Online shark Devonshire in deep at WSOP
Bryan Devonshire made it. He had the endorsement deal, and the house in Henderson. He was writing a syndicated poker column that allowed him to express his creativity.
But he didn’t have the river.
In No-limit Texas Hold ’em poker, the game being played in the $10,000 buy-in World Championship during the World Series of Poker at the Rio Convention Center, the river is the final card exposed on the board for all the players in the hand to use.
It’s a place for salvation, for finding exactly what you were looking for.
Devonshire knows all about being saved on the river.
Devonshire, who turns 33 later this month, is one of the original online poker sharks and a longtime tournament pro with more than $1.1 million in career WSOP earnings. He is a favorite among his fellow players for his easygoing attitude, and made his second deep run in this year’s WSOP Main Event.
Devonshire started Day 6 of the Main Event on Sunday in 16th place with 79 players remaining. He had nearly 6 million chips at 10:45 p.m. and was unofficially in the top 20.
The field of 6,683 was down to 36 players at 10:45 p.m. Sunday. Tournament officials said the plan was to play early today until at least 27 players remained. The tournament continues at noon today at the Rio with Day 7, and the final nine players return Nov. 10 at the Rio’s Penn & Teller Theater to compete for the $10 million first prize.
Devonshire, who grew up playing poker on the kitchen table with his family and also was a competitive Magic: The Gathering player, first started keeping records of his online poker earnings in 2000. By 2003, Devonshire was an unemployed whitewater rafting guide near Colorado Springs, Colo., trying to figure out what to do before the next rafting season.
“My basic routine was wake up, have a bowl of Cheerios, play some online poker,” Devonshire said. “I figured if I made $100 a day that was good, and it usually took me about an hour to do so. Then I would go climb rocks or something like that.
“It was like that for a few years. I played poker, then went to the river, played poker, then went to the river.”
In 2006, Devonshire played in his first WSOP and finished second in the $500 buy-in Casino Employee No-Limit Event. Seeing the money that was being handed out for endorsement deals, Devonshire decided to make poker his career and bought a house in the valley.
He took second in the $1,500 buy-in Omaha Hi-Low Split 8 or Better at the 2007 WSOP, and in 2008, Devonshire had his breakout year. But he felt his life wasn’t balanced.
“I had a million-dollar year,” Devonshire said, “and by the end of the year, I realized I was less happy than when I was broke and living in a tent.”
In 2009, Devonshire spent 62 days riding around the country on his motorcycle and ended up back in Frisco, Colo., a town of about 2,700 people smack dab in the heart of ski country. He spent the past five summers there, guiding on a ranch, enjoying the outdoors and playing poker.
“I’m happiest in Colorado,” said Devonshire, who sold his house and moved there permanently in November. “The incentive to be out here for the World Series for seven straight weeks isn’t there anymore. You don’t get a six-figure endorsement deal anymore for winning a bracelet.
“I’ve already got enough recognition. I don’t need to pursue that.”
Devonshire has admittedly struggled after the federal crackdown of online poker in 2011, but he finished 12th in the Main Event that year, an experience he said has helped him this time. He was almost out of this tournament on Day 2C, but said it’s been a steady climb since.
No matter where Devonshire finishes, he knows what he’ll do when he returns to Colorado.
“I’m going to go straight back to the river, probably going to go camping with my guide friends, buy a (expletive) ton of (Pabst Blue Ribbon) and we’re going to throw a party,” Devonshire said. “And I’ll probably go rafting the next day for $35 a trip.”
Contact reporter David Schoen at dschoen@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5203. Follow him on Twitter: @DavidSchoenLVRJ.
