Where Are They Now - Huckleberry Seed
Huckleberry Seed is quite the unique name for quite the unique poker champion. Through
our “Where Are They Now?” series we have explored lots of players, some of who are quick to talk about themselves in any outlet possible and others who prefer to keep their private lives just that – private. Seed fits the second example. In fact, he is so quiet that most of his background remains a mystery. He rarely talks of his past, and come to think of it, he rarely talks at all. While players at the table seem to chat constantly, Seed has been known to go hours without making a sound, believing that the best way to play poker is to let the cards do the talking.Seed was born in Corvallis, Montana on January 15th, 1969. At 6’7” it was natural for Seed to be drawn to basketball. While height doesn’t automatically mean you’ll be a good basketball player, it turned out Seed also had the athletic skill to back it up. Seed made the All-State basketball team in 1987, but there seems to be no indication that he wished to continue playing in college. Making All-State, even if it’s in a smaller classed state like Montana, is a big deal, and with that honor usually means an offer from some of the bigger universities to come to their school to play basketball. It seems instead that Seed looked for a school for education.
On top of being gifted athletically, Seed appeared to be gifted intellectually as well. Seed was accepted to Caltech to pursue a degree in electrical engineering, definitely not an “easy” degree. It’s unclear when Seed took up poker. After his second year of school he took a “leave of absence,” but because of success at poker he has never returned. He either took up poker at Caltech during his two years at the school, or during his “break,” but whichever it was; he was a very quick learner.
A lot of the past poker champions toiled in obscurity for years before getting their first big break. Seed had much better luck than his counterparts. In 1989 he started poker full-time; by 1990 he was already finding success, winning the $300 buy-in No Limit Event at the Super Stars of Poker in Tahoe for $30,240. If he had any thought of returning to school after this win, they were probably close to completely wiped out after he finished 4th in a pair of WSOP No Limit Events, winning an additional $32,000. In fact, in his first full year of player poker, in 1990, he won close to $110,000.
Seed continued to find success in tournament poker, particularly the WSOP, winning his first bracelet in 1994 in the $2,500 buy-in Pot Limit, Hold’em event, showing that he was more than proficient in just No Limit Hold’em. Between 1990 and 1995 he placed in 11 WSOP events, including six final tables. Keep in mind that this was coming from a player who didn’t decide to play full-time poker until 1989. By 1995 he had one of the better WSOP records in history, and he wasn’t even close to finished.
In 1996 Seed ponied up the $10,000 dollar buy-in to the “Main Event,” along with 294 others in hoping to win the one million dollar prize. Despite having success in the WSOP up until this point, he had never made the huge score, with his biggest cash being $167,000 for his bracelet win. With two tables remaining, the last two remaining past champions were eliminated, Dan Harrington (17th), and Berry Johnston (16th). The final table featured great players, including An “The Boss” Tran, Men “The Master Nquyen, and John Bonetti. However, Seed was able to outlast all of these great players, and eventually outlast Bruce Van Horn to take home the championship.
Despite all of these great accomplishments, including nearly five million dollars in tournament prizes, Seed fancied himself a cash player. Seed says he prefers cash because you get a chance to play with the same players for hours on end, and you don’t have to worry about working up a table image only to be moved to another table. Despite this problem of tournament poker, Seed has continued to find success, including winning two more WSOP bracelets, one in 2000 in the $1,500 Razz event, and the other in the other in 2003 in the $5,000 Razz event.
With the exception of Ted Forrest, Seed may be the best known “prop better” in poker. Some of his most famous ones include:
Seed bet a fellow poker player he could break 100 four times in a single day on a local Las Vegas golf course. The catch was he could only use a five iron, sand wedge, and putter. Another catch was that the person who had proposed the bet got to pick the day of the event. Predictably he picked one of the hottest days of the year, with the temperature reaching upwards of 120 in the Las Vegas desert. It’s unclear how much Seed won for winning this bet, but it’s believed to be “six figures.”
A famous one he lost was when Phil Hellmuth bet that he couldn’t stand in the ocean neck high for 18 hours. The bet was for $50,000. Apparently Seed thought this was an easy bet, but was soon swimming back to the shore after just three hours. Seed would go on to win about half the money back playing 9-ball pool with Hellmuth that night, at $2,000 a game.
Seed was well on his way to winning a bet that said he couldn’t go an entire year without shaving. However, a death in the family caused him to lose this bet with just a few months to go, because he thought it was the appropriate thing to shave for the funeral. The bet was with a number of fellow poker players, it’s unclear who made him pay up his end of the failed bet. However, Seed apparently liked the bet so much he has sported a beard since then, often being compared to Abraham Lincoln.
