At the forefront of the new wave of online poker professionals, Italian Dario Minieri announced his live poker credentials on the biggest stage in 2008, when he won his first World Series of Poker title. Here, at his official website you will find everything you need to keep up to date with Dario’s career. Dario Minieri used to be one of the hottest names in poker. He's known for his extremely entertaining and aggressive playstyle, numerous appearances on televised poker shows, winning a WSOP bracelet at the age of 23 and buying a Porsche Cayman S with 3 million PokerStars frequent player points.
Born in Rome, Italy, Dario Minieri got his competitive flair at a young age from trading card game Magic: The Gathering. He traveled the world playing tournaments until the day when the significantly more lucrative online poker prize pools caught his eye. Originally enrolled in University to study Psychology, Minieri dropped out to pursue poker as his main focus.
Honing his game playing Sit-and-Go tournaments, Minieri gained recognition for becoming the first PokerStars player to use Frequent Player Points to purchase a Porsche Cayman S. from the PokerStars store. In 2006, Minieri made waves at the 2006 World Series of Poker by making a semi deep run in the Main Event. Later that year, he finished third at the European Poker Tour event in Baden, taking home $160K for his efforts.
2008 proved to be Dario’s coming out party as he recorded over $1 million in live tournament earnings. His first score came at EPT San Remo, where he finished third for $454K. In June, he won his first World Series of Poker bracelet, shipping the $2500 Six-Max event for $528K. He capped off the year with another EPT final table, picking up $154K for third at EPT Warsaw. He kept up his winning ways in 2009 by once again finding success in Warsaw, this time taking down the High Roller event for $115K. All told, Dario has $1.7 million in live poker tournament earnings.
In his early twenties, Dario Minieri has already achieved a great deal at such a young age. Forever a student of the game, he says that his keys to winning are never talking about bad luck when he loses, believing in himself, and always remaining positive. When he’s not playing poker, Dario enjoys playing soccer, watching movies, and of course, driving his Porsche. The majority of the time, though, he can be found playing online as Team PokerStars Pro “Dariominieri.”
Poker pro Dario Minieri is known far and wide as a hyper-aggressive player, but he doesn’t seem himself that way. The Italian bracelet winner from 2008 went on a downswing last year, prompting him to skip nearly the entire 2012 World Series.
He also whiffed in 2011 after cashing four times in 2010.
But Minieri is now back in the halls of the Rio Hotel and Casino, making a deep run in event no. 9 ($3,000 no-limit hold’em shootout). Minieri was in the final 60 out of 477 at around 3:30 p.m. local time Tuesday in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Minieri took the time during one of his breaks for a brief chat.
Brian Pempus: Why did you take a break from the WSOP?
Dario Minieri: I wanted to live a summer in a different way .I am happy I did it. I am so hungry to win this year. I want a bracelet so bad.
BP: So you feel refreshed this year?
DM: Definitely.
BP: You are known as a really aggressive player. Do you think you still have that image?
DM: I don’t see myself as a monster aggressive crazy player. I think it was a legend that I was ultra-aggressive. Let me tell you something: Today I have been playing with the most aggressive player in the world — Victor Ramdin. He’s very good.
Minieri Poker Player
BP: But on TV you were usually depicted as such?
Minieri Poker 2020
DM: Yeah, I think we just saw the hands where I happened to be very aggressive. I see myself as someone who can adapt to the table he’s playing at.
BP: Can you talk about your downswing?
DM: It wasn’t a good year last year, but I don’t remember much because I always try to continue on and keep going. I don’t like to think about it. I like to think about the upswing.
BP: Do you think you’ve matured as a poker player?
DM: For sure, but I don’t want to lose my immature side.