Biography
Gabe Kaplan is an American professional poker player, an actor, and a comedian. He was the lead in the 1970s sitcom Welcome Back, Kotter. Later, he became a professional poker player and a commentator for the High-stakes poker series on PokerGo.
Background
Gabriel Weston Kaplan was born to a Jewish family on March 31, 1945, in Brooklyn, New York City. He attended New Utrecht High School but did not graduate.
Gabe Kaplan Poker Career
During his acting career, Kaplan became involved in financial markets and poker. In 1978, he first appeared at the World Series of Poker. By 1980, he had won the Amarillo Slim's Super Bowl of Poker, and people started considering him a poker elite. He was presented with a loving cup; the cup was so enormous that the gold bracelet given to the WSOP winner looked understated.
In the 2004 World Poker Tour, he finished third in the no-limit Texas Holdem event and won $250,000. In the 2005 WSOP, he finished second in the $5,000 Limit Hold 'Em event and won $222,515.
He was a TV commentator for the 1997 and 2002 WSOP events. In 2007, he defeated Kristy Gazes and won NBC’s Poker After Dark in the episode Queens and Kings. The same year, he finished ninth in the $50,000 World Championship HORSE event in WSOP and won $131,424.
In 2008, he again won the Poker After Dark against Chris Ferguson, Andy Bloch, Chau Giang, Hoyt Corkins and Doyle Brunson. His win was the greatest comeback in the show's history.
In 2021, he returned to High Stakes Poker Season 8, aired on PokerGo. Two years later, he retired after the first episode of Season 10.
Gabe Kaplan’s Top Cashes
|
Date |
Event/Tournament |
Place |
Winnings |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Jun 27, '14 |
$100,000 No-Limit Hold'em Eight Max 2014 Summer High Roller Series |
8 |
$258,390 |
|
Aug 01, '04 |
No-Limit Hold'em 2004 Mirage Poker Showdown (WPT) |
3 |
$256,519 |
|
Jun 29, '05 |
Limit Hold'em 2005 36th Annual World Series of Poker |
2 |
$222,515 |
|
Feb 01, '80 |
No Limit Hold'em Amarillo Slim's Superbowl Of Poker |
2 |
$190,000 |
|
Jun 28, '07 |
Event 39 - World Championship H.O.R.S.E. 2007 38th Annual World Series of Poker |
9 |
$131,424 |
Gabe Kaplan's Net Worth
Gabe Kaplan has a total live earnings of $2,015,776.
Frequently Asked Questions
What ever happened to Gabe Kaplan?
Gabe still plays poker and became a poker commentator.
Why did Gabe Kaplan leave Welcome Back?
As per the contract, Gabe Kaplan was to appear only in a handful of episodes.
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