Poker pro Andrew Lichtenberger has finally won his maiden World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet after several near-finishes. He won the Event #52: $3,000 No-Limit Hold'em last week taking home prize winnings of $569,158.
Lichtenberger first made his mark at the WSOP back in 2009 when he was the runner-up in a $5,000 Shootout and also reached deep into the Main Event, finishing at 18th place and taking home $500,557. During his seven-year poker career Lichtenberger has total winnings of over $7.5 million in live tournaments and the poker pro admits that he prefers to play online poker.
Lichtenberger came into 2016 WSOP after a great run in 2015. He finished as runner-up at The Aria in a $50,000 Super High Roller event winning $422,968, won the $100,000 WPT Alpha8 for $1,770,692 and reached the final table of the 2015 WSOP Europe Main Event coming in fourth to take €225,000.
His WSOP record includes 33 cashes and five final-table finishes. This year he finally made it and won his first bracelet. In a statement, Lichtenberger said
It feels amazing to win. I've been playing the World Series since 2009, and I've been watching it since I was a kid when I saw Chris Moneymaker win, so it feels amazing.
In his personal life, Lichtenberger has undergone remarkable changes over the years. Troubled by numerous health issues like asthma and stomach problems, he has struggled constantly to maintain good health. However, a switch in lifestyle which included healthy eating and practicing yoga and meditation has helped transform his life. As a part of the change he has completely given up processed food, preferring a raw vegan diet.
To clinch the bracelet Lichtenberger overcame 1,125 players who joined the $3,000 No-Limit Hold'em event. During the final day, he beat Australian Craig Blight in a heads up battle. With this win his total career prize money now stands at $8.3 million, out of which $2.9 million comes from WSOP wins.
Commenting on his WSOP win, Lichtenberger said that he attributed his first WSOP bracelet and poker success to his new lifestyle and healthy eating habits. He stated that having a positive attitude, adopting a healthy lifestyle and good nutrition were integral factors for his success. Having implemented and seen the success of this philosophy, Lichtenberger published a book called Andrew LuckyChewy Lichtenberger's Yoga of Poker in 2015.
