Brian Fidler: The Protege - World Series of Poker Player Bio

Brian Fidler is the Connecticut native who surprised the poker community at the 2006 World Series of Poker Circut Event at Harveys Lake Tahoe Casino. The nobody-gone-professional took second in a tournament of 110 and took home $206,800. Brian Fidler's career, however, did not start out so simple.

Brian Fidler is the first protege of poker great Daniel Negreanu. Negreanu and Fidler met after Fidler won an online tournament on Negreanu's website, Full Contact Poker, in April 2006. As the winner, Fidler received a year of private lessons from Negreanu and went on to play in the World Poker Tour at the Mirage, where he was eliminated in one day. As part of Fidler's Full Contact Poker win, Negreanu also fronts the money for Fidler's buy-ins (regularly $10,000 and up) for poker tournaments.

After the quick loss at the Mirage, when Fidler showed up at Harvey's Lake Tahoe Casino to play in the 2006 World Series of Poker Circut Event in June 2006, no one expected much from the former accountant - except maybe his teacher Daniel Negreanu.

"Brian has shown steady improvement ever since he became my protege," Negreanu told CardPlayer.com prior to the start of event. "He's got the skills and the confidence to win today's final table and, with the right cards, there's no doubt that he can take down this tournament."

After just two months of lessons with Negreanu, Fidler took second place at the tournament, taking home more than $200,000 - but Fidler wasn't exactly thrilled.

"Brian Fidler now understands what so many people who watch poker on TV can't wrap their brain around- how can a guy win over $200,000 and look so unhappy?" Negreanu wrote on his FullContactPoker.com blog after the tournament. "Well, unless you've been in those shoes, unless you've been that close to tasting victory, you'll never understand. Only one person leaves a poker tournament truly happy. In time, Brian will look back on the tournament and feel good about it, but that's going to take some time … I'm still ridiculously proud of the guy. I mean, can you imagine? His second tournament after limited instruction, and he pockets [more than] $200,000."

Fidler used part of the winnings to pay off his student loans. Brian Fidler holds a degree in accounting from Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, Connecticut.

Fidler's success and circumstances have earned him the nickname "The Protege." He is currently ranked 112th in the professional poker circuit.

Daniel Negreanu is currently seeking the next Brian Fidler. There are 10 ways to get your name into the contest. See FullContantPoker.com for details on how to become Negreanu's next protégé.

Rumor has it that Negreanu started the protégé project because he believes that he can teach anyone to be a successful and profitable poker player.

"The good news, besides him being able to pay off his student loans, is that I now have an even better idea as to what parts of his game need a little work. Fidler will be playing in some WSOP events and I genuinely feel like he'll be a threat in every event he plays," wrote Negreanu. "He has something I could never teach him- composure, discipline, emotional stability. He has one exploitable flaw that I should be able to help him fix rather easily, but that one, I'm not going to share!"