When asked to describe his aspirations, Sean McCabe has reportedly said he wants to look back on his achievements and feel little regret. As a professional poker player reigning in an estimated annual income of over 250,000 dollars, it seems McCabe has little to lament.

A card player since he was eight-years old, McCabe's 25 years of poker playing have earned him 204 entries into professional tournaments. He won First Place in the 2006 Foxwoods Poker Classic, walking away from the table with $204,168.00. A month later McCabe captured Second Place and $357,557.00 in the 2005/2006 WSOP Circuit Event at Caesars Palace. Most recently McCabe placed 33rd in 2007 38th Annual World Series of Poker, earning him $9,212.00 unimpressive considering his past earnings, but at thirty-seven years old McCabe shows no hints of stepping away from the table any time soon.

Other big tourneys: in May 2005, McCabe placed 9th in the Harrah's New Orleans Poker Challenge WSOP Circuit No Limit Hold'em, winning $4,930. In June 2005 he came in 17th in the 36th Annual World Series of Poker with $15,330, and he placed 6th and 5th in the Ultimate Poker Challenge No Limit Hold 'Em matches in July 2005. In 2007 he has yet to top his big wins of 2006, but McCabe's personality and drive keep him a popular player.

McCabe takes an athletic approach to his card playing, keeping himself physically fit for five to seven day stretches of travel around the country and strenuous day-long tournaments. McCabe attributes his success to diet and exercise, saying it gives him an endurance advantage over less-fit players. He discusses nutrition and conditioning for poker players in BLUFF Magazine, a publication for which McCabe frequently writes.

An educated man, McCabe earned a Bachelor's Degree in Business from the Western State College of Colorado in 2002. During this time McCabe also completed a Minor in Psychology—coursework which undoubtedly benefits his game at the poker table.

McCabe eloquently writes about the psychology of poker, beginning one BLUFF Magazine article with a quote by the Greek philosopher Plato, explaining that the key to a strong poker presence is for a player to "know thyself." Considering this sophisticated view of McCabe, it's no surprise that he lists "astrophysics" and "cosmology" as two of his biggest hobbies.

When he's not in the game, McCabe likes to clear his thoughts at his home in Miami, where he either hits the gym or relaxes on the beach. Despite his geeky interests, McCabe leads an extreme lifestyle, complimenting his physical conditioning with high-intensity activities that include helicopter-flying, scuba diving, and buying and driving fast cars. This last hobby has led McCabe into endorsement negotiations with an exotic car manufacturer—a career move that McCabe hopes will encourage other large corporations to sponsor pro poker players and tournaments. Also, thanks to his athleticism, McCabe might soon begin endorsing nutritional supplements as well.

More on McCabe's personal life: McCabe keeps a sense of humor about his poker antics, maintaining a daily blog on his MySpace complete with video clips from his recent matches. Some other tidbits from his MySpace: McCabe watches the Discovery Channel, and prefers to read books on psychology, philosophy and science—subjects that tailor to his intellectual side. He cites his mother as his biggest role model, saying that he doesn't know how she manages to tolerate him. Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Office Space, and Coolhand Luke are a few of his favorite movies. His top favorite film? Rounders.

As far as poker goes, McCabe admits that Texas Hold 'Em gets old after too many tournaments and enjoys shaking up his routine by playing other games. His personal favorite: 2-7 lowball triple draw. He also enjoys Chinese poker, although acknowledges that it's not authentic poker.

Professionally, McCabe wishes that more corporations would sponsor players and tournaments, saying that it's unfair for the players themselves to pay while the big companies cash in on the television ratings. He hopes that his future product endorsements will motivate other players and companies to follow suit.

What's next for McCabe? His arrival at the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas has been delayed, but it shouldn't be long before he jumps back into the tourneys. Considering McCabe's physical prowess, philosophical intellect and clear head, his late arrival shouldn't be too much of a setback.

Personal Quote

When I'm not on the road playing poker, I spend my time in Miami - It's necessary for me to get away from the poker scene and clear my head between tournaments. I go to the gym every day, and since I live on the beach, I spend some time there too.