A determined hand at poker table
One of Bernard Lee's earliest memories is of being a young boy sitting at the top of the stairs, listening to the flap of shuffled cards and the click of poker chips down in the dining room.
''When I was young," said Lee, a 35-year-old Wayland resident, ''my uncles and relatives would come over at holidays. After dinner and the kids were in bed, all of a sudden you'd hear it -- kush, pling, pling, pling, and the banter started. I wanted to be a part of it."
So began a lifelong fascination with poker that led Lee from games in the college dormitory to weekly suburban contests to online play -- and to the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas, during which he won $400,000.
His secret to winning: Not luck, but fierce determination and an unwavering work ethic.
The native of Eastchester, N.Y., said he has devoured more than two dozen books on the game, poring over one or two as many as 10 times.
He played in eight tournaments last year, but never made it far enough to qualify for the big tournament. However, a tournament victory this year earned him a spot at this year's No-Limit Texas Hold 'Em championship.
''Nothing comes easy to me. I'm not a lucky person," said Lee, who projected a cool demeanor during the tournament, wearing his wraparound sunglasses. ''I'm a person that has to work at a skill."
Lee finished 13th in the 36th annual World Series of Poker, making it to the eighth day of the nine-day tournament. The tournament began with 5,619 players at the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino. The last two days of the tournament, which will be televised from now until November on ESPN, were held at Binion's in downtown Las Vegas.
''My first goal was to make it out of the first day, my second goal was to make it to the [prize] money, and my third goal was to make it to Binion's. I did all three.
''I firmly believe there is a reason for this. I made a promise to my wife, and maybe even the poker world," he said. ''I am not a flash in the pan."
Part of the $400,000 prize was turned into a college savings account for Lee's two children, Noah, 2, and Maya, 3 months. Some will be used to fund a 10th-anniversary trip next year for Lee and his wife, Katie, a family physician in Hudson. The rest paid off a home-equity line of credit.
A senior marketing manager at Boston Scientific in Marlborough, Lee is animated and enthusiastic -- equal parts serious student and fun-loving guy with interests across the spectrum.
He is a golfer and a Boston Celtics season-ticket holder. He is also a piano player who studied for three years at the Juilliard School in New York City.
The oldest son of Korean-born parents, Lee holds three degrees -- undergraduate and graduate degrees in biology from Harvard University and a master's in business administration in marketing from Babson College.
He is also a member of ''Loker Poker," a group of 12 to 15 men who play into the wee hours every Tuesday night in Wayland. The group got its name from the elementary school in the players' neighborhood, the Loker School, soon after they started the game seven years ago.
''Bernie only went to the tournament because he couldn't win any money playing us," joked Jeffrey Cohen, a real estate agent who helped form the group. ''Really, Bernie wins most of the time."
The guys who know Lee's poker game the best celebrated his achievement on July 24 with a party at The Rat Pack in Framingham, owned by Loker player Ronnie Catanese, who called Lee one of the group's top players.
''He's very cerebral and very aggressive. He thinks through each hand," said Catanese, who described the weekly games as friendly and competitive. ''We're a bunch of old ladies. We sit there, we talk, and we have a good time."
Lee's poker buddies would be the first to say their friend's success is no surprise. Lee is a man who can -- and will -- master anything.
''What he sets his mind to he does," said Alan Bortman of Wayland, a Loker player and graphic designer. ''He only does things that he can be good at."
Apparently that's a lot of things. Lee said he wanted to master golf before his children were born. Determined to become a single-digit handicapper, he played 60 rounds a year two years in a row at Sandy Burr Country Club in Wayland.
Lee started out at a 25 handicap. One year later, he moved up to 13. In his second year of playing, he was a 7.
''I busted my butt," Lee said. ''It's the work ethic that my father instilled in me."
Lee's father, Joong Lee, a partner in a structural engineering firm, believed strongly in the importance of hard work and often told his sons they would need more than smarts to get somewhere in life.
So, when Lee embarked on his poker journey, he was determined to give everything he had to achieve his longtime dream.
It all started in January of last year. Lee decided he wanted to get into the World Series of Poker. So he tried to qualify at several satellite events. He failed, but learned the differences between tournament poker and casual matches with friends.
Then, in March, Lee earned a seat in the World Series by qualifying in a frequent-player tournament on pokerstars.com.
Lee brought his lucky charms -- the sunglasses, a medallion from Foxwoods in Connecticut, and photos of his family -- to his first day at the tables on July 8. He would stay in the tournament until July 15.
Before each round, Lee had a special routine with his wallet-sized photos. He would kiss his son and daughter twice, and his wife last.
''I'd look down and I'd look at my kids and I see that," said Lee, holding the photos up in their plastic case. ''So if it's my time to go home, I'll go home. My life ain't that bad. If it's meant to be, it's meant to be."
Still, Lee was disappointed when his run ended. Professional poker player Aaron Kanter of Lodi, Calif., beat Lee's two kings with three sixes. Lee was one of the last four people eliminated on day eight. The next day was the final game.
''I hunched over and held my knees and my immediate thought was, 'I can't believe it's over. I'm having so much fun. This is so sad,' " Lee said.
''I just got up and said, 'I'm not going to sulk. This was the ride of my life.' "
Lee threw the crowd a kiss and walked away.
Lee said he has no intention of quitting his day job to become a professional, but he promises to return to the tournament next year.
''Now that I've done what I have, I almost can't not go," Lee said. ''My goals will not change: Get out of the first day, get into the money, and make it to the final day. Why change the formula?" 