Shannon Shorr
Encyclopedia
Shannon Shorr is a professional poker
player from Tuscaloosa, Alabama
. Shorr grew up in Birmingham, where he was a baseball
player at Shades Valley High School
.
Shorr is notable for his success in poker tournament
s, much of which occurred before his 21st birthday. Because 21 is the minimum legal age for gambling
in almost all jurisdictions in the United States
, Shorr was forced to go abroad to compete, where he cashed in several tournaments. He scored his first major payday with a fourth-place finish at the 2006 Aussie Millions tournament in Melbourne, Australia, where he won more than $
200,000. During much of this time, Shorr was a civil engineering
student at the University of Alabama
.
circuit event in Lake Tahoe
, then cashed in three tournaments at the WSOP itself, finishing 577th and winning more than $20,000 in the main event. But while he was in Las Vegas
for the WSOP, Shorr also took part in the Bellagio Cup II at the Bellagio Casino
, and had much greater success — a win at an undercard no limit Texas hold 'em
event worth $126,585, two more top-30 finishes, and then a victory in the main event with a top prize of just under a million dollars (though Shorr's actual winnings were in the neighborhood of $600,000 after cutting a deal with the other two remaining players, a frequent practice at big-money tournaments).
The Bellagio Cup win moved Shorr into third place in the Card Player Magazine Player of the Year rankings. Shorr ended the year in fourth place, and was ranked 91st in the Bluff Magazine
Power Rankings.
In the 2007 World Series of Poker
, Shorr advanced to the quarterfinals — the equivalent of a final table finish — in the $5,000 World Championship Heads Up No-Limit Hold 'Em event, the first time the event has been played at the WSOP. He lost to Vanessa Selbst
, but pocketed $46,060. He has also cashed in a $1,000 no-limit Hold 'Em with rebuys event, finishing 56th out of 814 players and a $1,500 no-limit Hold 'Em tournament, finishing 73rd out of 3151 players.
In the 2008 World Series of Poker
, Shorr finished runner-up to Matt Keikoan
at the $2000 No Limit Holdem tournament (event #7), earning $349,141. It is Shorr's best finish to date at the WSOP.
In July 2008, Shannon won a $3000 Bellagio Cup preliminary event for $247,555. Just three days later he found himself at the final table of a $5000 preliminary event in the same series. This time he took 3rd place to eventual winner Jimmy Fricke. Shannon banked $125,000 for this finish.
In April 2009, Shorr finished 5th in the World Poker Tour Championship. This was Shorr's first career WPT final table, and the finish was worth $408,550. Shannon admittedly missed a week's worth of college classes to participate in the tournament.
As of 2011, his total live tournament winnings exceed $3,900,000. His 18 cashes at the WSOP account for $607,803 of those winnings.
Shorr returned to the University of Alabama for the fall semester of 2008 and stated in his blog that he received a 3.73 and 3.33 GPA for the Fall 2008 and Spring 2009 semesters. He graduated in 2010.
Poker
Poker is a family of card games that share betting rules and usually hand rankings. Poker games differ in how the cards are dealt, how hands may be formed, whether the high or low hand wins the pot in a showdown , limits on bet sizes, and how many rounds of betting are allowed.In most modern poker...
player from Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Tuscaloosa is a city in and the seat of Tuscaloosa County in west central Alabama . Located on the Black Warrior River, it is the fifth-largest city in Alabama, with a population of 90,468 in 2010...
. Shorr grew up in Birmingham, where he was a baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
player at Shades Valley High School
Shades Valley High School
Shades Valley High School is a public secondary school located in Irondale, Alabama . The school was established in 1948 near Homewood and was moved to its present location in Irondale in the fall of 1996.-Location:...
.
Shorr is notable for his success in poker tournament
Poker tournament
A poker tournament is a tournament where players compete by playing poker. It can feature as few as two players playing on a single table , and as many as tens of thousands of players playing on thousands of tables...
s, much of which occurred before his 21st birthday. Because 21 is the minimum legal age for gambling
Gambling
Gambling is the wagering of money or something of material value on an event with an uncertain outcome with the primary intent of winning additional money and/or material goods...
in almost all jurisdictions in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Shorr was forced to go abroad to compete, where he cashed in several tournaments. He scored his first major payday with a fourth-place finish at the 2006 Aussie Millions tournament in Melbourne, Australia, where he won more than $
Dollar
The dollar is the name of the official currency of many countries, including Australia, Belize, Canada, Ecuador, El Salvador, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Singapore, Taiwan, and the United States.-Etymology:...
200,000. During much of this time, Shorr was a civil engineering
Civil engineering
Civil engineering is a professional engineering discipline that deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment, including works like roads, bridges, canals, dams, and buildings...
student at the University of Alabama
University of Alabama
The University of Alabama is a public coeducational university located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States....
