Diego Cordovez

Diego Cordovez was born in 1965 in New York City, the only son of the former UN Under-Secretary-General, Diego Cordovez. He claims to have been introduced to poker by his first-grade teacher as a way of making basic math seem like fun. Before his poker career, Cordovez was the co-founder and COO of Aveo Inc., a Silicon Valley online tech support software provider. He holds bachelor's and master's degrees from Stanford University.

At the 2000 World Series of Poker, Cordovez won the $2,000 no limit Texas hold 'em event, earning more than $290,000 and his first WSOP bracelet. He defeated English professional poker player and bracelet winner Dave Ulliott heads-up to win the tournament. The final table also included Phil Ivey, David Pham, and Toto Leonidas. In 2002, Cordovez cashed in another four WSOP events, making the final table in three of them, including a second-place finish in the $2,000 SHOE event, losing to Phil Ivey. His highest WSOP Main Event finish came in 2007, when he placed 67th. Overall, he has 16 WSOP cash finishes, including 7 final tables, with those cashes accounting for $613,847 of his career winnings.

A couple of months after his WSOP win, Cordovez followed up with another first-place finish at the Legends of Poker limit hold 'em event. In 2002, he also won the limit Hold'em championship at the Los Angeles Poker Open at the Commerce Casino, which was the largest limit Hold'em tournament in history at the time; the first prize was $569,430. These victories helped push his career tournament winnings to over $1.4 million.

Cordovez was featured on ESPN's coverage of the 2008 WSOP Main Event at a table which also featured 2003 Main Event Champion Chris Moneymaker and professional player Clonie Gowen. He was also interviewed in a segment about his career as a poker player. Cordovez is currently one of the hosts of the Spanish-language version of Poker After Dark, broadcast throughout Latin America on Discovery Channel (Latin America).

While detailed public analysis of Cordovez's playing style is limited, his tournament results demonstrate a versatile skill set, with wins in both no limit and limit hold'em events. His ability to consistently reach final tables at the WSOP, including a runner-up finish to Phil Ivey, marks him as a formidable competitor from that era. His background as a tech entrepreneur and Stanford graduate also sets him apart in the poker world, reflecting a disciplined and analytical approach to the game. Cordovez remains a respected figure in the poker community, known for his achievements on the felt and his contributions as a broadcaster for Spanish-speaking audiences.