Cold and Calculating: Bob Buckenmayer Reflects on Poker and his Upcoming trip to Antarctica

By Sean Chaffin

The WPT Five Diamond World Poker Classic may be a re-entry tournament, but Bob Buckenmayer’s next stop will be a freezeout. Literally. In January, he and his wife head off to the most southern point of Argentina for a trip over to Antarctica.

“National Geographic’s got a couple ships that go down to Antarctica and that’s been a bucket list trip for me for a long time,” he says. “My wife is a photographer so that will be great for her. She loves having unique places to go to and shoot photos.”

Antarctica trips require some planning but offer a once in a lifetime experience for those who can head south. The ships Orion and Explorer take passengers across the Drake Passage and tour along the Antarctic Peninsula.

National Geographic offers travelers the chance to experience the frozen continent including a remote-operated vehicle that offers a glimpse of the ocean floor. Aboard the ship, expeditioners get a first-hand view of snow and ice-covered mountains, majestic views of icebergs and the open ocean, and wildlife like penguins, seals, and humpback and killer whales.

The Buckenmayers purchased special gear to prepare for the cold and are looking forward to some sightseeing walks on the continent. The mean annual temperature on the continent is -70 degrees, but it can be considerably warmer near the coasts as it’s currently summer in Antarctica. But this certainly isn’t warm by any means – the Buckenmayers can expect average temperatures slightly below freezing throughout their time on the peninsula.

Traveling Man

Beyond this trip, travel has been a lifelong passion for Buckenmayer. He’s traveled all over Europe and loves the Greek Islands. Seeing new places and nature are all part of the experience.

“Africa’s probably my favorite destination,” he says. “I’ve been there five times.”

A particular favorite on the continent is the Serengeti in Tanzania, which features the second-largest terrestrial mammal migration in the world and spans 12,000 square miles. The area has a variety of habitats and is home to numerous large mammal species including giraffes, lions, wildebeests, zebras, gazelles, African Buffalo, and numerous others. The area also hosts more than 500 species of birds.

The 75-year-old from San Diego has been playing poker for quite a while but got more into the game over the last five years. That includes a 13th-place finish in Five Diamond in Season XV for $61,382. He’s now hoping to top that this year.

And while that may have been a nice finish, Buckenmayer has several more skins on the wall. In 2012, he finished 17th in the World Series of Poker Main Event for $369,026 – the first of three deep runs in four years. A year later, he finished 166th for $42,990, and in 2015 finished 39th for $164,086.

Another nice score came here at Bellagio in 2012 at the $10,300 Festa Al Lago Championship, where he finished third for $144,443. It’s been a nice few years and he’s hoping that continues this week in Las Vegas.

“I’m retired so this is part of my fun package,” he says of his life on the poker road. “I retired in 2011 and I’ve been playing golf and poker and traveling and being with family.”

Poker and Family

Before retiring, Buckenmayer worked in management and owned his own consulting business for seven years. Playing at events like the Five Diamond Poker Classic have become part of his routine and he enjoys playing against some of the best players in the game.

“It is a challenge, but that’s kind of why I’m here,” he says. “I’d much rather play in a field like this than in a very weak field because I want to know and continually prove to myself that I can play with the best of the world.”

In the summer, Buckenmayer plays three or four weeks at the WSOP and three or four WPT Main Tour events throughout the year as well as a few other local events in his area. Family members have been supportive of his efforts chasing poker titles.

“Family is a big part of my life,” he says. “I’m blessed to have a wife that’s okay with me coming out to play who knows how many days at an event like this.”

Married with four children of his own and two of his wife’s from another marriage, Buckenmeyer is a little disappointed that they only have two grandchildren and hoping that changes soon.

“We’ve got to send instructions out with the Christmas cards this year,” he says laughing.

The trip to Antarctica is approaching and the freezeout awaits. He’ll be visiting the one continent in the world without legalized casinos – or many humans at all for that matter. The WPT may be global, but an Antarctica championship event probably isn’t in the works.

Sean Chaffin is a freelance writer in Crandall, Texas. His work appears in numerous websites and publications. Follow him on Twitter @PokerTraditions.

Looking to win your way to a World Poker Tour event for your shot at becoming a WPT champion? Play for your chance on ClubWPT.com, where eligible VIP Members can play for over $100,000 in cash and prizes each month, including seats to WPT events, no purchase necessary.