Dan Shak

Dan Shak
Dan Shak in 2019
Playing styleLAG or LP (depending on tournament size)
World Series of Poker
Bracelet(s)None
Money finish(es)20
Highest ITM
Main Event finish		167th, 2012
World Poker Tour
Money finish(es)10
European Poker Tour
Money finish(es)3

Daniel Shak (born May 7, 1959)[1] is an American semi-professional poker player and hedge fund manager known for his accomplishments in high buy-in poker events.

Poker career

Prior to poker, Shak was a trader on the New York Mercantile and Commodities Exchange (COMEX). In 2002, Shak established SHK Asset Management, a hedge fund focused on gold futures.[2]

He began seriously focusing on poker in 2004. In 2005, he had his first World Series of Poker cash totaling $45,000. He has been active on the circuit since and came close to winning his first WSOP bracelet in 2010 when he came in second to Chris Bell at the $5,000 Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-low Split-8 or Better event.

Shak has participated in the World Poker Tour, though he has been less successful. He cashed for $70,000 at the 2007 North American Poker Championships in Ontario. Shak has been most successful at the Aussie Millions where he scored his biggest cash for $1,107,553 at 2010 $100,000 buy in event.[3]

In March 2013, Shak won the $125,000 Party Poker Premier League Poker VI in London winning $528,000, defeating Sam Trickett heads-up.

Shak has always considered poker a hobby and turned down any business offers related to it. However in 2013, at the request of friend Phil Ivey, Shak made an exception and joined Ivey Poker.[4]

As of 2014, his total live tournament winnings exceed $7,400,000 of which $709,290 have come from cashes at the WSOP.[5]

Personal life

Shak is the son of Paula J. Felmeister (nee Cohen).[6] He was married to poker player and model Beth Shak; the two divorced in 2009.[7] In 2012, Dan Shak sued Beth over a shoe collection containing 1,200 shoes worth approximately $1 million, but then subsequently dropped the lawsuit.[8] In 2014, Dan Shak married former model Anna Shak. He was recently charged with manipulating gold and silver markets. [9]

References

  1. ^ "Daniel Shak". Global Poker Index. Retrieved March 12, 2014.
  2. ^ Wachtel, Katya (January 28, 2011). "This Poker-Playing Hedge Fund Manager Sent Shocks Through The Gold Market Last Week". Business Insider. Retrieved October 26, 2015.
  3. ^ "Dan Shak". PokerNews. Retrieved March 12, 2014.
  4. ^ "Team Ivey adds new Poker Team Pro Dan Shak". Ivey Poker. January 5, 2013. Archived from the original on March 13, 2014.
  5. ^ "Dan Shak's profile on The Hendon Mob". The Hendon Mob Poker Database. Retrieved April 3, 2024.
  6. ^ New Jersey Jewish News: "Obituaries - Paula Felmeister" October 26, 2014
  7. ^ Barry, Doug (July 18, 2012). "Daniel Shak Decides He Doesn't Want His Ex-Wife's $1M Shoe Collection After All". Jezebel.
  8. ^ Adams, Rebecca (June 25, 2012). "Beth Shak Sued For Shoe Collection By Ex-Husband". Huffington Post.
  9. ^ Golubova, Anna (August 8, 2022). "CFTC charges World Series of Poker player with manipulating gold and silver markets". KITCO. Retrieved April 10, 2024.