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The poker player known as Daniel Colman

Daniel Colman, an American professional poker player commonly known as Dan Colman, is renowned for his exceptional skills and accomplishments in the game. With a staggering accumulation of nearly 30 million dollars in earnings from live poker tournaments, he currently holds the prestigious 5th position on the All Time Money List. Colman made headlines in 2014 when he emerged victorious in the highly competitive No Limit Hold'em Event during The Big One for One Drop in Las Vegas. This remarkable triumph not only earned him his first coveted bracelet but also a remarkable prize money exceeding 15 million dollars.

Daniel Alan Colman, born on July 11, 1990, in Holden, Massachusetts, is a remarkable figure in the world of poker. From a young age, he developed a strong interest in online poker, and at the tender age of 18, he started participating in live poker tournaments. However, it wasn't until 2014 that he achieved his breakthrough success, surpassing the quarter-million-dollar mark in earnings and securing notable victories in various tournaments. Through his skills in online poker, he has amassed a substantial sum of over $250,000. Colman goes by the aliases "mrGR33N13" on PokerStars and "riyyc225" on Full Tilt Poker, and currently resides in the vibrant city of Rio de Janeiro.

Experiencing Online and Live Poker for the First Time

In 2007, the renowned American poker pro Olivier Busquet took notice of Dan Colman. Back then, Colman, who was merely 17 years old, would observe Busquet's online games and frequently manage to deduce his hole cards, which he would then disclose in the chat. Olivier Busquet, known for his expertise in Heads-Up Sit'n'Go, thoroughly examined Colman's gameplay statistics. Impressed by his results, Busquet reached out to Colman and became both his coach and sponsor. This alliance significantly enhanced Colman's Sit'n'Go skills, leading him to earn over a million US dollars in a single year from Hyper Turbo Sit'n'Go tournaments in 2013.

At the age of 18, Colman embarked on his professional live tournament debut, securing a fourth-place finish and a prize of $23,275 at the No Limit Hold'em Main Event of the Heartland Poker Tour in Verona, USA. The following year, he achieved a commendable twelfth place in the No Limit Hold'em event at the European Poker Tour in Barcelona, placing within the money ranks. In 2010, Colman cashed in at the European Poker Tour and the World Series of Poker Europe in London. In 2011, he recorded tournament winnings exceeding $225,000, notably earning second place at the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure in the Bahamas in January in the No Limit Hold'em Heads-Up Championship, claiming a prize of $60,000.

Career and achievements

In 2014, Daniel Colman, at the young age of 24, was honored with the Player of the Year Award. By winning tournaments worth $22,319,279 that year, he shattered the previous record of a mere $3 million. Four triumphant victories, including a World Series of Poker Bracelet and an individual cash prize of over $15 million, propelled Dan Colman to the top of the 2014 Player of the Year leaderboard. Ami Barer secured second place that year, with $2,363,903 in tournament winnings. Initially, 2014 seemed like another year of moderate wins for Colman. However, he kicked off in April by claiming victory at the No Limit Hold'em Super High Roller of the European Poker Tour in Monte Carlo, pocketing €1,539,300. On June 19th, he earned a third-place finish in the No Limit Hold'em Heads-Up Event at the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas, along with additional WSOP Cashes. But it was on June 29th that his big moment arrived. Participating in The Big One for One Drop with a buy-in of one million US dollars, he emerged victorious against the entire competition, including Daniel Negreanu. For this incredible feat, he was rewarded with his first World Series of Poker Bracelet and a whopping $15,306,668. This stands as the second-largest single poker tournament win. Two years prior, Antonio Esfandiari had claimed $18.3 million at the Big One for One Drop in 2012.

Colman caused a minor controversy with his post-massive-win behavior. The tournament was broadcasted on the US television network ESPN, and the winner subsequently made brief remarks, focusing on the charitable aspects of the event. He declined the majority of follow-up interview requests, receiving criticism from the media in return. In a later statement, Daniel Colman expressed that poker also has its dark sides and individual successes should rarely be celebrated.

Even after the record-breaking profit, they continue to achieve success.

Nonetheless, in 2014, he continued to achieve tournament success. In July, at the Aria in Las Vegas, he secured a third-place finish in the No Limit Hold'em Super High Roller, walking away with a prize of $769,821. Then, in August 2014, he participated in the No Limit Hold'em Super High Roller of the European Poker Tour held in Barcelona. It was there that he encountered his former mentor, Olivier Busquet, who emerged as the tournament champion. Colman settled for second place, earning €843,066. However, just ten days later, Dan Colman triumphed in the No Limit Hold'em Main Event of the Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open in Hollywood, taking home a prize of $1,446,710. His accumulated points throughout the year were sufficient to elevate him to the status of Tournament Player of the Year. Subsequently, Colman achieved yet another victory, winning the Texas Hold'em Main Event of the World Poker Tour in London, adding another close to a million in prize money to his already impressive winnings.

Daniel Colman's impressive winnings continue to secure him a spot among the top 10 on the All Time Money List. While he was ranked around 100 on the Global Poker Index at the end of 2017, he has since slipped down the rankings due to a lack of notable tournament successes in 2018. Nonetheless, his past achievements solidify his place as a respected player in the poker world.