Dennis Waterman Profile

Even if you are from Oregon, become a logger at age 13 just sounds young. But, that was what Dennis Waterman did, and he seemed to be, like many an Oregonian, completely happy with such an outdoorsy life. Dennis was such an outdoorsman that, when a tycoon wanted to hire him for a cushy job after reading about him in a LA Times article, it took a year to track him down; he was living in the woods, without a telephone. Such an austere lifestyle changed soon, however, when this tycoon, according to the story, hired him on with a $2 million dollar bonus and line of credit five times that amount. It turns out that Dennis, who was a world-class chess player and champion, had a great aptitude for solving corporate problems, and that was his job for a while.

Waterman had always played poker as a logger, working in good weather and slinging cards in bad, and with his chess skills and gamesmanship a move to professional poker player wasn’t a far stretch. He studies the greats in the game, and tries to unravel those who each bring something unique to the table, such as John Juanda, Gus Hansen, Mel Judah and Chris Ferguson. He is a student of meditation as well, and has started to teach something called self-liberation, which he says helps his poker game.

He has a few words of wisdom to new poker players regarding the World Poker Tour and, presumably, the World Series of Poker and the slew of other poker TV shows on their way out. He points out that the programs are edited to show the hands that have action, and that are short handed, which makes for great theater, but is not the reality of poker. He advises new players to get into games and try it out, because nothing surpasses experience in the game, and also to read a book or two. Hey, Dennis, good advice; hurry up and write yours!