The poker pro took a break from the tables starting in 2016
One of the pro poker players who have collected a series of successes during the past decade is Sam Stein, and few players have had as much success as he has. Stein started to get recognition in 2010 when he collected over $900,000 in live tournament winnings. Since 2016, the year in which he scored another six-figure balance in tournament winnings, he has disappeared from all live poker action, and the now reclusive player spoke with PokerNews regarding where he's been this past few years.
One of the reasons for taking some time off - just as many poker players of his generation - is that he became a father, so that undeniably impacted his poker agenda. "About two years ago, I moved to Cincinnati to be near my wife Erin's family since we had a son, Ethan," Stein told PokerNews. "Our son turns two next month and that's pretty much what I've been up to lately. I still play a good amount of poker online especially during this quarantine."
Stein stated that his poker activity has been reduced to online-only since his son was born. "I would go through stretches of not playing much poker in order to spend as much time with my son as possible because I am one of those people whose life dream was to have kids and a family so I don't want to miss a milestone. It has brought me more joy than I could have ever imagined," Stein added. Besides spending time with his family, the pro player also had to face his father's death a year ago. "The combination of those things and the freedom poker has given me has led me to be more content playing online for the time being," said Stein.
