David Nicholson Poker Profile: Net Worth, Earnings & Stats (2026)

David “Lil Dave” Nicholson is a Leeds-born poker professional who became as famous for his cult internet blog “Lil Dave’s Life” as for his exploits at the high-stakes Pot Limit Omaha tables. A cash game specialist who made the bulk of his income online and in live PLO games in Leeds and Las Vegas, Nicholson built a career worth nearly $2 million in live earnings before semi-retiring to pursue interests in the restaurant industry. One of UK poker’s great personalities of the 2010s.

Career Earnings & Biggest Results

Total live earnings stand at over $1,953,000, per The Hendon Mob.

Biography & Poker Background

Nicholson grew up in Leeds and began playing poker in his late teens, initially in pub games and local casinos before graduating to serious online stakes. He became one of the UK’s most feared PLO cash game players — competing regularly in the £2/5 PLO game at the local Gala Casino in Leeds and online at significantly higher stakes. By his early twenties he was spending extended periods in Las Vegas, grinding high-stakes cash games at major hotels.

What made Nicholson exceptional in poker circles was his blog. “Lil Dave’s Life” became required reading across the UK poker community — a raw, honest, frequently hilarious chronicle of a young professional’s life, combining genuine poker strategy with accounts of Las Vegas excess, bankroll swings, and the broader reality of making a living from cards. Jesse May, one of poker’s most respected broadcasters, described it as “the best thing on the internet.”

His style attracted a wide following and he became a poker coach at The Firm, an online training site. He competed at Dusk Till Dawn regularly and made multiple final tables across the UK circuit . Around 2014, he began to step back from professional play, citing burnout and a loss of the spark that had driven him in his early career. He transitioned into the restaurant business in Leeds — a long-held interest he described as giving him more consistent purpose than poker eventually had.

Play Style & Strategy

Nicholson is a PLO specialist built for deep-stacked, aggressive cash games. His game relies on wide positional play, relentless pressure with strong equity, and an ability to read opponents physically and psychologically in live settings. He was transparent about the fact that his best performances came in deeper-stacked live games where skill edges are largest and variance smaller.

Social Media & Online Presence

• Twitter/X: @lildavefish
• The Hendon Mob Profile