Matt Berkey

Matt Berkey, an American professional poker player, born on January 29, 1982, hailing from Leechburg, Pennsylvania. With $4.7 million in live tournament earnings, he’s also the mastermind behind Solve For Why Academy. Whether it’s under his screen name “berkey11” on PokerStars or in live cash games featured on popular shows like Poker Night in America, Live At The Bike, Poker After Dark, and Hustler Casino Live, Berkey consistently delivers high-stakes poker excellence.

Matt Berkey Early Life

Matt Berkey, faced financial hardships as a young boy with his mother on disability and divorced parents. At the age of 13, he moved in with his grandparents, who offered crucial support during his high school years.

Berkey excelled in playing baseball and later attended Allegheny College. Later on, he transferred to Gannon University to stay close to his friends and made it to the starting lineup. Remarkably, Berkey had an impressive one-hitter performance in his college debut against his former team.

Berkey earned a degree in Computer Science with a minor in Mathematics. During college, he shifted from casual poker to a serious pursuit, influenced by the Moneymaker Boom. He developed a preference for live cash games and, following graduation, decided to pursue a professional poker career. He focused on grinding $10/$20 No Limit Hold’em games and sought action in underground card rooms.

Matt Berkey on Live Tournaments

Matt Berkey has accumulated a substantial $4.72 million in live tournament winnings, according to his Hendon profile. This impressive sum was achieved through his consistent performance cashing in 89 different events spanning a remarkable 17-year journey.

Berkey started his live tournament career in January 2006. However, his initial breakthrough came four years later in 2010 at the WSOP $10K World Championship NLH. He pocketed a substantial $206,395 on this event.

Fast forward to May 2016, when Berkey secured a remarkable 5th place finish in the $300,000 Super High Roller Bowl at the Aria. The final table was nothing short of star-studded. It featured renowned players such as Phil Hellmuth, Fedor Holz, and the eventual champion, Rainer Kempe. Berkey’s remarkable 5th place finish earned him a staggering $1.1 million—his best single live tournament victory to date.

Over the years, Berkey continued to actively participate in tournaments, consistently achieving notable finishes and accumulating earnings. His most recent tournament took place in July 2023, at the Daytona Beach GAPT Summer Deep Stack $570 NLH event. Although he fell short of securing victory, Berkey claimed an impressive 2nd place finish, adding $53,502 to his bankroll.

Matt Berkey Online Poker Journey

Berkey, known by the screen name “berkey11” on PokerStars and on the now-defunct Full Tilt platform. Remarkably, this online presence culminated in an impressive total of $976,793 in online MTT cashes.

Notably, in February 2010, he achieved a remarkable feat by finishing as the runner-up among 3,542 players in a $200 MTT on Full Tilt, capturing a staggering $102K prize. This remains his most substantial online tournament victory to date.

Participating in WSOP Online events further contributed to his poker success, with a total of 21 cashes amounting to $158,660. Among these accomplishments, his standout achievement was securing fifth place in the $500 No Limit Hold’em – Summer Saver event. This remarkable performance earned him a substantial $36,851.

Berkey’s achievements also led to the establishment of his own poker training site, Solve for Why, in 2017. Notably, his online presence extends to the company’s YouTube channel, having approximately 53,000 subscribers. There, he hosts the Solve for Why Podcast, engaging in discussions about current poker events and sharing valuable poker strategy content.

Matt Berkey on Live Cash Games

Berkey boasts approximately $4.7 million in live tournament winnings, yet he is known as a high-stakes cash game player. His poker roots lie in cash games, occasionally using tournaments to build his bankroll in his early poker career.

One of the most exhilarating chapters in Berkey’s high-stakes career unfolded during a particularly memorable cash game session. Armed with roughly half a million dollars in funds, he received an invitation to a high-stakes cash game in Las Vegas. The game featured blinds set at 1K/2K and a minimum buy-in of 200K—equivalent to half of his funds at the time. After securing permission to sit down with his entire stack, he ultimately cashed out a staggering $1.85 million.

Furthermore, Berkey’s poker skills have been on full display through appearances on high-stakes cash game shows. This includes notable features on shows such as Hustler Casino Live, Poker Night USA, Live At The Bike, Poker After Dark, and PokerGo’s High Stakes Poker.

Conclusion

From a tough Leechburg upbringing to a poker star, Matt Berkey’s journey underscores relentless dedication and extraordinary skill. His $4.7 million in live tournament earnings, alongside notable online successes, demonstrate his consistent high-level performance. Berkey’s fearless approach to high-stakes cash games has also strengthened his reputation in the poker world. His journey inspires through perseverance and passion, while his contributions in Solve for Why Academy cement his legend status in poker.