Most recently Seed finished 7th in the $50,000 H.O.R.S.E tournament at this years 2008 WSOP, cashing in $284,160 dollars.
Seed’s tournament schedule as of late has slowed down considerably because of his desire to play cash games, but he is obviously still having success at some of the bigger yearly tournaments. Most of his time now is spent playing cash at local casinos and online, and participating in various prop bets.
Major Tournament Results
25-Jun-08 $ 50,000 H.O.R.S.E.
39th World Series of Poker (WSOP) 2008, Las Vegas 7th $ 284,160
06-Mar-08 C$ 4,650 No Limit Hold'em
2008 Canadian Open Poker Championship. , Calgary 1st C$ 100,000 $ 100,897
02-Mar-08 Finals
NBC National Heads-Up Championship 2008, Las Vegas 3rd $ 125,000
11-Feb-08 $ 20,000 Week 4 - "World Champions"
Poker After Dark III, Las Vegas 6th
12-Dec-07 $ 15,000 Doyle Brunson Classic - No Limit Hold'em
Doyle Brunson Five Diamond World Poker Classic, Las Vegas 24th $ 57,815
06-Jul-07 $ 10,000 World Championship No Limit Hold'em
38th World Series of Poker (WSOP) 2007, Las Vegas 73rd $ 106,382
Jun-07 $ 20,000 Week 11 - WSOP Champions II
Poker After Dark II, Las Vegas 4th
02-Mar-07 $ 25,000 No Limit Hold'em
2007 NBC National Heads-Up Championship, Las Vegas 9th $ 25,000
01-Jan-07 $ 20,000 Week 1
Poker After Dark, Las Vegas 2nd
28-Sep-06 Final
Pro-Am Equalizer Tournament, Las Vegas 4th $ 25,000
26-Aug-06 $ 9,700 WPT Championship Event - No Limit Hold'em
2006 Legends of Poker, Los Angeles 17th $ 31,055
18-Jul-06 $ 1,500 No Limit Hold'em
37th World Series of Poker (WSOP) 2006, Las Vegas 134th $ 2,902
15-Jul-06 $ 3,000 Omaha Hi/Lo
37th World Series of Poker (WSOP) 2006, Las Vegas 24th $ 5,829
08-Jul-06 $ 1,000 No Limit Hold'em
37th World Series of Poker (WSOP) 2006, Las Vegas 42nd $ 6,722
03-Jul-06 $ 2,000 Limit Omaha Hi/Lo
37th World Series of Poker (WSOP) 2006, Las Vegas 11th $ 13,413
03-Mar-06 Heads Up No Limit Hold'em
2006 National Heads-Up Poker Championship, Las Vegas 3rd $ 125,000
16-Oct-05 Final 16 - Group D - Match 2
Poker Superstars Invitational Tournament Season 2, Cabazon 3rd
09-Oct-05 Final 16 - Group D - Match 1
Poker Superstars Invitational Tournament Season 2, Cabazon 4th
07-Aug-05 Heat 22
Poker Superstars Invitational Tournament Season 2, Cabazon 1st $ 10,000
24-Jul-05 Heat 20
Poker Superstars Invitational Tournament Season 2, Cabazon 4th
24-Jun-05 $ 2,500 No Limit Hold'em
36th World Series of Poker (WSOP) 2005, Las Vegas 25th $ 12,145
19-Jun-05 Heat 15
Poker Superstars Invitational Tournament Season 2, Cabazon 4th
15-Jun-05 $ 1,000 Seven Card Stud Hi/Lo
36th World Series of Poker (WSOP) 2005, Las Vegas 13th $ 4,875
29-May-05 Heat 12
Poker Superstars Invitational Tournament Season 2, Cabazon 5th
17-Apr-05 Heat 6
Poker Superstars Invitational Tournament Season 2, Cabazon 2nd
13-Mar-05 Heat 1
Poker Superstars Invitational Tournament Season 2, Cabazon 6th
05-Mar-05 Heads-Up No Limit Hold'em
2005 National Heads-Up Poker Championship, Las Vegas 9th $ 25,000
13-Oct-04 $ 1,000 No Limit Hold'em Final Day
2004 Festa al Lago III Poker Tournament, Las Vegas 3rd $ 27,803
11-Oct-04 $ 2,000 No Limit Hold'em Final Day
2004 Festa al Lago III Poker Tournament, Las Vegas 1st $ 135,582
23-Jun-04 $ 1,000 No Limit Hold'em
Festa al Lago II, Las Vegas 16th $ 2,240
11-May-04 $ 5,000 Omaha Hi-Lo Split World Championship
35th World Series of Poker (WSOP) 2004, Las Vegas 4th $ 45,500
27-Apr-04 $ 1,500 Pot Limit Hold'em
35th World Series of Poker (WSOP) 2004, Las Vegas 8th $ 15,020
15-Feb-04 $ 1,500 No Limit Hold'em
2004 L.A. Poker Classic, Los Angeles 23rd $ 2,995
01-Dec-03 $ 1,500 No Limit Hold'em
2003 Bellagio Five-Diamond World Poker Classic, Las Vegas 12th $ 6,794
01-Nov-03 $ 500 No Limit Hold'em
2003 World Poker Finals, Mashantucket 1st $ 88,230
01-Sep-03 $ 5,000 No Limit Hold'em Main Event - WPT
2003 Legends of Poker, Los Angeles 7th $ 38,625
02-Jul-03 $ 5,000 No Limit Hold'em Main Event
Festa al Lago, Las Vegas 9th $ 10,225
23-Jun-03 $ 1,000 No Limit Hold'em
Festa al Lago, Las Vegas 4th $ 10,297
07-Jun-03 $ 300 Limit Hold'em
California State Poker Championship 2003, Los Angeles 13th $ 3,830
11-May-03 $ 5,000 Razz
34th World Series of Poker (WSOP) 2003, Las Vegas 1st $ 71,500
08-May-03 $ 5,000 Pot Limit Omaha
34th World Series of Poker (WSOP) 2003, Las Vegas 8th $ 9,900
07-May-03 $ 2,000 S.H.O.E.
