Kevin Schaffel is the oldest member of the WSOP 2009 November Nine at 51 years, he has been playing live cash games for quite some time now. His live tournament exploits have resulted in 6 cashes worth $168k. The first and most significant cash of his career came in the 2004 World Series of Poker Main Event where he diligently fought his way into 42nd position to finish with $60,000 in his pocket. He also managed a 324th position finish in the 2008 WSOP Main Event for $32,166. No matter what position he finishes in this November, his poker-related fortunes will receive a phenomenal boost.
Name: Kevin Schaffel
Age: 51
DOB: N/A
Astrological Sign: N/A
Hometown: Coral Springs, Florida
Total Live Tournament Winnings: $168,661
First Place Finishes: 0
Total Cashes: 6
WSOP Cashes: 2
At 51 years of age, he has become the oldest member of the 2009 WSOP Main Event’s “November Nine” . Having has seen relative success at live poker tournament since 2004, but none that would even compare to the minimum $1.2 million he is guaranteed to take home when the final table plays out in November.
Picking up a PokerStars sponsorship along the way, Kevin Schaffel will go into the 2009 WSOP Main Event with a 6th position chip stack of 12,390,000; an impressive number overall, but not nearly as staggering as the November Nine’s chip leader, Darvin Moon, at 58,930,000.
Kevin Schaffel is no stranger to live poker action. His tournament exploits have brought him 6 cashes for $168,661, but there is no guessing his total earnings in cash games. Hollywood, Florida’s Seminole Hard Rock Casino and Hotel is his second home.
He is a divorced father of two. Both of his children, son Jeremie and daughter Melanie, are college-aged and well aware of their father’s upcoming accolades. His past performance as a businessman, having owned and operated a number of businesses, left him with a desire to succeed through a professional poker career.
In 2006, his printing and direct mail business took a turn for the worst. It was during this time that he paved a new path for himself. Schaffel began travelling the road to follow major tournaments and WSOP circuit events. Though he may not be a household name just yet, Kevin’s exploits have resulted in two noteworthy WSOP Main Event cashes.
The first came in May of 2004, being his first documented live tournament cash ever. He whittled his way into the 42nd position of the 2004 WSOP NL Hold-em Championship, pocketing $60,000 for his diligent efforts.
Last year, he made it into the money bubble once more, finishing in 324th place at the 2008 WSOP Main Event. This time, he was rewarded with $32,166. The relative difference between positional finishes and cash winnings goes to show the intensely heightened popularity of the WSOP over only a short 4 year span.
Though his first tournament cash was his largest to date, Kevin Schaffel will trump that $60k number monumentally when the 2009 WSOP Main Event reconvenes in November. Even if Schaffel were to push all-in on the very first hand of play and lose it all, he would still walk away with $1.2 million. Should he outlast the November Nine, he stands to pocket a whopping $8,564,435.
when Kevin Schaffel isn’t playing poker, he enjoys golf, racquetball and gin rummy. On the felt, his desire is to win a WSOP Bracelet, Main Event or WPT Title so that he can finally retire and spend more time playing the game he loves.
