Joe Bartholdi Jr
Encyclopedia
Joseph N. Bartholdi, Jr. (born 1980 in Southern California
) is an American
professional poker
player, based in Las Vegas
, Nevada
.
from an early age. Known as "Gambles", he used to sell cigarette
s to his classmates at school
and was eventually expelled
for fighting
. As the next nearest school involved much travel, he did not go and concentrated on obtaining a GED
instead.
Bartholdi moved to Las Vegas at the age of 18 alongside his father, who worked as a poker dealer
. He began playing despite being underage
, first concentrating on stud poker
and later on Texas hold 'em
. He turned professional at the age of 21, but lost much of his profits due to poor bankroll management and playing blackjack
. He ended up taking a job as a poker dealer to supplement his income.
(WSOP), who invited him to become a member of the poker playing group known as "The Crew". Later, Bartholdi felt he had let the group down when losing $4,000 while tilting
in online poker
and left the group. However, he maintains that they all remain friends.
, "Sheriff" Joe Cassidy staked Bartholdi in numerous poker tournament
s, including the $1,500 no limit
hold'em event, where he finished 5th, earning $71,445, which was his largest tournament cash at the time. Bartholdi also won an event in the Ultimate Poker Challenge
's second season.
Cassidy and Bartholdi swapped 50% with each other for the World Poker Tour
(WPT) season 4
$25,000 no limit hold 'em championship event. Bartholdi outlasted 604 other players to win the event and claim the $3,760,165 first prize. He also made the final table of the WPT Battle of Champions IV event shortly after.
As of 2010, his total live tournament winnings exceed $4,100,000.
Southern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...
) is an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional poker
Poker
Poker is a family of card games that share betting rules and usually hand rankings. Poker games differ in how the cards are dealt, how hands may be formed, whether the high or low hand wins the pot in a showdown , limits on bet sizes, and how many rounds of betting are allowed.In most modern poker...
player, based in Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
, Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
.
Early years
Bartholdi was a hustlerHustling
Hustling is the deceptive act of disguising one's skill in a sport or game with the intent of luring someone of probably lesser skill into gambling with the hustler, as a form of confidence trick...
from an early age. Known as "Gambles", he used to sell cigarette
Cigarette
A cigarette is a small roll of finely cut tobacco leaves wrapped in a cylinder of thin paper for smoking. The cigarette is ignited at one end and allowed to smoulder; its smoke is inhaled from the other end, which is held in or to the mouth and in some cases a cigarette holder may be used as well...
s to his classmates at school
School
A school is an institution designed for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is commonly compulsory. In these systems, students progress through a series of schools...
and was eventually expelled
Expulsion (academia)
Expulsion or exclusion refers to the permanent removal of a student from a school system or university for violating that institution's rules. Laws and procedures regarding expulsion vary between countries and states.-State sector:...
for fighting
Combat
Combat, or fighting, is a purposeful violent conflict meant to establish dominance over the opposition, or to terminate the opposition forever, or drive the opposition away from a location where it is not wanted or needed....
. As the next nearest school involved much travel, he did not go and concentrated on obtaining a GED
GED
General Educational Development tests are a group of five subject tests which, when passed, certify that the taker has American or Canadian high school-level academic skills...
instead.
Bartholdi moved to Las Vegas at the age of 18 alongside his father, who worked as a poker dealer
Poker dealer
A poker dealer distributes cards to players and manages the action at a poker table.-Professional dealers:Any casino with a poker room must hire a staff of dealers. Casinos generally pay dealers minimum wage. However, a dealer's primary source of income is not salary, but tips from players*...
. He began playing despite being underage
Minor (law)
In law, a minor is a person under a certain age — the age of majority — which legally demarcates childhood from adulthood; the age depends upon jurisdiction and application, but is typically 18...
, first concentrating on stud poker
Stud poker
Stud poker is any of a number of poker variants in which each player receives a mix of face-down and face-up cards dealt in multiple betting rounds. Stud games are also typically non-positional games, meaning that the player who bets first on each round may change from round to round...
and later on Texas hold 'em
Texas hold 'em
Texas Hold 'em is a variation of the standard card game of poker. The game consists of two cards being dealt face down to each player and then five community cards being placed face-up by the dealer—a series of three then two additional single cards , with...
. He turned professional at the age of 21, but lost much of his profits due to poor bankroll management and playing blackjack
Blackjack
Blackjack, also known as Twenty-one or Vingt-et-un , is the most widely played casino banking game in the world...
. He ended up taking a job as a poker dealer to supplement his income.
The Crew
Bartholdi met Dutch Boyd at the 2002 World Series of Poker2002 World Series of Poker
The 2002 World Series of Poker was held at Binion's Horseshoe.This edition was historically notable for two reasons. It was the first WSOP in which pocket cams were installed to allow broadcasters to show the players' hole cards, although only for the Main Event...
(WSOP), who invited him to become a member of the poker playing group known as "The Crew". Later, Bartholdi felt he had let the group down when losing $4,000 while tilting
Tilt (poker)
Tilt is a poker term for a state of mental or emotional confusion or frustration in which a player adopts a less than optimal strategy, usually resulting in the player becoming over-aggressive...
in online poker
Online poker
Online poker is the game of poker played over the Internet. It has been partly responsible for a dramatic increase in the number of poker players worldwide...
and left the group. However, he maintains that they all remain friends.
Recent times
In 2004, Bartholdi built a new bankroll from a $50 bonus up to $250,000, however lost it again due to his ongoing bankroll management issues. At the 2005 WSOP2005 World Series of Poker
The 2005 World Series of Poker opened play on June 2, continuing through the Main Event No Limit World Championship starting on July 7. The conclusion of the Main Event on July 15 marked the close of play, and the largest prize in sports and/or television history at the time was awarded to the...
, "Sheriff" Joe Cassidy staked Bartholdi in numerous poker tournament
Poker tournament
A poker tournament is a tournament where players compete by playing poker. It can feature as few as two players playing on a single table , and as many as tens of thousands of players playing on thousands of tables...
s, including the $1,500 no limit
Betting (poker)
In the game of poker, the play largely centers on the act of betting, and as such, a protocol has been developed to speed up play, lessen confusion, and increase security while playing...
hold'em event, where he finished 5th, earning $71,445, which was his largest tournament cash at the time. Bartholdi also won an event in the Ultimate Poker Challenge
Ultimate Poker Challenge
The Ultimate Poker Challenge was a series of weekly poker tournaments acting as super-satellites into the series semi-finals.The first and second seasons are available on NTSC DVD...
's second season.
Cassidy and Bartholdi swapped 50% with each other for the World Poker Tour
World Poker Tour
The World Poker Tour is a series of international poker tournaments and associated television series broadcasting the final table of each tournament. It was started in the United States by attorney/television producer Steven Lipscomb, who served as CEO of WPT Enterprises , the firm that...
(WPT) season 4
World Poker Tour season 4 results
- Mirage Poker Showdown:* Casino: The Mirage, Las Vegas * Buy-in: $10,000* 4-Day Event: May 23, 2005 to May 26, 2005* Number of Entries: 317* Total Prize Pool: $3,074,900* Number of Payouts: 27* Winning Hand: Q-Q...
$25,000 no limit hold 'em championship event. Bartholdi outlasted 604 other players to win the event and claim the $3,760,165 first prize. He also made the final table of the WPT Battle of Champions IV event shortly after.
As of 2010, his total live tournament winnings exceed $4,100,000.