Poker Whiz drops out

College Confidential Community
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<p>THERE IS news from John Stolzmann, the 23-year-old UW-Madison senior who in January won close to $1.5 million playing poker, and the news is not just that the World Poker Tour event that Stolzmann won is being televised Wednesday on the Travel Channel at 8 p.m.</p>

<p>I spoke Monday with Stolzmann, who is at his family’s house in Sheboygan, where they are planning a big party for Wednesday’s airing of the Jack Binion World Poker Open, which John won Jan. 27 in Tunica, Miss. How big a party? “Two hundred friends and family,” Stolzmann said with a laugh.</p>

<p>The real news from Stolzmann is that he is no longer a UW-Madison student. In the aftermath of his victory, Stolzmann had said he intended to graduate on schedule this spring, but he told me Monday that so many poker opportunities came with the victory that he changed his plans. He’s now living in Southern California, where he’s building a house with his girlfriend, Jayde Tran, with whom he’s engaged to be married.</p>

<p>Stolzmann said he has played a number of tournaments since January, and though he reached the final table at one, he has not yet approached the success he had in Tunica. That will be hard to duplicate, but Stolzmann intends to try. “This is what I’m doing for a living,” he said. …</p>

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<p>One of the biggest names in poker, Phil Hellmuth, is also a college dropout from UW-Madison.</p>

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<p>this is pretty much a right decision…still, can’t he put those opportunities aside for a few months?</p>

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<p>sometimes it’s better to go with passion</p>

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<p>Can anyone say one hit wonder? 3 years later the dude hasn’t done jack</p>

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<p>Spontaneity has led to great accomplishments. That said, it’s also led to great failures.</p>

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<p>My cousin won the WSoP at age 25, but he’d already quit college. I think many of these elite level players are smart people who understandably get distracted by the challenge and the lifestyle, and I wonder if many aren’t also the type who prefer to choose their own path.</p>