David Williams took a different journey into the world of poker than most famous poker pros. This 26-year-old poker pro began his poker training in a different game – “Magic: The Gathering”. If you were in junior high in the 90s, you might remember some of the geeks playing the fantasy card game in the library or the lunchroom. If you knew the money that great “Magic: The Gathering” players could have won at tournaments, maybe you would given the game a try instead of mocking and laughing at them.

Williams was one of the top Magic players in the U.S. when his career was put on hold at the 2001 World Championships in Toronto. At that competition, Williams was accused of using a marked deck and was banned from competition for one year. During his time off from Magic, he learned Texas Hold’em which would make him a lot more money than Magic.

Williams burst on to the poker scene at the 2004 World Series of Poker when he finished second to Greg Raymer in the main event. Second place wasn’t exactly a losing finish though, as he still netted $3.5 million. Williams went on to have more success in tournament poker with four final table appearances, and eight money finishes in WPT events. He also became a member of Team Bodog Poker after his 2004 WSOP runner-up performance.

At the 2006 WSOP, Williams won his first bracelet in the $1,500 7-Card Stud tournament. As one of the “young guns of poker”, Williams likely has a few more WSOP bracelets in his future and many more cashes if he sticks with the game. Williams is also studying economics at Texas Methodist University (after passing on Princeton and Harvard), and has said in past interviews that he enjoys playing poker but didn’t want to ruin his love of the game by making it a career.

That may be the best thing other poker pros have heard in a long time, because if Williams decides to cut down his poker tournament schedule that’s one less great player the other high-level competitors will have to worry about.