Josh Arieh (born September 26, 1974, in
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in and the county seat, seat of government of Monroe County, New York, United States. It is the List of municipalities in New York, fourth-most populous city and 10th most-populated municipality in New York, with a populati ...
) is an
American professional
poker
Poker is a family of Card game#Comparing games, comparing card games in which Card player, players betting (poker), wager over which poker hand, hand is best according to that specific game's rules. It is played worldwide, with varying rules i ...
player. Arieh has been competing in poker competitions since 1999.
Tournament history
Arieh finished in third place for $2,500,000 in the
2004 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event. He has a World Series of Poker title in
Limit Texas hold 'em
Texas hold 'em (also known as Texas holdem, hold 'em, and holdem) is the most popular variant of the card game of poker. Two cards, known as hole cards, are dealt face down to each player, and then five Community card poker, community cards ...
in
1999
1999 was designated as the International Year of Older Persons.
Events January
* January 1 – The euro currency is established and the European Central Bank assumes its full powers.
* January 3 – The Mars Polar Lander is launc ...
and a 2nd-place finish at the
2000 World Series of Poker Pot Limit Omaha
Omaha ( ) is the List of cities in Nebraska, most populous city in the U.S. state of Nebraska. It is located in the Midwestern United States along the Missouri River, about north of the mouth of the Platte River. The nation's List of United S ...
event to
Johnny Chan. At the
2005 World Series of Poker
The 2005 World Series of Poker opened play on June 2, continuing through the Main Event No Limit World Championship starting on July 7. The conclusion of the Main Event on July 15 marked the close of play, and the largest prize in sports and/or t ...
, he won his second bracelet by defeating
Chris Ferguson
Christopher Philip Ferguson (born April 11, 1963) is an American professional poker player. He has won six World Series of Poker events, including the 2000 WSOP Main Event, and the 2008 NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship. Ferguson is ...
in a Pot Limit Omaha event. Arieh finished runner-up in the
2014 World Series of Poker $5,000 No Limit Hold'em - Eight Handed (Event #35).
At 2021 World Series of Poker, Arieh won two bracelets to give him four for his career. He finished ahead of
Phil Hellmuth to earn the WSOP Player of the Year honors.
At the 2023 WSOP, Arieh won two bracelets in the $10,000 Limit Hold'em Championship Event and the $25,000 H.O.R.S.E. Event.
As of 2023, Arieh is one of only three people to have finished 3rd place or better in the World Series of Poker Main Event, as well as finish 2nd place or better in the 2019 $50,000 buy-in
The Poker Players Championship WSOP event. The only other two players to do so in both events, are Poker Hall of Famers:
Scotty Nguyen, and
Phil Hellmuth.
Through the 2023 World Series of Poker, Arieh has won six World Series of Poker bracelets, won in three different decades, he has finished runner up in 3 different WSOP events, and he has made it to over 20 World Series of Poker final tables.
In May 2006, he won the Calvin Ayre Wild Card Poker Tournament in San Jose for $500,000.
Arieh has made two final tables on the
World Poker Tour. He also has several other tournament victories and final table television appearances.
As of June 2023, his total live tournament winnings exceed $12,000,000. Most of his tournament winnings, over $9,000,000, have come at the World Series of Poker.
Personality
Arieh has the reputation as something of a divisive figure, often relying on verbal bullying when trying to force a hand. He has earned the friendship and respect of many of his competitors, but has also committed several faux pas during his career, lambasting
Harry Demetriou after an important hand in the Main Event of the
2004 World Series of Poker and, after being eliminated from that tournament, pulling one of the remaining players (
David Williams) aside and whispering a censored remark referring to the other remaining opponent, eventual champion
Greg Raymer. He subsequently apologized after both incidents.
Arieh is friends with former professional baseball player
John Smoltz
John Andrew Smoltz (born May 15, 1967), nicknamed "Smoltzie" and "Marmaduke", is an American former baseball pitcher who played 21 seasons in Major League Baseball from 1988 to 2009, all but the last year with the Atlanta Braves. An eight-time Ma ...
. Arieh was Smoltz's caddy when Smoltz attempted to qualify for the
U.S. Open Championship in 2010.
World Series of Poker bracelets
References
External links
Feature article in American Jewish Life MagazineCard Player profileGlobal Poker Index profileHendon Mob profilePokerNews profileWPT profileWSOP profile
{{DEFAULTSORT:Arieh, Josh
1974 births
20th-century American Jews
American poker players
World Series of Poker bracelet winners
Living people
Sportspeople from Rochester, New York
Sportspeople from Atlanta
21st-century American Jews