Max stern is a professional poker player, a pediatrician, and also an author, who resides in San Jose, Nevada. He married to Maria, who is also a world class poker player and they both enjoy playing poker as a couple.
Max Stern entered the international poker circuit in the year 1985, when he participated in the World Series of Poker (WSOP) tournament. In the year 1989, He finished 6th in Event #8 - Limit Razz at 20th Annual World Series of Poker Following this event, he had finished in the money several times before winning his first bracelet in Event #7 - Limit Omaha Hi/Lo at the 26th Annual World Series of Poker 1995. Max Stern won the winner title as well as prize money worth $140,400 in the event.
In the year 1997, Max Stern had a prolific run when he won a bracelet in Event #12 - Limit Seven Card Stud Hi/Lo at the 28th Annual World Series of Poker. In that WSOP tournament, he also participated in Event #17 - WSOP No-Limit Hold'em and outlasted all participants to finish first. His first-place finish earned him his second gold bracelet in the same tournament. Apart from winning two bracelets, his tournament earnings accounted to $354, 615. His wife Maria also won a gold bracelet in the $1500 buy-in Seven Card Stud event at the WSOP 1997. This made them as one of two married couples to have won World Series bracelets at the same edition of the WSOP tournament. In the 29th Annual World Series of Poker 1998, Max Stern won the runners-up title in Event #4 - Limit Seven Card Stud and walked away with prize money worth $76,095.
In 2001, Max Stern carried on his good form and finished impressively at third place in Event #3 - Limit Seven Card Stud at the Jack Binion World Poker Open (WPO) and pocketed $8,196. After a few months, Max Stern played at the Four Queens Poker Classic Tournament in Event #13 - Limit Omaha Hi/Lo and finished 3rd to walk away with cash prize worth $7,566. In the 33rd Annual World Series of Poker, he contested in three events that include Event #21 – Pot-Limit Hold'em, Event #29 - Limit Omaha Hi/Lo, and Event #31 - Limit Hold'em & Seven Card Stud. His total earnings in the tournament amounted to $33,280.
Max Stern continued his success with a first-place finish in Event #11 - Limit Omaha Hi/Lo at the Hall of Fame Poker Classic Tournament held at Binion's Gambling Hall, Las Vegas. In the final table, he played against Maureen Feduniak, a poker player from Las Vegas and won the championship as well as $22,210 in prize money. Max Stern continued his winning streak with a third-place finish in Event #6 – No-Limit Hold'em at the World Poker Finals/World Poker Tour (WPT) Season 1 and added $11,295 to his bankroll.
Max Stern finished first in Event #13 - Limit Seven Card Stud at the Orleans Open 2004 and made a handsome $14,520. Later in 2005, he won Event #26 – No-Limit Hold'em at the No-Limit Hold'em Summer Series by finishing first and won $18,773 in prize money. Max Stern is considered to be a specialist in Texas hold ‘em, Seven Card Stud, and Omaha Hi/lo games.
Max Stern co-authored the book Championship Stud along with Tom McEvoy and Linda Johnson, both professional poker players from Las Vegas, Nevada. He contributed to sections on Seven Card stud and Seven Card Stud 8 or better tournament and ring game play in the book. In poker, Max stern philosophy is "In order to survive, you must be willing to die." His total earnings in poker as of 2008 exceed $1,300,000. Apart from playing poker, Max Stern likes to spend his time with his three children and grandchildren