It is the dream of every tournament grinder to play on the “big stage” that is the World Series of Poker Main Event. For the 2014 WSOP Main Event, that mantle was being carried by Los Angeles’ Michael Kamran. Kamran entered Day Six of the 2014 WSOP Main Event in 34th position, roughly the middle of the field, with a 2.6 million chip stack that he meticulously built.

Kamran earned his first tournament cash in 2007 at the LA Poker Classic and continued throughout that year to hit the smaller tournaments at such locations as the Venetian in Las Vegas and another LA card room, the Bicycle Casino.

2007 would also see Kamran make his first score on the WSOP stage, finishing deep in a $2,000 No Limit Hold’em tournament. As his skills grew on the felt, Kamran would make his ascension up the tournament ladder to larger events.

2008 would see Kamran earn two more cashes at the WSOP before making his biggest tournament score of his career. At the 2008 Caesars Palace Classic’s $10,000 Main Event, Kamran would finish as runner-up to Hevad Khan for a $520,320 payday.

Since then, Kamran has earned 11 more cashes at the WSOP and three on the World Poker Tour schedule. Although leading up to the 2014 WSOP Main Event he didn’t have an official cash since the 2013 WSOP, Kamran has been able to rack up $1.36 million in career earnings from tournament poker.

According to WSOP.com, Kamran was born in Iran and, at the time of the 2014 WSOP, had $210,000 in career WSOP earnings. He ultimately finished in 40th place in the 2014 WSOP Main Event for $186,000 after his K-2 of hearts could not draw out on A-K of diamonds. He missed two draws to a flush to hit the rail.