker Tour where he collected $573,800. David Williams was accepted into the Team Bodog after his exceptional performance at the 2004 World Series of Poker, where he enjoys the company of other high profile poker players such as Josh Arieh.
In March 2006, Williams made a second WPT final table, finishing 4th for $280,000.
As of 2006, his total live tournament winnings exceed $4,600,000.
Even though there is more money that can be made in professional poker than in professional Magic, Williams has said he will continue to play both games, although poker will take precedence. Like many who play both, he has asserted that the two are for different purposes: he plays Magic to have fun, and poker to make money.
Williams is currently a student of Economics at Southern Methodist University.