You won't find Kevin Schaffel grinding in online poker rooms or ranting on the forums about how great he is. Instead the low-key 52-year-old, who is best known for being a member of the 2009 WSOP Main Event November Nine class, is very humble about his game. In fact, after making the final table of the huge vegas poker tournament, the pro merely told reporters, "I'll come back in November and do what I can. If it's meant to be, it's meant to be. It's been a great ride whatever happens. My son is on cloud nine. I can't wait to come back."
Schaffel ended up placing eighth in the 2009 Main Event, which earned him a healthy $1,300,231 payout. Besides finishing extremely high in one of the biggest texas holdem tournaments of all-time, Schaffel has three other vegas poker tournament cashes in his career. He finished 42nd in the 2004 Main Event, 324th in the 2006 Main Event and 26th in a small vegas poker tournament side event.
Schaffel has also been very active on the world poker tour schedule. Those who look deep enough into the 2008 world poker tour schedule will see that Schaffel placed 41st in the Borgata Open Main Event, and 100th in the Five Diamond Classic Main Event. Sticking with Schaffel's world poker tour schedule, he also placed 2nd in the 2009 Legends of Poker tournament, which earned him $471,670.
After looking at his career, it's obvious that Schaffel has the vegas poker tournament world and world poker tour schedule covered, but what about texas holdem tournaments in other parts of the world? Well he has that covered too since the man who got his start by playing home poker tournaments at age 11 has also cashed in two different European Poker Tour events. Schaffel has cashes in both the 2008 PCA Caribbean Adventure and 2009 EPT London texas holdem tournaments.
As mentioned before, Schaffel doesn't really play at online poker rooms, but that doesn't matter much when you look at his impressive finishes in live texas holdem tournaments. Altogether, he's earned $1,985,920 in tournament winnings, which is pretty impressive for a guy who began with home poker tournaments.
What's also impressive about Schaffel's career besides the fact that he came from humble beginnings in home poker tournaments is that he is only a part-time player since he also owns a printing company. In fact, Schaffel has owned this printing business for 30 years, which is probably a big reason why he doesn't need to rely on playing at online poker rooms to support himself away from the live tournament scene.
Another big reason why you won't see Schaffel trolling online poker rooms looking for action is because he continues to be a decent live tourney player. In fact, Schaffel has cashed in at least one WSOP event over the past three years. And considering how he has three Main Event cashes throughout his career, maybe we'll see him turn this experience into yet another Main Event final table appearance.
