Although his father taught him poker at a young age, and there were frequent poker games for nickels in the neighbor’s basement, it was not until Dave read Edward Thorpe's seminal, Beat the Dealer in 1980 that he became fascinated with the idea that you could win at gambling. Throughout his six year university education Dave supplemented his navy income with semi-professional blackjack play in British Columbia and Oregon. In the early 1990's, however, poker was introduced to Canadian casinos and his passion switched because although blackjack is profitable, it does not offer the enduring intellectual challenge of poker. Nor does blackjack offer the adrenaline pumping thrill of poker.

Dave was the sole publisher of Canada's first poker magazine – Canadian Poker Monthly – in 1997 and 1998. He is a founding partner and shareholder in Fifth Street Publishers Ltd. In that role, he was the original editor of Canadian Poker Player Magazine and he was the designer of the Canadian Poker Tour.

His poker columns have appeared since 1997 in a variety of periodicals and websites: Canadian Poker Monthly, Poker Digest, Buzz Daly's Players' Choice, Western Player, PokerFan.com, Card Player Magazine, PokerForum.ca, Gutshot.com, and UnitedPokerForum.com to name a few.

Dave was the chief poker consultant, host, and commentator for PartyPoker.com’s Canadian Poker Championship filmed at the Atlantis Resort, Bahamas in January 2006 and airing in 12 episodes on Global Canada (one of Canada’s three national networks). The show remains in syndication on ManTV.

He has acted as a poker consultant to several Canadian casinos, usually assisting with the design of poker tournaments. And, although Dave plays ring games daily online his passion is tournament poker:

There are many smaller tournament victories – online and in traditional casinos. In fact, Dave is one of the longest standing online poker players in the world. He was among the original customers at the first online room (PlanetPoker). And, he has played online virtually every day since May 1, 1998.

Dave is the author of the well regarded book, Winning at Poker: Essential Hints and Tips (Arcturus, 2003) which is an excellent introduction to hold’em and 7-stud. It has sold over 100,000 copies worldwide.

Despite all of this success, Dave is a strictly amateur player -- a hobbyist who makes a modest amount of money playing poker most years. He makes his living from his first passion, radio. In “real life” he is the host of Saskatoon’s favorite morning radio program (Rob, Shauna, and Rambling Dave on C95).

He is married to Heather (a family physician), and is the father to two fine young men (Arthur 10 and Oliver 7). He has two university degrees: Bachelor of Philosophy (Univ. of Sask., 1985) and Bachelor of Laws (Univ. of Sask., 1988). He has, at various times, made all or part of his living as a lawyer, naval officer, radio broadcaster, waiter, restaurant manager, stand-up comic, writer, paper carrier, gardener, vacuum cleaner salesman, and photographer.

And, he is a proud member of Team Canuck Poker. Fear the beaver, baby. Fear the beaver.

He was the Captain of Team Planet at the 2006 World Series of Poker Championship.

For an interview, contact Dave at 306-222-9303 or email davescharf@canadianpoker.com