David Peters: The Silent Assassin

Poker pro David Peters has certainly been making quite the name for himself. The 31-year-old high-stakes tournament pro from Toledo, Ohio, nicknamed the “silent assassin” recently won the 2018 Poker Masters $100,000 NLHE Main Event and a hefty $1.15 million.

David Peters decided to start playing poker after watching Chris Moneymaker emerge victorious in the 2003 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event. Beginning with online freerolls, Peters won one for $600—and thus began his career. At this time Peters was still in high school, hence his online moniker DPeters17.

Tournament success

His successes in the WSOP include having cashed an impressive 47 times, making eight final tables, and having won a highly coveted bracelet in addition to a respectable $412,557—in the 2016 $1,500 NLHE event.

David Peters has also enjoyed considerable success in the World Poker Tour (WPT). Currently, he has earned more than $2.8 million in nine cash finishes and has three final tables in WPT events. His largest cash was $2.31 million in the 2016 WPTN $200,000 NLHE Triton Super High Roller Series Event in Paranaque City, Philippines. Most recently Peters took third in the $250,000 NLHE Super High Roller Championship at the 2018 PartyPoker Caribbean Poker Party for $1.42 million.  

Peters seems to have success wherever he goes. At the European Poker Tour (EPT), Peters has earned more than $600,000 from five cashes and one final table.

Check out this hand from the final table of the EPT in Prague between Samantha Cohen and David Peters, the latter of whom finished in 3^rd place, winning €397,300 ($420,498).

Other notable tournament finishes include:

• 1^st place—2015 EPT €10,000 NLHE High Roller, Malta—€597,000 ($653,552)
• 5^th place—2015 Poker Central Super High Roller Bowl $500,000 NLHE Eight Max tournament, Las Vegas—$1,505,000
• 1^st place—2015 Aria High Roller $25,000 NLHE, Las Vegas—$426,240
• 2^nd place—2016 Aussie Millions A$25,000 NLHE Challenge, Melbourne—A$889,236 ($629,614)
• 1^st place—2016 Asia Championship of Poker (ACOP) HK$250,000 NLHE High Roller, Macau—HK$4,885,200 ($629,868)
• 1^st place—2016 Aria Super High Roller $50,000 NLHE, Las Vegas—$511,970
• 1^st place—2018 US Poker Open $25,000 NLHE, Las Vegas—$400,000

2018 Poker Masters Main Event

Peters came out on top at this event after a grueling, five-hour three-handed war with Koray Aldemir and Dan Smith. He eventually beat Smith heads up to take the title. However, Ali Imsirovic won the series honors and, ultimately, the coveted Poker Masters Purple Jacket.

To date, David Peters’ total live earnings are slightly more than $24.6 million. He currently sits in 11^th place on the All Time Money List.

Interesting tidbits about David Peters

In a Poker Stories interview, Peters discusses everything from his tournament success to his love of the big blind ante to cryptocurrency—and a whole host of other topics in between.

Among the most interesting include:

• One time he and his friends were playing a game of Yahtzee, and they bet each other that nobody would roll Yahtzee on the first roll. Well, lo and behold, one of his friends did, and Peters—who actually won an online tournament earlier that day—had to fork over $30,000, which was more than he won in his tournament.
• If David Peters could have a one-hour phone call with anyone, he would choose Michael Jordan in order to ask the basketball great about his winning thought processes and amazing work ethic.
• While at the table, Peters will use headphones during a hand to drown out the ambient noise. What does he listen to? Soothing jungle music.

If you’d like to learn more about this successful and talented player, check out this Poker Life Podcast interview. You can also follow David Peters on Twitter.

Until next time.

Read more from Upswing Poker:

• Top 5 Biggest Poker Tournament Wins
• How to Play Omaha Poker: Pot Limit & Hi/Lo
• Who is Mike Sexton? 10 Can’t-Miss Stories from the Poker Legend’s Life