Dave Ulliott facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Dave Ulliott |
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Dave Ulliott on the 2005 World Series of Poker
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| Nickname(s) | The Devilfish, The Clock |
| Residence | Kingston upon Hull |
| Born | 1 April 1954 Kingston upon Hull, England |
| Died | 6 April 2015 (aged 61) |
| World Series of Poker | |
| Bracelet(s) | 1 |
| Money finish(es) | 33 |
| Highest ITM Main Event finish |
72nd, 2004 |
| World Poker Tour | |
| Title(s) | 1 |
| Final table(s) | 2 |
| Money finish(es) | 8 |
| European Poker Tour | |
| Title(s) | None |
| Final table(s) | None |
| Money finish(es) | 1 |
David A. Ulliott (born April 1, 1954 – died April 6, 2015), also known as Devilfish, was a famous English professional poker player. He became a champion at the World Series of Poker and was often seen playing poker on television. At the poker table, he was known for his unique style, wearing orange-tinted sunglasses, a sharp suit or leather jacket, and special gold rings he made himself that spelled "Devil" and "Fish". In 2017, he was chosen to be part of the Poker Hall of Fame, which is a big honor in poker.
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Early Life and First Wins
Ulliott was born in 1954 and grew up in Kingston upon Hull, England. He lived in a small house in a working-class area. He wasn't very interested in school and left when he was 15 years old.
He first discovered the thrill of winning when he went to the bookies with his dad. He won his very first bet on a horse race, which was a big surprise at 50 to 1 odds! This early win sparked his interest in games of chance.
Starting His Poker Journey
Dave Ulliott started playing poker with his parents when he was very young. Later, at 16, he learned a game called three card brag at a casino in Hull. As he got older, he became very good at poker. He even started organizing his own poker games. He played so well in other people's home games that they sometimes stopped inviting him!
In 1990, he met Gary Whitaker, who became his travel partner for poker games. They would travel together to play poker almost every night. Gary even helped Dave place bets when Dave was not allowed to bet at certain places because he won too much money. Gary became Dave's regular driver and even had a small share in Dave's poker winnings.
When Dave first played poker in London, he found the players there were tougher to bluff. This made him change his playing style and helped him become an even better player. He once lost a very large amount of money in a single poker hand but managed to win it all back within 24 hours! He even played in five different cities in one day, winning money in each one.
Becoming "The Devilfish"
Dave Ulliott first started winning money in big poker tournaments in 1993. He practiced his tournament skills a lot. By 1996, he won £100,000 in just two weeks at a casino called The Vic. This success led him and Gary to travel to Las Vegas for the first time.
In Las Vegas, Dave entered a poker event called the 1997 Four Queens Poker Classic. When he was playing against another player named Men Nguyen, Men's fans were cheering him on by saying "Go on the Master!" In response, Gary Whitaker started cheering for Dave, saying "Go on the Devilfish!" This nickname stuck. The name "Devilfish" comes from a type of poisonous fish called a fugu, which can be deadly if not prepared correctly.
Dave won that tournament, and the next day, the newspaper headlines read, Devilfish devours the Master. Dave later said that this event was important mostly because it gave him his famous nickname. Before this, some people called him Dave the Clock because he once used a grandfather clock as his entry fee for a poker game!
Winning a World Series of Poker Bracelet
In 1997, Dave Ulliott went to the 1997 World Series of Poker (WSOP), which is one of the biggest poker events in the world. He lost all his money early on and had to borrow more. But he didn't give up! He managed to get enough money to enter a $2,000 poker event.
In the final part of that event, he played against another English player, Chris Truby. Dave won the final hand with a straight to claim $180,310 and his first and only WSOP bracelet. A WSOP bracelet is like a championship trophy in poker. After winning, he had "Devilfish" engraved on his bracelet.
After this big win, Dave had a very successful time playing in cash games, winning a lot of money each day. By the end of his trip, he had $742,000 in cash, which he and Gary carried in bags! When they returned to their casino in Leeds, everyone cheered for them.
Becoming a TV Poker Star
In 1999, Dave Ulliott was one of 40 players chosen for the first season of a TV show called Late Night Poker. This show was special because it was the first to use "hole cam" technology, which allowed viewers to see the players' hidden cards.
Dave won his qualifying game and then went on to win the Grand Final, taking home £40,000. His win was watched by over 1.5 million people, which was a huge number for that TV channel! His exciting personality at the poker table helped make the show very popular, and it ran for five more seasons, with Dave appearing in all of them.
World Poker Tour Success
In January 2003, Dave Ulliott won his biggest tournament prize ever at the World Poker Tour (WPT) Jack Binion World Poker Open. He beat 160 other players and won $589,175! He was so dominant at the final table that a commentator, Mike Sexton, said it was "still the most dominating performance in WPT history."
In December 2007, Dave also finished in 3rd place at another WPT event, earning another $674,500.
Other Achievements and Legacy
Dave Ulliott came very close to winning a second WSOP bracelet several times, finishing second in events in 1998, 2000, and twice in 2001. He also represented England in various international poker competitions.
His total poker tournament winnings during his lifetime were over $6.2 million. This made him one of the highest-earning English poker players.
Personal Life
Dave Ulliott was married three times and had a total of seven children: Paul, Kerry, Stephen, Christopher, Michael, Matthew, David, and Lucy. He continued to live in his hometown of Kingston upon Hull.
In 2010, Dave released his autobiography called DEVILFISH: The Life & Times of a Poker Legend. The book was very well-received and described as "fast, funny, scary, smart, cocky, colourful."
Later Years and Passing
In February 2015, Dave Ulliott was diagnosed with colon cancer. He sadly passed away from the disease on April 6, 2015, at the age of 61.
Dave Ulliott was known for being a very strong player, especially in a game called pot limit Omaha. He was also considered the best five-card stud player in Northern England. He was a very well-known figure in the UK poker scene and even appeared on the cover of PokerPlayer magazine.
He was also connected with an online poker website called Devilfish Poker. At one event, he famously showed a sign for his website on his back, even though it was against the rules for the TV broadcast. He said he did it to advertise his site, as he believed he had an agreement to promote it.
In his later years, Dave tried to change his image a bit. He stopped wearing his slicked-back hair or sunglasses at the poker table because he felt everyone in Las Vegas started looking the same as him!
