By Sean Chaffin
As play reached the money on Day 2 at the WPT Seminole Rock ‘N’ Roll Poker Open, Will Givens was rising to one of the top chip stacks. He’s now hoping the big run continues.
A regular on the tour, Givens has $2.4 million in live tournament winnings including $379,000 on the WPT. His biggest tour finish came last season when he finished fourth at WPT Maryland for $121,112. He also produced a sixth-place finish for $87,760 at WPT Venetian.
Away from the WPT, Givens’ biggest finish came at the World Series of Poker in 2014 when he took home a bracelet in a $1,000 No Limit Hold’em event. He also had a runner-up finish at the WSOP this summer in the $600 DeepStack Championship for $245,606. In 2009 Givens earned a Heartland Poker Tour title for $145,765.
While he has plenty of skills at the poker table, a snowboard also suits him pretty well. He was born and raised in Denver, Colorado, and spent lots of hours swishing down mountains on a board or skis.
“My mom told my sister and me that we were going to be different because a lot of our friends didn’t ski,” he says. “From the age of seven we’ve been in ski camps and then when I got to high school, my buddies were like, ‘Let’s go snowboarding,’ so we just went snowboarding.”
He doesn’t claim to be a pro, but spent a good portion of his childhood hitting the slopes.
“I’m not trying to break a bone, but I can ride on the blacks if I want,” he says. “I can ride on pretty much any terrain, but I prefer blues because I enjoy the adrenaline rush.”
Just a month ago Givens was once again heading down the slopes at Arapahoe Basin Ski Area, just an hour and a half west of Denver. It may not be winter yet, but the area has been blessed with some nice snowfall.
“I was out there hitting some fresh powder,” he says. “We’ve been getting dumped on, so it’s been real nice.”
Along with snow sports, Givens played football and basketball in high school despite being behind on a growth spurt. That stature might surprise some of his fellow poker players. Givens stands about 6 feet, 2 inches tall now, but was once known as Little Will.
“I thank God for that growth spurt,” he says. “Girls used to be like, ‘You’re so cute, but you’re so little.’ I was always the little guy – five-foot-nothing all the way through college.”
During his freshman year at Colorado State University, Givens began to sprout up. He began growing out of his clothes and old friends back home didn’t recognize him when he came back home. That same year, a love of poker also sprouted.
After graduating with a major in sociology and a minor in economics, Givens went straight to a career in poker. It’s been a good decision and he continues traveling and playing the game he loves. Does that economics education help with managing his winnings?
“I take risks,” he says. “I bring the poker table to my life. I’m just trying to make millions – I’m a risk-taker. I bought a condo and I still try to play poker and travel. I wouldn’t really change it for the world. All the experiences I’ve had and the lifestyle I’ve lived – it’s been a blessing.”
Sean Chaffin is a freelance writer in Crandall, Texas, and his work appears in numerous websites and publications. Follow him on Twitter @PokerTraditions.
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