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David “Lefty” Diaz is a highly resilient American professional poker player and a World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet winner with one of the most inspiring backstories in the game. A cancer survivor who overcame immense childhood adversity in Honduras, Diaz has become a perennial threat on the mid-to-high stakes circuit. Currently ranking among Tennessee’s top 5 all-time money leaders, he is recognized for his fearless technical aggression and his remarkable ability to navigate massive tournament fields.
Career Earnings & Biggest Results
With total live tournament earnings surpassing $2,890,000 (according to The Hendon Mob), Diaz is a true powerhouse of the American circuit. His career reached a major milestone in 2022, where he finished 13th in the WSOP Main Event for a career-high $525,000.
Diaz is a WSOP bracelet winner, capturing his gold in 2011 in the $1,500 Triple Chance No-Limit Hold’em event for $352,808. He has remained a prolific winner through 2024 and 2025, recording a 2nd-place finish in the 2023 WSOP Circuit Choctaw Main Event for $154,597 and securing multiple cashes during the 2025 World Series of Poker (WSOP) in both NLH and Pot-Limit Omaha. His continued success across the WSOPC and World Poker Tour (WPT) contributes to an estimated poker net worth of over $3.5 million.
Biography & Poker Background
Born in Honduras, Diaz’s journey to the poker table is a testament to human spirit. After a childhood fall led to a cancer diagnosis, his family relocated to Memphis, Tennessee, to seek treatment at St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital. Diaz survived the illness but lost his right arm in the process—a hardship that he says made the pressures of professional poker seem easy by comparison. He officially turned pro on his 21st birthday and has been a fixture of the live grind ever since.
Known by the nickname “Lefty,” Diaz is a beloved figure in the poker community, supported by peers like Chance Kornuth and Matthew Waxman. Despite a brief, high-profile ban from Caesars properties in 2013 following an off-felt incident, he returned to the game with renewed focus and has since solidified his reputation as one of the most disciplined and respected grinders in the Southern United States. Now based in Houston, Texas, he continues to dominate regional tours and major Las Vegas series.
Play Style & Strategy
Diaz is celebrated for a “fearless, intuitive, and highly resilient” play style. While he incorporates modern technical foundations, his strategy is heavily influenced by his decades of live experience and his ability to read table dynamics under extreme pressure. He is particularly effective in “Triple Chance” and deep-stack formats, where his ability to manage variance and find creative bluffs allows him to outplay technically-rigid opponents.
His strategy revolves around:
- Exceptional Focus: A veteran’s ability to “take it one hand at a time,” a philosophy he credits for his deep run in the 10,000-player WSOP Main Event field.
- Short-Handed Aggression: A master of 6-max dynamics, utilizing wide ranges to apply maximum pressure on opponents in late-stage tournament play.
- Versatility: While a No-Limit Hold’em specialist, he has recently showcased high-level proficiency in Pot-Limit Omaha (PLO), recording several high-profile cashes in the 2024 and 2025 series.
Social Media & Online Presence
Follow the “Lefty” as he continues to chase his second gold bracelet and climb the all-time money lists:
