Robert Varkonyi
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| Robert Varkonyi | |
|---|---|
| Hometown | Great Neck, New York |
| World Series of Poker | |
| Bracelet(s) | 1 |
| Money finishes | 2 |
| Highest ITM main event finish |
Winner, 2002 |
Robert Varkonyi (born October 7, 1961 in New York) is a professional poker player.
Varkonyi first started playing poker as an undergraduate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. After his graduation in 1983 (with degrees in EECS and from the MIT Sloan School of Management), he was an investment banker in Brooklyn, New York for a number of years before beginning to play tournament poker. Varkonyi, being an MIT graduate, was coached by J.P. Massar, a.k.a. "Mr. M", founder of the MIT Blackjack Team.
Varkonyi is most well known for winning the 2002 World Series of Poker main event, taking the $2 million prize. Because he was a relative newcomer and considered dead money, commentator and fellow poker player Phil Hellmuth agreed to have his hair shaved off for charity if Varkonyi won. In the final hand, Varkonyi's Q♦ 10♠ defeated Julian "The Kid" Gardner's J♣ 8♣ on a board of Q♣ 4♣ 4♠ 10♦ 10♣, resulting in Varkonyi's full house defeating Gardner's flush. Hellmuth made good on his earlier promise, and even allowed Varkonyi to shave some of his hair off.
In the 2003 World Series of Poker Varkonyi's chance of a repeat championship was dashed when his K♥ K♦ met Scotty Nguyen's A♦ A♠.
Since his win Varkonyi has become a columnist for Card Player Magazine. He also made an instructional poker video, Wise Guys on Texas Hold'em, featuring some of the cast of The Sopranos.
Varkonyi currently resides in Great Neck, New York with his wife Olga, who also plays poker, and two daughters. He named his first daughter Victoria after his World Series win. Olga made an appearance at the 2005 World Series of Poker main event. She finished in the money in 238th place.
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