PokerStars has today released a new video on YouTube showcasing the roller-coaster journey of Shane “Shaniac” Schleger as a professional poker player – from working as a waiter in New York in 2004, to now living by the Mexican seaside.
Shaniac has overcome many challenges in his life as a professional poker player, and this short film captures the ups as well as the downs.
“The film focuses on some of the more painful, struggle-filled chapters of my history and ignores the happier, more carefree things I get to enjoy,” said Shaniac. “It definitely encapsulates the arc of my poker life in an accurate and comprehensive way: coming up into the poker life after being a lost 20-something New Yorker, succeeding in poker, struggling in poker, and the eventual need to leave my country to continue playing poker.”
Like many other professional sportsmen, Shaniac has had wonderful successes, but also challenging and difficult times. This film captures some of those moments, and shows him wrestling with these hurdles.
“It’s not the typical story of triumph in poker, but it represents my relationship with the game in an accurate way, and it also represents some of the realities that I continue to face,” said Shaniac.
“I can feel comfortable knowing that it’s a real representation of that story,” he said.
Importantly, Shaniac overcame his downswing, worked hard, and was able to return to top-flight competition. Shaniac’s story is one that many top poker players can relate to: the tough times as
well as the victories. Poker is a fun and competitive game, and Shaniac’s life is a demonstration that a strong competitive spirit is essential to succeed at this game.
About PokerStars
PokerStars operates the world’s most popular online poker sites, serving a global poker community of more than 50 million registered members. Since it launched in 2001, PokerStars has become the first choice of the world’s top players, with more daily tournaments than anywhere else and with the best security online. More than 95 billion hands have been dealt on PokerStars.com, which is more than any other site.
PokerStars.com and PokerStars.eu operate globally under licenses from the Isle of Man and Malta governments, respectively. PokerStars also holds separate government licenses in Belgium, Denmark,
Estonia, France, Italy, Spain and Germany.
PokerStars is a member of The Rational Group, which operates gaming-related businesses and brands, including PokerStars, Full Tilt Poker and the European Poker Tour. Rational Group entities in the UK and Isle of Man were collectively recognised as one of the UK’s best workplaces when they were awarded a top 25 position by the Great Place to Work Institute in its 2012 UK’s Best Workplaces – Large Category.