Craig Varnell Back in Action at 2019 WSOP After Suffering Scary Head Injury
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A few weeks ago, seeing Craig Varnell firing away at the World Series of Poker in mid-June would have been nothing to have a second thought on.
In fact, not seeing him would have been more unusual. Varnell was coming off of one of the biggest successes of his career, winning the WPT Choctaw — with the final table playing out in Las Vegas on May 31 — for $379,990. His online moniker "imgrinding1" is a fitting one, for the man cut his winner's interview short after capturing his first bracelet last year so he could make sure to register the next event before it closed.
Unfortunately, Varnell's summer took a very scary turn just days after he added his name to the WPT Champion's Cup.
A Hard Fall
During the summers, poker isn't the only game in town for some of the grinders. Often, members of the poker community organize pickup basketball games at the nearby University of Nevada Las Vegas Student Recreation and Wellness Center. It's a great, affordable way to get a workout in and keep the competitive juices flowing away from the felt.
"I would say it's better to be here than at home," he said. "Laying around all day makes me crazy."
On June 3, Varnell headed over to campus to participate in the pickup hoops. While there, he said he was feeling hot and a little lightheaded. He said the last thing he remembers doing is heading to the drinking fountain for some water.
Apparently, Varnell passed out on his way over and the resulting fall left him with a fractured skull. Varnell reported on Twitter the next day that he suffered some brain damage. The next day, his girlfriend Denise provided another update, saying Varnell had been allowed to return home but was struggling with severe headaches and nausea.
Despite the scary situation, she said Varnell was counting down the days until he'd be allowed to get back to poker.
Returning to the WSOP
A few weeks later, Varnell was spotted back in the Rio, firing in Event #40: $1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha. While Varnell was able to run up a big stack early in the day, the volatility of PLO reared its head and Varnell found himself busted in short order.
However, after a day off, Varnell was back in action in what he called one of his most anticipated tournaments of the year, Event #45: $25,000 Pot-Limit Omaha High Roller. Moving about via wheelchair with the aid of a friend at the first break, Varnell agreed to fill PokerNews in on the terrifying situation he'd been enduring and how he was doing in making his way back to the felt so quickly.
After the initial injury, Varnell had been rushed to the hospital, where he was kept for 48 hours of observation. After that, the doctor gave the OK for Varnell to return home, where he rested and took seizure medication.
The doctors have performed numerous tests such as CAT scans on Varnell, but Varnell said they're all still mostly in the dark about what happened to him and why.
Missing his beloved WSOP grind, Varnell pushed for a return.
"I would say it's better to be here than at home," he said. "Laying around all day makes me crazy."
He eventually convinced Denise, although he had to make some concessions. He agreed to limit himself to one tournament per day and take some days off rather than hop in the car and crank into overdrive like he would if he were 100 percent healthy.
Varnell's happy to be back and pleased with how his body and mind are responding to the return thus far.
"I feel mentally, I'm fine," he said. "Physically, I get a little tired sometimes."
Gaining Perspective
More tests remain, with a brain wave scan coming next week. Until more is learned about his condition, he's under strict orders not to drive or take any flights.
"Not being able to go the bathroom on your own, stuff like that, is awful."
Poker-wise, he was able to make it to Day 2 of the $25K PLO on his second bullet. Clad in a throwback John Elway jersey — it's rare to see the Colorado native without a Broncos hat atop his head — he was grinding a short stack mid-way through the day, but chip counts and poker results are the least of his concerns. He's just relieved to be alive, relatively, functional, and able to enjoy a few tournaments.
The whole situation has left Varnell, already a person with a glass-half-full mindset, even more humble and thankful to be where he's at. He chastised poker players for complaining about mundane beats when they could be struggling with real problems.
"Not being able to go the bathroom on your own, stuff like that, is awful," he said. "It just gives perspective."
Many players who have crossed paths with the friendly grinder over the past few years reached out with messages of support. Every day Varnell is able to get to the felt for the rest of the summer will be a heartening sight for them, and a win for Varnell regardless of the result.
