{{Short description|American poker player (born 1961)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=March 2024}} {{infobox poker player |name=Allen Kessler |nickname=Chainsaw |image=Allen_Kessler.jpg |caption= |wsop bracelet count=0 |wsop final tables=7 |wsop money finishes=101 |wsop main event best finish rank=320th |wsop main event best finish year=2019 |wpt titles=0 |wpt final tables=2 |wpt money finishes=27 |updated=2025-04-21 }} '''Allen Kessler''' (born 20 December, 1961) is an American professional [[poker]] player now residing in [[Las Vegas, Nevada]]. He is ranked 10th in All Time Total Cashes with 363 tournament cashes as recorded in the [[Global Poker Index]]. These include 69 WSOP cashes, 12 WSOP Europe cashes and 91 WSOP Circuit cashes including 3 rings and 9 cashes in the 2010 [[World Series of Poker]], the most cashes of any player at the 2010 WSOP. Those 9 cashes include a 2nd-place finish. Kessler is also the [[Heartland Poker Tour]] Player of the Year for 2013. His career earnings exceed $3.87 million with an excess of $1.97 million in earnings at the WSOP and WSOP Circuit combined.<ref name="stats">{{Cite web |title=Allen Kessler - Stats |url=http://www.globalpokerindex.com/poker-players/allen-kessler-24837/ |publisher=Global Poker Index}}</ref>
==Poker career== Kessler started playing poker in college and in the 1980s he spent time in Atlantic City playing slot machines. When the casinos offered poker in the 1990s, Kessler played high-stakes games with players like [[John Hennigan (poker player)|John Hennigan]], [[Cyndy Violette]], [[Nick Frangos]], and [[Phil Ivey]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=A Poker Life -- Allen Kessler, Veteran Poker Pro Talks About a Life of Gambling |url=http://www.cardplayer.com/poker-news/9977-a-poker-life-allen-kessler |publisher=CardPlayer.com |accessdate=January 27, 2020}}</ref>
After years of experience at the cash tables he started playing tournament poker and in 2001 finished 16th in the 2001 WSOP $5,000 Omaha Hi-Lo Split 8 or Better.<ref>{{Cite web |title=32nd World Series of Poker - WSOP 2001, Omaha Hi-Lo Split Eight or Better |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=3058 |access-date=December 11, 2023 |website=[[The Hendon Mob Poker Database]] |language=en}}</ref> His first final table at the WSOP came in 2005 where he finished runner-up to [[Todd Brunson]] in the $2,500 Omaha Hi-Lo.<ref>{{Cite web |title=36th World Series of Poker - WSOP 2005, Omaha Hi/Lo |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=8805 |access-date=December 11, 2023 |website=[[The Hendon Mob Poker Database]] |language=en}}</ref>
At the [[2010 World Series of Poker]] (WSOP), Kessler had a total of nine cashes, setting the record for most cashes in that year's series. This included his biggest career cash of $276,485 when he finished runner-up to [[Frank Kassela]] in the $10,000 Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo 8 Championship. At the [[2014 World Series of Poker]] he had five cashes including a final table appearance in the prestigious $50,000 [[The Poker Players Championship|Poker Players Championship]].<ref name="stats" />
Highlighted among his 15 documented live tournament wins are; Main Event Champion - 2009 Winter Bayou Poker Challenge and Main Event Champion - 2014 WSOPC at Foxwoods Casino.<ref name="stats" /> In the 2006 L.A. Poker Classic he appeared in his first televised final table finishing 3rd in the WPT Invitiational - No Limit Hold'em event.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2006 LA Poker Classic |url=http://www.cardplayer.com/poker-tournaments/203-2006-l-a-poker-classic-wpt/340/results |publisher=CardPlayer.com |accessdate=January 27, 2020}}</ref>
Kessler is the [[Heartland Poker Tour]] Player of the Year 2013. He earned this title without winning a single HPT event that year but cashing in 12 of 20 events for over $85,000, and making four final tables.<ref>{{Cite web |title=HPTPoker.com |url=http://www.hptpoker.com/playerbio.php?pid=5687 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160322042431/http://www.hptpoker.com/playerbio.php?pid=5687 |archive-date=March 22, 2016 |publisher=HPTPoker.com |accessdate=January 27, 2020}}</ref>
As of April 2025, his total live tournament winnings are $4,510,488.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Allen Kessler's profile on The Hendon Mob |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/player.php?a=r&n=24837 |access-date=2025-04-21 |website=[[The Hendon Mob Poker Database]] |language=en}}</ref>
==Nickname and other activities==
Kessler was given the nickname "The Chainsaw" at a 2007 WPT Foxwoods Casino event. <ref>{{cite web | last=Grahame | first=Steven | title=Interview with Allen Kessler, the Chainsaw | website=Cardplayer Lifestyle | date=November 2, 2014 | url=https://cardplayerlifestyle.com/interview-allen-kessler-chainsaw/ | access-date=April 20, 2023}}</ref> The Mid-State Poker Tour's Main Event tournament structure was designed by Kessler and is identified as "Chainsaw Approved".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://msptpoker.com/pages/Structure.aspx |title=MSPT Structure |publisher=MSPTpoker.com |accessdate=May 30, 2016}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
{{Authority control}}
==External links== *[https://cardplayerlifestyle.com/interview-allen-kessler-chainsaw/ Allen Kessler Interview (audio + transcript)]
*[https://www.youtube.com/@tedrickles6073 Allen Kessler From Bubblegum Beginnings to Prophet of Poker Profitability]
[https://www.cardplayer.com/poker-players/2144-allen-kessler Card Player profile] *[http://www.globalpokerindex.com/poker-players/allen-kessler-24837/ Global Poker Index profile] *[https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/player.php?a=r&n=24837 Hendon Mob profile] *[https://www.pokernews.com/poker-players/allen-kessler/ PokerNews profile] *[https://www.worldpokertour.com/player/allen-kessler/ WPT profile] *[https://www.wsop.com/players/profile/?playerid=515 WSOP profile]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kessler, Allen}} [[Category:American poker players]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Temple University alumni]] [[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]