Every year after tax season, Steve Dannenmann treats himself to a gift - sometimes a car, a set of golf clubs or a nice vacation.

In 2005, he treated himself to his first entry into the World Series of Poker Main Event, and what a gift it turned out to be when he placed second to fellow newcomer, Aussie player Joseph Hachem, and won $4.25 million. Steve had split the $10,000 buy-in with one of his friends, Jerry Ditzell, and immediately after the World Championship ended, he and Jerry went to the cashier's booth and claimed the prize money, splitting it equally as part of an unspoken "gentleman's agreement."

Dannenmann had only been playing Texas Hold'em for a year and a half before the 2005 WSOP. He started out online and played for a few months before initiating a regular home game with his friends and then graduating to small tournaments at casinos. On a whim, Dannenmann decided he wanted to try the WSOP experience.

His three main goals for the tournament were to make it to the second day, get on television (which happened on the third day), and to make it into the money. Dannenmann also set up chip goals for each day and credits his goals for helping him advance to the final table.

"How can you put up $10,000 and not have a plan of attack? I figured that I would need a certain number of chips per day to stay on top, and that was the goal I shot for during the tournament," he said. "It's important to have goals in life, both in your career and at the poker table. I have a plan with everything I do, even cards."

It helps that outside of the poker world Dannenmann is a CPA (Certified Public Accountant) and financial advisor who is always planning for people. He said coming up with a plan and sticking to it during the WSOP came naturally to him because of it.

Dannenmann admitted luck definitely played a part as well as a little bit of superstition in helping his plan along. Like many athletes who refuse to shave or change socks in fear it will ruin their winning streak, Dannenmann believed changing things during the tournament would throw him off. He wore the same shirt and visor for all seven days of the Main Event and, because he took an even numbered taxi on the first day to get to the Rio, every day after that he had to ride in an even numbered taxi.

Doubters who thought Dannenmann's WSOP success was purely luck were proven wrong when he played in the Tournament of Champions a few months later and made it to the final table again, taking fifth and its prize of $100,000. Steve also placed in the money in two separate events at the 2006 Borgata Winter Open in Atlantic City.

Dannenmann continues to improve his game by reading poker books, studying players and situations and watching the greats at the tables. He said his style has changed and he's now better able to play the player and not necessarily just the cards.

Despite his improvements, Dannenmann doesn't consider himself to be a professional player and has no ambitions to become one. "I don't play professionally," he said. "I think you're a professional if you travel the circuit and don't have a real day job."

Dannenmann worked hard to set up his own CPA business in Maryland, which he launched at the age of 23 after graduating from the University of Baltimore with a B.Sc. in business administration and earning his CPA certificate. He's since built up more than 2,000 working relationships with tax and financial clients and enjoys his day job as a CPA, financial advisor and mortgage loan officer. In terms of his poker career, he plans to play eight tournaments per year and have fun, hoping to cash in some to maintain his bankroll along the way.