Introduction
Michael Gathyis a professional poker player with many successes in live and online poker, including World Series of Poker bracelets at the 2012, 2013 and 2016 World Series of Poker. He was the first person to win a WSOP turbo event and the second Belgian bracelet winner. He is one of two Belgians with multiple bracelets. Online he has won multiple SCOOP events and WCOOP events on PokerStars.
Background
Gathy had been a medical student prior to becoming a professional poker player. He learned to play poker online from a website that gave him $50 to begin. He started reading poker articles while learning to play.
Career highlights
In 2011, Gathy won the €175,000 first place prize in the PokerStars Belgian Poker Series €1,500 + €200 buy-in Grand Final in Namur.
The year after, Gathy defeated a final table that included former bracelet winners John Esposito and Eric Baldwin to winEvent 21 $1,000 NLHE at the WSOP. With 2,799 entrants, it was one of the largest events of the 2012 World Series. This victory made Gathy the second ever Belgian bracelet-winner (following Davidi Kitai). It was just the second WSOP event he had ever competed in.
When Gathy won the 1,629-entrant Event 34 $1,000 Turbo NLHE against a final table that included Jake Cody and Jason Duval, it marked the first WSOP bracelet ever awarded for a turbo event. On that day he was wearing the same green T-shirt he won his first bracelet with. Gathy joined Kitai, who won the $5,000 Pot Limit Hold'em 2013 World Series of Poker Event 19, as the only Belgian multiple bracelet winners.. In 2016, Gathy completed his WSOP hattrick by winning the 541-entrant $5,000 NLHE 6-max Event 35 for $560,843. His fellow countryman (and high stakes regular) Thomas Boivin bubbled the final table, he busted in 7th place. Gathy also has two second place finishes at the WSOP.
World Series of Poker
| Year | Cashes | Final Tables | Bracelets |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| 2013 | 6 | 1 | 1 |
| 2014 | 2 | ||
| 2015 | 2 | ||
| 2016 | 5 | 3 | 1 |
| 2017 | 3 | 1 | |
| 2018 | 6 | 1 | |
| 2019 | 5 |
| Year | Tournament | Prize (US$) |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 | $1,000 No Limit Hold'em | $440,829 |
| 2013 | $1,000 Turbo No Limit Hold'em | $278,613 |
| 2016 | $5,000 Six-Handed No Limit Hold'em | $560,843 |