Texas native David Benefield has achieved a lot in his 22 years. While in the past he may have been overshadowed by the achievements of his housemate Tom ‘Durrrr’ Dwan, this year he has established himself as a real online poker icon. Although this is mostly due to his presence in the high- stakes cash games, it can also, in part, be attributed to his role as an instructor on CardRunners where he keeps a brutally honest blog.

Benefield’s online poker story is a familiar one. A bright student who loved online gaming, he started playing poker aged 16 after watching Rounders.