Gary Debernardi Biography

If the name Gary DeBernardi is new to you, you're either new to online poker or you know him better by his online name, Debo34.

As one of online poker's most celebrated pros, Debo approaches every tournament with a well-developed game plan.

"I usually play loose at the beginning of a tourney," says Debo. "I'll look for an early double-up opportunity and If I don't get it, I'll tighten up and start looking for big hands. If I'm able to build a decent chip stack, I play conservatively in the middle portion of a tourney and then try to turn it up a bit as I edge toward the final table."

While Debo now makes his living playing poker online and in major land-based tournaments like UB.net's Aruba Poker Classic or the WSOP, he actually planned on a different career. After discovering a passion for working with his hands, Debo served a four-year apprenticeship as a carpenter and spent about 11 years building hospitals and schools full-time.

Today, he prefers to build chip stacks instead.