As a senior at Conwell-Egan High School, John Coyne watched the World Series of Poker on TV. He knew then that he wanted to be a part of it. Lower Bucks Time’s Samantha Bambino chronicled how he went all-in.

“My friend put live poker on one day,” he recalled. “The idea of trying to figure out when to fold, when to bet — it just interested me.”

He played casually with friends, learning the game’s subtleties. At 21, he and his group honed their table skills more formally in Atlantic City.

His talent with numbers not only informed his pastime but it also shaped his career. Coyne, a math major, taught the subject to area high schoolers.

He earned his way into the sport’s highest profile Las Vegas tournament by winning smaller rounds where stakes were not so steep.

Although Coyne did not come out the high-hand victor, the experience did underscore the value he gained in chasing a dream.

He now earnestly passes that passion onto his students.

More on John Coyne’s poker skills is at the Lower Bucks Times.