.
Poker
In his first domestic tournaments, Shorr had second- and third-place finishes in a World Series of PokerWorld Series of Poker
The World Series of Poker is a world-renowned series of poker tournaments held annually in Las Vegas and, since 2005, sponsored by Harrah's Entertainment...
circuit event in Lake Tahoe
Lake Tahoe
Lake Tahoe is a large freshwater lake in the Sierra Nevada of the United States. At a surface elevation of , it is located along the border between California and Nevada, west of Carson City. Lake Tahoe is the largest alpine lake in North America. Its depth is , making it the USA's second-deepest...
, then cashed in three tournaments at the WSOP itself, finishing 577th and winning more than $20,000 in the main event. But while he was in Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
for the WSOP, Shorr also took part in the Bellagio Cup II at the Bellagio Casino
Bellagio (hotel and casino)
Bellagio is a hotel and casino located on the Las Vegas Strip in the Paradise area of unincorporated Clark County, Nevada, USA and a member of The Leading Hotels of the World. It is owned by MGM Resorts International and was built on the site of the demolished Dunes hotel and casino.Inspired by the...
, and had much greater success — a win at an undercard no limit Texas hold 'em
Texas hold 'em
Texas Hold 'em is a variation of the standard card game of poker. The game consists of two cards being dealt face down to each player and then five community cards being placed face-up by the dealer—a series of three then two additional single cards , with...
event worth $126,585, two more top-30 finishes, and then a victory in the main event with a top prize of just under a million dollars (though Shorr's actual winnings were in the neighborhood of $600,000 after cutting a deal with the other two remaining players, a frequent practice at big-money tournaments).
The Bellagio Cup win moved Shorr into third place in the Card Player Magazine Player of the Year rankings. Shorr ended the year in fourth place, and was ranked 91st in the Bluff Magazine
Bluff Magazine
Bluff Magazine is an American magazine specializing in the game of poker. Separate editions are also published for Europe, Latin America, South Africa and Australasia....
Power Rankings.
In the 2007 World Series of Poker
2007 World Series of Poker
The 2007 World Series of Poker began on June 1, 2007. The $10,000 no-limit Texas hold 'em Main Event began on July 6 and was completed on the morning of July 18...
, Shorr advanced to the quarterfinals — the equivalent of a final table finish — in the $5,000 World Championship Heads Up No-Limit Hold 'Em event, the first time the event has been played at the WSOP. He lost to Vanessa Selbst
Vanessa Selbst
Vanessa Selbst is an American professional poker player who has made five final tables, including two heads-up semi-finals, at the World Series of Poker and won the 2008 World Series of Poker $1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha event. Selbst also won the main event of the 2010 and 2011 PokerStars.net North...
, but pocketed $46,060. He has also cashed in a $1,000 no-limit Hold 'Em with rebuys event, finishing 56th out of 814 players and a $1,500 no-limit Hold 'Em tournament, finishing 73rd out of 3151 players.
In the 2008 World Series of Poker
2008 World Series of Poker
The 2008 World Series of Poker was the 39th annual World Series of Poker . Held in Las Vegas, Nevada at the Rio All Suite Hotel and Casino, the series began on May 30, 2008, and featured 55 poker championships in several variants. All events but the $10,000 World Championship No Limit Texas hold...
, Shorr finished runner-up to Matt Keikoan
Matt Keikoan
Matt Keikoan is an American professional poker player who has won two World Series of Poker bracelets; his first was in the 2008 World Series of Poker $2,000 No-Limit Hold'em event and his second was in the 2010 World Series of Poker $10,000 Limit Hold'em Championship.- World Series of Poker...
at the $2000 No Limit Holdem tournament (event #7), earning $349,141. It is Shorr's best finish to date at the WSOP.
In July 2008, Shannon won a $3000 Bellagio Cup preliminary event for $247,555. Just three days later he found himself at the final table of a $5000 preliminary event in the same series. This time he took 3rd place to eventual winner Jimmy Fricke. Shannon banked $125,000 for this finish.
In April 2009, Shorr finished 5th in the World Poker Tour Championship. This was Shorr's first career WPT final table, and the finish was worth $408,550. Shannon admittedly missed a week's worth of college classes to participate in the tournament.
As of 2011, his total live tournament winnings exceed $3,900,000. His 18 cashes at the WSOP account for $607,803 of those winnings.
Shorr returned to the University of Alabama for the fall semester of 2008 and stated in his blog that he received a 3.73 and 3.33 GPA for the Fall 2008 and Spring 2009 semesters. He graduated in 2010.