Gavin Griffin's poker career started off in a friends basement on a Summer break from school.  That summer Gavin didn't do particularly well, but decided that next time would be different!  A few poker books, and a few short years later, Gavin wouldn't just be beating his friends, he'd be competing with, and beating, some of the best players the game has ever seen.

 

Not long after Gavin became serious about learning poker, he decided that the career in speech therapy he was pursuing at Texas Christian University wasn't for him.  Eventually Gavin moved home to Illinois where he found himself dealing cards at Harrah's in East Chicago, Indiana.  Gavin quickly decided that what he really wanted was to be on the other side of the flop.  Although in his original plan, he would play the World Series for the first time in 2005, when the opportunity became available in 2004, Gavin couldn't resist.  Although Gavin now admits it wasn't the best bankroll management move, it turned out to be a great decision.  Gavin won the Pot Limit Holdem Championship and became the youngest person to ever win a World Series Bracelet.

 

Although Gavin's time as youngest bracelet winner was short lived, his poker success was not.  After his victory, Gavin continued playing poker full time.  After an uneventful 2005 World Series, Gavin decided to take a poker road trip.  He and his friend Derek Opitz drove around the country playing tournaments, cash games and watching baseball games.  As exciting as it sounds, eventually the road loss it's appeal.  By the end of the 2006 World Series, Gavin had a semi permanent home in Southern California.  Gavin's poker career continued to support him.  As always, Gavin would float back and forth between online and live play.

 

In October of 2006, Gavin was playing satellites on Stars to continue he streak of PCA qualifications.  He noticed an overly in an EPT satellite and decided to play.  That evening Gavin won seats to both the Pokerstars Caribbean Adventure and the EPT Monte Carlo.

 

About the same time, Gavin's girlfriend asked him if he would be willing to support her by walking with her in the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer.  To her surprise, he quickly and excitedly committed to the 40 miles walk.  Gavin decided that for all tournaments until the walk, he would dye his hair pink.  Gavin's hair gained some attention, but in the world of poker, eccentricity is the norm.  True to his commitment, Gavin arrived in Monte Carlo with pink hued hair.

 

As the field narrowed, Gavin begin to stick out not only as the guy with pink hair, but a likely candidate for the Championship.  Eventually Gavin beat the field d of over 700 to win the biggest tournament ever held outside of the United States.

 

When Gavin made the Pot Limit Championship at the 2007 World Series of poker, it was impossible to ignore his pink Mohawk.

 

Although Gavin's hair is no longer pink, he continues to support breast cancer research and is continuing to make Poker history.   In January of 2008, Gavin became the first player to achieve a WSOP, EPT and WPT title.