The Poker world was both shocked and blown away when it heard that its latest big winner was no older than 19 years; university commerce student, Daniel Booth, won $96,000 at the inaugural Adelaide hold 'em championship at the Sky City Casino.
Booth was no more than a part-time shelf stacker at the Munno Para super-market in north Adelaide before taking home first place. The tournament featured a total prize pool of over $340,000, as well as many popular poker faces from Australia and around the world, such as poker legend Joe Hachem. The entry fee for the tournament was $3,000, yet like many others, Booth won his entry through a series of regional poker tournaments held at local hotels. What's amazing, though, despite his age, is that he has been playing poker seriously for only five months.
"I've only recently started playing poker and taking it seriously since the poker league started in Adelaide pubs and hotels in June of this year," said Booth in a recent interview.
Booth had to triumph over 120 more experienced competitors than he before arriving at the final table. He admitted that he had "no idea" as to how he managed to beat them, and accredits the element of luck as his wining factor in the final hand. Hachem, who was shot to fame in the 2005 WSOP, was booted out of the tournament well before the final table, yet stayed around to award the cash winnings to the champion. He was more than pleased to congratulate his opponent, saying that "it's fantastic that such a young man who is playing his first live poker tournament for cash triumphs."
Booth returned to a double shift at the supermarket the day after his victory, but his new winnings might now allow him to cut down a few hours from his work schedule.