Vince Burgio

Vince Burgio
Nickname(s)	Plaza Vince
Residence	West Hills, California, U.S.
Born	Kansas City, Missouri, U.S.
World Series of Poker
Bracelet(s)	1
Final table(s)	7
Money finish(es)	28
Highest ITM Main Event finish	4th, 1994
World Poker Tour
Title(s)	None
Final table(s)	1
Money finish(es)	1

Vincent Burgio (born c. 1940)[1] is an American professional poker player and writer.[2] A member of the Senior Poker Hall of Fame,[3] he was a columnist for Card Player Magazine and is the author of Pizza, Pasta and Poker and Inside Poker: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.[4] He is based in West Hills, California.[1]

Early life and education

Born in Kansas City, Missouri,[3] Burgio first learned to play poker at the age of eight, playing penny ante with his family at Christmas.[5] He is a graduate of the University of Missouri, and moved to California in 1976.[6]

Poker career

In 1987, Burgio sold his construction business to focus on playing in poker tournaments full-time.[1]

Burgio came to note as the winner of best all-around player award at the 1992 Queens Poker Classic.[5] By 1994, he held four titles from the classic, plus an Ace-to-Draw title from the Poker Hall of Fame.[5]

Burgio won his first World Series of Poker in 1994, defeating 211 opponents for the title.[7] He won a WSOP bracelet in the Seven-Card Stud Hi-Lo event, defeating a final table including both Howard "The Professor" Lederer and Jay Heimowitz. Burgio also made the final table of the $10,000 no limit hold'em main event that year, finishing in 4th place.[8] He also finished in the money of the Main Event in 1998.[9]

Burgio has made one World Poker Tour (WPT) final table, finishing 5th in the first season Gold Rush event won by Paul Darden.[10]

Burgio has also competed in numerous events of the Ultimate Poker Challenge and has won two events.[11][12]

As of 2023, his total live tournament winnings exceed $2,200,000.[13]

Writing career

Burgio wrote a regular column for CardPlayer Magazine.[2] He was called "The Andy Rooney of Poker" for his coverage of "quirky" human interest stories.[6]

He has authored his autobiography entitled Pizza, Pasta and Poker: The Private & Public Life of a Professional Poker Player.

Personal life

His wife, Debbie Burgio, supported his decision to become a full-time poker player.[1] He has four grown daughters.[6]

References

1. McCarthy, D (April 7, 1955). "West Hills Man Plays Cards Right". Daily News. Los Angeles, California. ProQuest 281491716. Retrieved November 21, 2023 – via ProQuest.
2. O'Neal, Dori (October 30, 2008). "Wildhorse's fall poker roundup kicks off Nov. 5". McClatchy–Tribune News. ProQuest 456931541. Retrieved November 21, 2023 – via ProQuest.
3. Barnhart, Aaron (April 13, 2004). "Red Hot Poker – TV networks and players are winning big at card game". The Kansas City Star. pp. E-1, E-6. Retrieved November 21, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
4. Cox, Diane (March 25, 2014). "Card Player Poker Tour Spotlight: Vince Burgio". Card Player. Retrieved November 22, 2023.
5. "Three honored in big poker tournament". Las Vegas Review–Journal. April 26, 1994. ProQuest 259954064. Retrieved November 21, 2023 – via ProQuest.
6. Rose, Ron (2004). Poker Aces: The Stars of Tournament Poker. Dayton, Ohio: Via Quinta. pp. 18–19. ISBN 0-9749724-0-1.
7. "25th World Series of Poker - WSOP 1994, Seven-Card Stud Split". The Hendon Mob Poker Database. Retrieved April 6, 2024.
8. "25th World Series of Poker - WSOP 1994, No Limit Hold'em World Championship". The Hendon Mob Poker Database. Retrieved April 6, 2024.
9. "29th World Series of Poker - WSOP 1998, No Limit Hold'em World Championship". The Hendon Mob Poker Database. Retrieved April 6, 2024.
10. "3rd Annual 49'er Gold Rush Bonanza, No Limit Hold'em - Main WPT Event". The Hendon Mob Poker Database. Retrieved April 6, 2024.
11. "Ultimate Poker Challenge, No Limit Hold'em". The Hendon Mob Poker Database. Retrieved April 6, 2024.
12. "Ultimate Poker Challenge, No Limit Hold'em". The Hendon Mob Poker Database. Retrieved April 6, 2024.
13. "Vince Burgio's profile on The Hendon Mob". The Hendon Mob Poker Database. Retrieved December 6, 2023.

External links

• Card Player profile
• Hendon Mob profile
• WSOP profile