Known for his aggressive, unpredictable style of play, Josh Arieh is widely regarded as the poster boy for a new generation of players. Josh plays a very aggressive, wide-open, pedal-to-the-metal kind of poker. He likes to put a lot of pressure on his opponents and really puts them to the decision. Josh Arieh combines trash-talk with timed-aggression, which makes him an extremely dangerous player.
Josh Arieh was born in 1974 in Rochester, New York. He is married to Angela Arieh, with whom he has three children. Josh grew up in Atlanta, where as a teenager he discovered his billiards-playing friends were not as good in poker. At some point he decided he wanted to be good and focused more on poker. Josh Arieh Eventually began organizing limit games with high stakes. He started doing well in the Atlanta area, and when he turned 21 he also turned to the poker tournament world.
In 1999, Josh Arieh won his first World Series of Poker bracelet, taking home $202,800 and his first bracelet. The table hosted some poker celebrities like Howard Lederer but Josh Arieh did not know those players at the time, so he benefited from his ignorance. In 2000 he came 2nd after poker legend Johnny Chan in a WSOP Pot-Limit Omaha event.
The next four years were not as good for Josh, but in 2004 he became famous with his third-place finish in the WSOP Main Event. He did not win first place – instead Josh Arieh walked away with a huge payday of $2.5 million, after aggravating millions with his bad "table manners" - When the Main Event final table aired on live television, Josh had gotten the bad guy image from the anchormen for listening to loud music on headphones during play and aggressive plying style. To make matters worse, after being eliminated he pulled one of the remaining players aside and whispered, "bust this motherf*cker," referring to a remaining opponent. This comment by Josh Arieh was caught by a microphone and broadcast on television.
Josh Arieh does not apologize for all of his comments, as his background involves using all possible psychological tactics to put pressure on an opponent, Even if this means verbal aggression.
In 2005 Josh Arieh won his second WSOP bracelet, in the $2,000 Pot Limit Omaha, cashing $381,600. His wife quit her job since his 2004 win and his style has improved since then.
When he's not on the road, Josh Arieh hosts his own table at Bodog Poker where he may spend up to 5 days a week.
Josh Arieh - World Series of Poker cashes
• 2005: WSOP $2,000 Pot-Limit Omaha, 1st
• 2004: WSOP $10,000 Main Event, 3rd
• 2000: WSOP $1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha, 2nd
• 1999: WSOP $3,000 Limit Hold'em, 1st
Josh Arieh -World Poker Tour cashes
• 2004: WPT Borgata $10,000 No-Limit Hold'em, 3rd
Josh Arieh - Notable Poker Tournament Wins
• 2003: Bellagio Five Diamond World Poker $2,500 Omaha Hi-Lo, 2nd
Josh Arieh - Career Achievements, Honors and Stats
• Total Career Earnings: $3.6 million
• 2005 WSOP Money List: 36th Place
• WSOP All-Time Money List: 9th
• All-Time Money List: 23rd Place
• WSOP Bracelets: 2
• Final Table Appearances: 14
