Andy Black

Born July 20th 1965 in Belfast, Northern Ireland, Andy Black is the highest earning Irish poker player of all time. He got his start playing poker with his mother as a child and began playing more seriously whilst studying law at Dublin's Trinity College. He could have gone on to become a successful lawyer but instead he decided to focus on poker and began competing in smaller tournaments.

In 1997, Black nearly final tabled at the WSOP Main Event. During the event he struck up a fast, albeit short, friendship with poker legend Stu Ungar who eventually “back stabbed” him and went on to win the title. The following year he competed again, this time staring in a documentary titled Million Dollar Deal. He was knocked out of the event early and was devastated by his performance. Rather than practice and hope for better results next year, Black decided to give up all of his possessions and move to England to live as a strict Buddhist.

Buddhism appears to have done wonders for Black because when he returned to the felt in 2004 he  dominated the Irish tournament circuit and began cashing in events right and left. In 2005 he placed fifth in the WSOP Main Event and this time he seemed satisfied by his results.  Since then he has consistently cashed on the European Poker Tour, the World Poker Tour, and at the WSOP and made his way into the top 100 all time money list.

When he isn't competing on the live circuit or playing online at Full Tilt, Black is actively involved in charitable work.