34th World Series of Poker (WSOP) 2003, Las Vegas 9th $ 3,760
05-May-03 $ 2,500 Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo Split
34th World Series of Poker (WSOP) 2003, Las Vegas 6th $ 13,020
29-Apr-03 $ 5,000 No Limit Hold'em
34th World Series of Poker (WSOP) 2003, Las Vegas 3rd $ 55,550
17-Apr-03 $ 1,500 Seven Card Stud
34th World Series of Poker (WSOP) 2003, Las Vegas 10th $ 3,700
07-Apr-03 $ 1,500 No Limit Hold'em
2003 Bellagio Five-Star World Poker Classic WPT Championship, Las Vegas 9th $ 5,392
02-Apr-03 € 300 Pot Limit Holdem
Spring Tournament 2003, Paris 7th € 530 $ 565
05-Oct-02 $ 5,000 Championship Event - No Limit Hold'em
2002 Four Queens Poker Classic, Las Vegas 6th $ 15,500
16-Aug-02 $ 1,000 Limit Hold'em
2002 Legends of Poker, Los Angeles 7th $ 2,755
15-Aug-02 $ 500 7-Card Stud
2002 Legends of Poker, Los Angeles 2nd $ 8,625
09-Aug-02 $ 500 Limit Hold'em
2002 Legends of Poker, Los Angeles 4th $ 4,920
01-Aug-02 $ 100 Limit Hold'em
2002 Legends of Poker, Los Angeles 3rd $ 3,410
24-Jul-02 $ 300 7 Card Stud Hi/Lo
Grand Slam of Poker 2002, Gardena 1st $ 16,030
08-Jun-02 $ 300 7 Card Stud
California State Poker Championship 2002, Los Angeles 11th $ 810
18-May-02 $ 5,000 Deuce to Seven No-Limit
33rd World Series of Poker (WSOP) 2002, Las Vegas 4th $ 22,420
16-May-02 $ 3,000 No Limit Hold'em
33rd World Series of Poker (WSOP) 2002, Las Vegas 10th $ 11,920
20-Apr-02 $ 2,000 Limit Hold'em
33rd World Series of Poker (WSOP) 2002, Las Vegas 5th $ 45,880
22-Feb-02 $ 300 Limit Hold'em
2002 L.A. Poker Classic, Los Angeles 3rd $ 40,527
21-Feb-02 $ 1,000 7 Card Stud Hi/Lo
2002 L.A. Poker Classic, Los Angeles 16th $ 1,331
15-Feb-02 $ 300 Limit Hold'em
2002 L.A. Poker Classic, Los Angeles 13th $ 4,474
07-Feb-02 $ 500 7 Card Stud
2002 L.A. Poker Classic, Los Angeles 13th $ 965
02-Feb-02 $ 300 7 Card Stud
2002 L.A. Poker Classic, Los Angeles 1st $ 27,306
20-Jan-02 $ 2,000 Limit Texas Hold'em
The Third Annual Jack Binion World Poker Open, Tunica 6th $ 8,206
14-Jan-02 $ 500 7 Card Stud
The Third Annual Jack Binion World Poker Open, Tunica 1st $ 24,444
The Third Annual Jack Binion World Poker Open, Tunica 9th $ 3,088
20-Aug-01 $ 500 No Limit Hold'em Championship Event - Linda Johnson Challenge
Linda Johnson Celebrity Challenge 2001, San Jose 10th $ 1,432
23-Jun-01 FF 10,000 Pot Limit Omaha Championship
Summer Tournament 2001, Paris 9th FF 10,100 $ 1,327
09-Nov-00 Final Table 7 Card Stud
2000 World Poker Finals, Mashantucket 1st $ 42,400
08-May-00 $ 1,500 Razz
31st World Series of Poker (WSOP) 2000, Las Vegas 1st $ 77,400
10-May-99 $ 10,000 No Limit Hold'em World Championship
30th World Series of Poker (WSOP) 1999, Las Vegas 6th $ 167,700
09-Feb-99 $ 300 Pot Limit Hold'em
