Joe Bartholdi Bio

Joe Bartholdi started playing poker in a casino before he even turned 21. The knowledge that he gained from those sessions combined with a vast understanding of a multitude of poker literature led him to turn professional when he was 21. Bartholdi was up and down and had a hard time maintaining a stable bankroll. He turned to dealing to help provide some financial stability.

Bartholdi was an original member of "The Crew" with Dutch Boyd and Scott Fischman. He has since left, but is still friends with the group. Bartholdi was once again short on bankroll when Joe Cassidy stepped in and helped Bartholdi out. Bartholdi finished 5th in the $1,500 no-limit hold'em event at the 2005 World Series of Poker, earning him more than $70,000. He then cashed in a number of events and was back on his feet with a bankroll.

The big score for Bartholdi came at the $25,000 buy-in 2006 WPT Championship at the Bellagio. He outlasted a field of 605 players to claim the first place prize of $3.8 million. Bartholdi had worked his way from underage grinder to champion of the World Poker Tour.