Edward Moncada, nicknamed “Ebolivia”, is a professional poker player from Oakland, California. Born in 1973, Moncada has been playing poker professionally since 2002, and says his two main objectives as a professional poker player are never going broke and never having to settle for a regular job. Moncanda frequents both online poker websites like PokerStars and FullTiltPoker, as well as live tournaments. While Moncada’s early earnings came equally from cash events and tournaments, his World Series of Poker bracelet win and a major online tournament win have ensured that tournament cashes make up a bulk of his earnings.
Moncada says that he doesn’t go into a tournament with a fixed plan, but rather assesses the table he’s on and the way his opponents play. He says that at an aggressive table, he adopts a passive approach, and plays aggressively when his opponents play passively. Moncada’s first major event cash came in a $100 No Limit Hold'em event at the 2003 Heavenly Hold'em tournament in Los Angeles, where a 3rd place finish earned him $ 10,375. He picked up his first event victory at the 2003 Showdown at the Sands in Atlantic City in November 2003. In a field of 128 entrants, Moncada took the victory, and with it prize money of $44,800.
At the 35th World Series of Poker in May 2004, Edward Moncada finished a disappointing 69th and earned $2,020 in the $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em event. Later that year, at the World Poker Tour’s Legends of Poker in Los Angeles, Moncada put up an impressive display in the $5,000 No Limit Hold'em Championship event. With 666 entrants to compete with and over $3 million to play for, Edward Moncada finished a respectable 8th, taking home earnings of $66,100.
The 36th World Series of Poker in June 2005 in Las Vegas has been the highlight of Edward Moncada’s professional poker career so far. After finishing 11th in the $1,500 Pot Limit Hold'em event and picking up $16,260, Moncada won his first WSOP bracelet in the $2,000 Pot Limit Hold'em. Coming into the final table, at no point did Moncada assume the chip lead, but rather hung on as other finalists were eliminated. He made his move when Steve Hudek was the only competitor left at the table. Moncada’s pocket eights were enough to trump Hudek’s A 8, taking Moncada to victory. The Californian took home $298,070 of the $993,600 prize pool along with his his maiden WSOP bracelet.
Across the pond, at The European Poker Championships in London in August 2005, Edward Moncada performed admirably at the £5,000 No Limit Hold'em main event, where he went up against 121 other entrants competing for a share in the $1 million prize pool. The only American at the final table, Moncada finished in 3rd place behind Antanas Guoga of Australia and Sverre Sundbo of Norway to take home a cool $120,838.
Edward Moncada had a quiet outing at the 38th World Series of Poker in 2007. While he performed well in the $3,000 No Limit Hold'em event, finishing 13th and earning $19,173, he had a forgettable outing in the $1,500 No Limit Hold'em event, where he finished 75th. Moncada has picked up total live event earnings of $731,253 so far in his six-year career, with the WSOP bracelet win being his standout performance.
