WSOP 'November Nine' Profile: Kevin Schaffel
by Bodog Poker | Aug 21 2009
51-year-old Kevin Schaffel is not a seasoned professional like Phil Ivey, nor is he a wide-eyed amateur who can't believe that he's made it this far in the
WSOP Main Event. Schaffel has been a successful amateur player who has been trying for years to win that big one, and it looks like he could be in for a really big score in November. The Florida native has dreamt for years about hitting a tournament payday big enough to allow him to play more poker and enjoy his hobbies without having to worry about money.
Schaffel is no stranger to the game of poker; he began playing at the age of 11. He's a regular at the Seminole Casino poker room and has been travelling to tournaments over the last couple of years since he shut down his printing business. Since 2006 he's earned about $160K, less than 10% of what he's guaranteed to take home in November. He has posted seven cashes in three years, with his biggest coming at the '04 WSOP Main Event where he finished in 42nd place. Before this year his biggest score was the $60K he won in that '04 Main Event.
He currently sits short stacked with about 12.4 million in chips. The leading chip stack at the final table has over 50 million, roughly four times that of Schaffel. But in the realm of poker that kind of deficit often means nothing. If he can double through just once he'll be in contention to win it all, and he certainly seems to have the skill-set to pull it off. He's been chasing that first tournament win for years, and this could be the big one he's been waiting so patiently for.
At 12/1
odds to win the 2009 WSOP Main Event he might be a good choice to wager on. Compared to the other amateurs in the field he has more experience in live tournament settings, and he's likely to get to the later stages of the final table. He should easily add another quarter of a million or more to the $1.2 million that he's already been paid out from WSOP organizers.
Schaffel will essentially be playing for bonus money in November. The $1.2 million that he's already earned is enough for him to retire and play poker as a hobby. Anything he wins beyond that amount is extra. What we can expect is a solid game from the no limit holdem specialist, and it would be a surprise if he wasn't a heavy factor as the final table plays out. He certainly seems to have a level head about him, and he understands how important patience will be in this type of poker setting.
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