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Written by Beatrix | Monday, August 9th, 2010
Twenty-five-year-old Matthew Jarvis from British Columbia, Canada sits in the fifth chip position with 16.7 million chips. He’s won almost $300K in his lifetime playing live and online poker, $100K of that at the Sunday Warm-Up at PokerStars a year ago.
With a playing field of more than 7,300 players, Jarvis realizes his accomplishment, as poker wasn’t the only thing he had to worry about. He was also dealing with the fact that his father was starting cancer treatment at the same time he was starting the Main Event.
“He got diagnosed with cancer right before this trip,” Jarvis explained. “He has throat cancer and cancer on the tonsils as well. It was a real shocker. It came out of nowhere. He’s a pretty healthy guy, and it was just really weird.”
Jarvis considered staying home, but his dad really wanted him to go, and it was a good thing for all, as Jarvis says his dad’s attitude actually improved as Jarvis made his way through the field. “Whenever I talk to him though, he’s been so excited that I’m doing so well; it’s almost keeping him positive through this whole situation. I felt like he’s been here with me,” said Jarvis.
Known as “jarfish” online, Jarvis plays $5/$10 and $10/$20 NLH cash games for a living. Before he played poker full-time, he worked the graveyard shift at a lumber yard, worked as a server, and a door-to-door knife salesman. Though he still doesn’t like to call himself a “poker pro” per say.
“Right now, I don’t really have a profession,” he explains. “I’m trying out poker for a little bit, but I haven’t quite reached the professional status. I’ve been doing it here and there to make money, but I guess this might be the turning point where I can say I am now a poker professional.” Especially if he wins the 2010 WSOP Main Event.
Between now and November, Jarvis plans on taking a poker break and spending time with his girlfriend and family, eventually studying up on his opponents to gain an edge.
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