Upeshka De Silva
| Upeshka De Silva | |
|---|---|
 De Silva in 2020 | |
| Nickname(s) | Pesh |
| Residence | Katy, Texas |
| Born | Colombo, Sri Lanka |
| World Series of Poker | |
| Bracelet(s) | 3 |
| Final table(s) | 5 |
| Money finish(es) | 49 |
| Highest ITM Main Event finish | =17th, 2020 |
| World Poker Tour | |
| Title(s) | None |
| Final table(s) | 3 |
| Money finish(es) | 8 |
| European Poker Tour | |
| Money finish(es) | 1 |
Upeshka De Silva is a Sri Lankan-American professional poker player from Katy, Texas. A three-time World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet winner, in 2020 he made the final table of the WSOP Main Event.
De Silva was born in 1988, in Colombo, Sri Lanka and moved to Katy in the United States when he was two years old. He graduated from the University of Houston with degrees in history and political science.[1]
At first, De Silva played in small home games with his high school friends. He got especially hooked on poker after the Moneymaker phenomenon and reading Doyle Brunson’s Super/System 2 book.[2]
In 2012, he began his poker career playing private cash games in Texas.[3] De Silva made his first WSOP final table in 2013 when he finished in seventh in the $1,500 Millionaire Maker event. In 2015, he won his first bracelet, outlasting a field of 1,655 in a $1,500 No Limit Hold'em event and earning $424,577.[4] He also finished in 36th place in the Main Event that year. On Day 5 of the Main Event, he made a memorable call against Fedor Holz with on a board of after Holz had moved all-in on the river.[5]
De Silva's second WSOP bracelet came in a $3,000 No Limit Hold'em Shootout event in 2017.[6] He added a third bracelet in an online event on WSOP.com in 2019.[7] De Silva had made five WSOP final tables and cashed 49 times for $1,613,000 prior to the 2020 Main Event.
De Silva made the final table of the 2020 WSOP Main Event, the first portion of which was held on WSOP.com, in eighth chip position. The day before the final table, however, he tested positive for COVID-19 and was disqualified, being awarded ninth place.[8]
De Silva has made three final tables on the World Poker Tour. In 2016, he finished in third place at the Legends of Poker, earning $198,270; he was knocked out of the tournament by Pat Lyons after losing with to when a queen hit on the river.[9] He also finished in fifth at the WPT Montreal in November 2018. In March 2020, De Silva made the final table of the L.A. Poker Classic, but the tournament was delayed more than a year by the COVID-19 pandemic; he eventually finished in sixth place.[10][11]
As of 2021, De Silva has live tournament winnings of $3,109,000.[12]
World Series of Poker bracelets
[edit]| Year | Tournament | Prize (US$) |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | $1,500 No Limit Hold'em | $424,577 |
| 2017 | $3,000 No Limit Hold'em Shootout | $229,923 |
| 2019 | $600 WSOP.com Online Knockout Bounty | $98,263 |
References
[edit]- ^ Hanson, Isaac (June 25, 2015). "UPESHKA DE SILVA WINS $1,500 NO-LIMIT HOLD'EM BRACELET AND $424K". WSOP.com. Retrieved December 14, 2020.
- ^ "Upeshka De Silva's Life: Net Worth, Biggest Profits, Losses and Private Life". Somuchpoker.
- ^ "Poker Stories Podcast: Upeshka De Silva Talks About His Quick Rise In The Poker World". CardPlayer.com. September 18, 2017. Retrieved December 14, 2020.
- ^ Fast, Erik (June 25, 2015). "Upeshka De Silva Wins 2015 WSOP $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em". CardPlayer.com. Retrieved December 14, 2020.
- ^ Rinkema, Remko (July 13, 2015). "Fedor Holz Discusses His Big Day 5 Bluff in the WSOP Main Event". PokerNews.com. Retrieved December 14, 2020.
- ^ Blank, Simkha (June 3, 2017). "Upeshka De Silva Wins WSOP Event #3: $3,000 No-Limit Hold'em Shootout". PokerNews.com. Retrieved December 14, 2020.
- ^ Bradley, Lance (June 17, 2019). "WSOP: Upeshka De Silva Wins Online Bounty; Howard Mash Tops Seniors". PocketFives.com. Retrieved December 14, 2020.
- ^ Shillibier, Will (December 28, 2020). "Upeshka De Silva Reportedly Disqualified from WSOP Final Table After Positive COVID-19 Test". PokerNews.com. Retrieved December 28, 2020.
- ^ ""WORLD FAMOUS" PAT LYONS WINS WPT® LEGENDS OF POKER FOR $615,346". WPT.com. September 2, 2016. Retrieved December 14, 2020.
- ^ Sofen, Jon (March 4, 2020). "2020 LA Poker Classic Final Table Includes Two Past WPT Champions". Cards Chat. Retrieved December 14, 2020.
- ^ Fast, Erik (March 18, 2020). "World Poker Tour Postpones Upcoming Delayed Final Tables". CardPlayer.com. Retrieved December 14, 2020.
- ^ "Upeshka De Silva's profile on The Hendon Mob". The Hendon Mob Poker Database. Retrieved February 18, 2021.