Justin Smith (poker player)
| Justin Smith | |
|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | Boosted J |
| Hometown | Kissimmee, Florida |
| World Series of Poker | |
| Bracelet(s) | None |
| Final table(s) | 3 |
| Money finish(es) | 10 |
| Highest ITM Main Event finish |
None |
| World Poker Tour | |
| Title(s) | 0 |
| Final table(s) | 2 |
| Money finish(es) | 3 |
| European Poker Tour | |
| Title(s) | None |
| Final table(s) | None |
| Money finish(es) | 1 |
| Information accurate as of 2011-01-03. | |
Justin "Boosted J" Smith (born January 8, 1988 in Hartford, Connecticut) is an American professional poker player living in Los Angeles, CA. At 21 years old, Smith has been a participant in stateside poker tournaments for less than a year due to age requirements, winning nearly $900,000 in that time span.[1]
Smith began playing poker at the age of 17 after needing a wheelchair for several weeks, causing him to lose his part-time job. A friend gave him some lessons on Texas Hold'Em, and Smith began his online poker career with a bankroll of $50.[2] Though his young age has prevented him from racking up a long list of tournament victories, Smith has experienced substantial success in high-stakes short-handed ring games at levels up to $2,000/$4,000 and $4,000/$8,000[2][3]
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[edit] Early years
Born in Hartford, Connecticut, Smith spent the first two years of his life in New York and Connecticut. He also lived for a brief time in Melbourne, Florida before moving to the Kissimmee/Poinciana area in central Florida. It was here that he worked as a bagger/clerk at a local grocery store while attending high school at Poinciana High. Justin played tennis in high school, and met his future wife, Anita during his junior year.[4] During his senior year, a near-fatal motorcycle accident left him in a wheelchair temporarily and led to his subsequent unemployment. A long-time friend introduced him to low stakes online poker during this period as a way to earn a few dollars here and there.[5]
[edit] Tournament poker
Smith's first major tournament success came during the 2007 Full Tilt Online Poker Series, where he tied for 1st in the $1.5 Million Guarantee, good for $175,326. Since then he has amassed close to two million dollars in tournament winnings, including 5 cashes in the 2009 World Series of Poker (WSOP), and a 3rd place finish at the 2009 Bellagio Cup V Championship Event shortly thereafter. Justin had a breakout year in 2010, including a 2nd place finish in the WPT Championship worth $594,755.
| Year | Event | Prize Money |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | FTOPS III $1.5 Million Guarantee | $175,326[6] |
| 2008 | WSOP Europe-London Pot Limit Omaha | $29,777[6] |
| 2008 | WSOP Europe-London Main Event | $64,387[6] |
| 2009 | WSOP $10,000 World Championship Heads Up No-Limit Hold'em | $38,424[6] |
| 2009 | WSOP $10,000 World Championship Seven Card Stud 8 or Better | $54,896[6] |
| 2009 | WPT Bellagio Cup V Championship Event | $464,870[6] |
| 2010 | WSOP No-Limit Hold'em Six Handed | $55,236[6] |
| 2010 | Bellagio Cup WPT Championship | $594,755[6] |
| 2010 | WPT London Poker Classic High Rollers | $219,131[6] |
| 2010 | WSOP Circuit-Horseshoe Hammond Regional Championship | $22,678[6] |
[edit] Cash games
Though Smith has experienced success in numerous tournaments, the majority of his time is spent playing cash games. Since starting with online $.01/$.02 Limit Texas Hold'Em in early 2005, he has advanced to a variety of games at the highest levels both live and online. These include games like Omaha, Lowball, Seven Card Stud, and Texas Hold'Em at levels up to $4,000/$8,000. He is a red named pro on Full Tilt Poker and a frequent player at the "Big Game" in Bobby's Room, a cardroom named after Bobby Baldwin, at the Bellagio Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.
[edit] Other ventures
Justin has recently begun to expand his interests outside of poker. Justin appeared on the cover of Bluff Magazine's 2010 October issue, and will also grace the cover of the January 2011 issue of WPT Magazine. He has made cameo appearances in music videos for Rascal Flats, Enrique Iglesias and Dr. Dre, in addition to Executive Producing the movie "Detention" which is scheduled for a 2011 release.
[edit] Personal life
Justin is married to his high school sweetheart, Anita. They recently moved to Los Angeles, California, where they live a relatively low-key life.[4]
[edit] Notes
- ^ Nicole Gordon. "Justin Smith - The PokerNews Profile". www.Pokernews.com. http://www.pokernews.com/news/2009/07/the-pokernews-profile-justin-smith-boosted-j-6979.htm. Retrieved 2009-12-15.
- ^ a b Anonymous. "Justin Smith". DeepStacks University. http://www.deepstacks.com/poker-pros-smith.html. Retrieved 2009-12-15.
- ^ Anonymous. "Justin Smith Player Profile". Full Tilt Poker. http://www.justinsmithpoker.com/about. Retrieved 2009-12-15.
- ^ a b Kristy Arnett. "A Poker Life - Justin "Boosted J" Smith". Cardplayer.com. http://www.cardplayer.com/poker-news/7328-a-poker-life-justin-boostedj-smith. Retrieved 2009-12-15.
- ^ Justin Smith. "About Me Boosted J". Justin Smith. http://www.boostedj.com/aboutme.php. Retrieved 2009-12-15.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Anonymous. "Justin Smith Overall Results". Cardplayer.com. http://www.cardplayer.com/poker-players/90473-justin-smith/overall/results. Retrieved 2009-12-15.