LA Poker Classic VIII, Los Angeles 3rd $ 4,860
05-May-98 $ 3,000 Hold'em Pot Limit
29th World Series of Poker (WSOP) 1998, Las Vegas 13th $ 5,676
Apr-98 $ 1,000 No Limit Hold'em
Shooting Star Tournament, San Jose 1st $ 30,250
22-Jan-98 $ 5,000 Championship Event - No Limit Hold'em
Carnivale of Poker, Las Vegas 1st $ 306,000
15-Dec-97 $ 3,000 No Limit Hold'em
1997 World Poker Finals, Mashantucket 1st $ 55,350
22-Apr-97 $ 2,000 Limit Hold'em
28th World Series of Poker (WSOP) 1997, Las Vegas 5th $ 48,960
13-May-96 $ 10,000 No Limit Hold'em World Championship
27th World Series of Poker (WSOP) 1996, Las Vegas 1st $ 1,000,000
05-May-96 $ 3,000 Limit Hold'em
27th World Series of Poker (WSOP) 1996, Las Vegas
11th $ 6,012
15-May-95 $ 10,000 No Limit Hold'em World Championship
26th World Series of Poker (WSOP) 1995, Las Vegas 265th
07-May-95 $ 2,500 Limit Hold'em
26th World Series of Poker (WSOP) 1995, Las Vegas 18th $ 3,720
Dec-94 $ 5,000 No Limit Hold'em - Championship Event
Hall of Fame Poker Classic 1994, Las Vegas 7th $ 16,100
15-Aug-94 $ 10,000 1/2 Hold'em, 1/2 7 Card Stud
10th Annual Diamond Jim Brady, Oceanside 5th $ 20,850
03-May-94 $ 2,500 Pot Limit Omaha
25th World Series of Poker (WSOP) 1994, Las Vegas 1st $ 167,000
02-May-94 $ 2,500 Seven-Card Stud
25th World Series of Poker (WSOP) 1994, Las Vegas 15th $ 3,300
29-Apr-94 $ 5,000 No Limit Deuce to Seven Draw
25th World Series of Poker (WSOP) 1994, Las Vegas 2nd $ 71,250
01-May-92 $ 5,000 Deuce to Seven Draw
23rd World Series of Poker (WSOP) 1992, Las Vegas 2nd $ 66,250
29-Apr-92 $ 1,500 Omaha Limit
23rd World Series of Poker (WSOP) 1992, Las Vegas 10th $ 2,376
28-Apr-92 $ 1,500 Limit Hold'em
23rd World Series of Poker (WSOP) 1992, Las Vegas 8th $ 11,340
23-Apr-92 $ 1,500 Hold'em Pot Limit
23rd World Series of Poker (WSOP) 1992, Las Vegas 3rd $ 28,950
31-Oct-91 $ 1,500 Limit 7 Card Stud
Hall Of Fame Poker Classic 1991, Las Vegas 15th $ 2,025
03-Mar-91 $ 5,000 No Limit Hold'em
Queens Poker Classic, Las Vegas 2nd $ 118,750
17-Dec-90 $ 2,500 Limit 7 Card Stud
Hall Of Fame Poker Classic 1990, Las Vegas 4th $ 15,225
16-Dec-90 $ 2,000 No Limit Deuce To 7 Lowball
Hall Of Fame Poker Classic 1990, Las Vegas 5th $ 4,700
23-Aug-90 $ 1,500 7 Card Stud
6th Annual Diamond Jim Brady, Los Angeles 7th $ 4,185
19-Aug-90 $ 300 7 Card Stud Hi/Lo
6th Annual Diamond Jim Brady, Los Angeles 2nd $ 23,850
04-May-90 $ 1,500 Limit Omaha
21st World Series of Poker (WSOP) 1990, Las Vegas 4th $ 16,020
02-May-90 $ 1,500 7 Card Stud Hi/Lo
21st World Series of Poker (WSOP) 1990, Las Vegas 4th $ 16,290
14-Jan-90 $ 300 No Limit Hold'em
Super Stars Of Poker, Tahoe 1st $ 30,240
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