Michael Norman Wood – affectionately known on the felt as “Irishmike” – is a veteran American poker player, retired poker entrepreneur, and proud recreational competitor. With a poker journey spanning five decades, Wood’s career bridges the nostalgic era of Texas home games and underground card rooms with today’s thriving Asian live circuit. Grounded in a strong appreciation for his thousand-year Irish heritage, Wood has transitioned from running non-profit card clubs in Dallas to competing across Southeast Asia, where he now resides in Thailand .

Career Earnings & Biggest Results

With over $80,000 in total live earnings (according to The Hendon Mob), Michael Norman Wood has recorded live tournament finishes in both North America and Asia. In recent years, his focus on the Asian circuit – specifically World Poker Tour (WPT) and Asia Pacific Poker Tour (APPT) events in Cambodia – has yielded multiple final-table finishes.

His career highlights include a 4th-place finish in the 2025 WPT Championship Cambodia $300 Superstack Freezeout for $2,235, as well as multiple final-table appearances in WPT Cambodia Megastack events.

Major Tournament Results:

Biography & 50-Year Poker Odyssey

Wood’s poker story began around 1974, spending his first 22 years playing stud, draw, and wild-card games in home games and bar backrooms across the Southwestern United States, Dallas, Las Vegas , California , and Mexico . In the late 1990s, he made the transition to Texas Hold’em and Omaha, sharpening his skills in underground card rooms and fraternal clubs.

In 2006, Wood turned his passion into a community initiative by founding and managing a non-profit fraternal organization in Dallas, Texas: “Sons and Daughters of Ireland” (popularly known as Irishmikes).

The club provided nightly tournaments and cash games for local players for nearly two decades. In 2019, just prior to the COVID pandemic, Wood relocated full-time to Thailand , officially retiring from his managerial role at Sons and Daughters of Ireland in 2023. Today, he enjoys his retirement playing live tournaments across Asia.

Play Style & Strategy

As a seasoned “old-school” recreational player, “Irishmike” brings decades of intuition, table feel, and game experience to modern tournament fields. Having adapted from wild-card draw variants to modern No-Limit Hold’em and Omaha, his strategy combines flexible pre-flop selection, patient stack management, and a relaxed, community-focused table presence.