Michael Gracz
Encyclopedia
Maciek Gracz (born October 23, 1980 in Warsaw
) is a Polish
professional poker
player, based in Raleigh
, North Carolina
.
Gracz learned poker from his father and played regularly whilst studying at North Carolina State University
.
Gracz's first major victory was in the $5,000 no limit
hold'em championship event in the 2004 Trump Classic in Atlantic City. He won over the field of 155 entrants to take home the $295,275 first prize.
On March 19, 2005, he won the World Poker Tour
(WPT) PartyPoker.com Million IV Cruise event (the largest limit
hold'em tournament in history) and the $1,500,000 first prize, defeating a final table that included Paul Darden
.
Three months later he won his first World Series of Poker bracelet
in the $1,000 no limit hold'em w/ rebuys event, scooping the first prize of $594,460.
As of 2010, his total live tournament winnings exceed $3,000,000. His 7 cashes at the WSOP account for $764,897 of those winnings.
Gracz has served as a frequent commentator for the Fox Sports Net
poker tournament program Poker Dome Challenge
.
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
) is a Polish
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
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 Raleigh
Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh is the capital and the second largest city in the state of North Carolina as well as the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2010 population was 403,892, over an area of , making Raleigh...
, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
.
Gracz learned poker from his father and played regularly whilst studying at North Carolina State University
North Carolina State University
North Carolina State University at Raleigh is a public, coeducational, extensive research university located in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. Commonly known as NC State, the university is part of the University of North Carolina system and is a land, sea, and space grant institution...
.
Gracz's first major victory was in the $5,000 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 championship event in the 2004 Trump Classic in Atlantic City. He won over the field of 155 entrants to take home the $295,275 first prize.
On March 19, 2005, he won 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) PartyPoker.com Million IV Cruise event (the largest 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 tournament in history) and the $1,500,000 first prize, defeating a final table that included Paul Darden
Paul Darden
Paul Darden, Jr. is an American professional poker player, rap music promoter, and night club owner from New Haven, Connecticut.-Early years:He was accused of murder at the age of 15, due to mistaken identity but was acquitted...
.
Three months later he won his first World Series of Poker bracelet
World Series of Poker bracelet
The World Series of Poker bracelet is considered the most coveted non-monetary prize a poker player can win. Since 1976, a bracelet has been awarded to the winner of every event at the annual WSOP. Even if the victory occurred before 1976, WSOP championships are now counted as "bracelets". ...
in the $1,000 no limit hold'em w/ rebuys event, scooping the first prize of $594,460.
As of 2010, his total live tournament winnings exceed $3,000,000. His 7 cashes at the WSOP account for $764,897 of those winnings.
Gracz has served as a frequent commentator for the Fox Sports Net
Fox Sports Net
The Fox Sports Regional Networks, or simply Fox Sports Net , are a collection of cable TV regional sports networks in the United States owned and operated by News Corporation.- Beginnings :...
poker tournament program Poker Dome Challenge
Poker Dome Challenge
The MANSIONPoker.net Poker Dome Challenge was a 43-week series of speed poker tournaments offering a grand prize of $1,000,000 USD. The tournament aired in the United States on Fox Sports Network from May 2006 to March 2007. The tournament featured a number of technological gimmicks in an effort to...
.
World Series of Poker bracelets
| Year | Tournament | Prize (US$) |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 2005 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... |
$1,000 No Limit Hold'em w/ rebuys | $594,460 |