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The world of poker is dominated by men for the most part, but there are women who have made their mark on the felt. On many a poker forum, there is a debate as to who the “hottest” poker player in the game is – and that debate goes for the men in the game as well as the ladies. A top men’s magazine has recently taken on the challenge of naming the twenty hottest women in poker, albeit with some liberties taken along the way.
Topping the list of twenty women are two players who have earned their stripes on the tables and are sponsored poker players in their own right. UB.com’s heads the list of those who has made the move to the poker community while continuing to pursue a career as an actress. Michelle made her mark on the poker world in 2008 when she was the last woman standing in the Championship Event. Since that time, she has continued to excel at the poker tables and has appeared on “The Amazing Race” with fellow poker pro Maria Ho. Other movie and television credits for Tiffany include the movie “Semi Pro” with comedian Will Ferrell and the FX series “Nip/Tuck.”
Along with Tiffany, poker professional was included in the twenty woman lineup for “hottest woman in poker.” Rousso, who currently carries a sponsorship with website hosting company GoDaddy.com along with her sponsorship, also appeared in last year’s Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue. Rousso is one of the preeminent women players in the game today, with several six figure cashes in her career that include a victory at last year’s EPT Grand Final High Rollers event and a runner up finish to at the 2009 National Heads Up Poker Championship. She recently cashed at the ’s L. A. Poker Classic, finishing in 59th place.
Three other women have had or continue to have an intimate involvement with poker as well as maintaining an active career outside of the game. Top model Joanna Krupa is on the Maxim list as she maintains her modeling career alongside her hosting duties for the PokerStars North American Poker Tour events. Former spokesperson and model Serinda Swan makes the list along with actress Shannon Elizabeth, who has held sponsorship logos with both Poker and Doyle’s Room in her poker career.
For those that wonder where 2005 Women’s Champion is on the Maxim list, she is included along with other poker playing actresses such as Playboy model Jenny McCarthy and former “That 70s Show” performer Laura Prepon. Maxim also puts former “Baywatch” actress Pamela Anderson on the list, the second oldest member of the “hottest women in poker” behind Tilly. Anderson once was the face of her own online poker room, PamelaPoker.com, and allegedly settled a poker debt by marrying her opponent, former Paris Hilton paramour Rick Salomon, a marriage that was later annulled.
For those who remember the Bravo television show “Celebrity Poker Showdown,” many of its alumni appear on the Maxim list. Academy Award winner Mena Suvari, comedian Sarah Silverman, former “Beverly Hills 90210” actress Jennie Garth, “Austin Powers” star Heather Graham, “Party Of Five” actress Lacey Chabert, “The Office” star Jenna Fischer and actress Rosario Dawson all make their mark on the Maxim hot list as well as continue to play in charity events across the country. Rounding out the “hottest women in poker” are actresses Cameron Diaz, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Traci Bingham and Odette Yustman.
While it may not settle the arguments across the online forums, Maxim’s “Hottest Women In Poker” definitely adds fuel to the fire. Were there any ladies that the magazine missed on their list? Poker News Daily would like to know, so be sure to inform us of who Maxim should have featured on the list and who shouldn’t have been there.
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03 10th, 2010
Faraz “The-Toilet” Jaka picked up the game in the dorms at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign while earning a degree in economics and business management.
He soon started playing live here at Bay 101 when he was at home and online while at school, quickly taking to the game, booking massive scores and winning packages to play in high-stakes events all over the world.
However, a year and a half of following the PokerStars European Poker Tour and his first half a dozen shots at WPT glory did not bear even a single cash.
Then suddenly, one year ago right here at home, things turned around in a big way.
He booked his first WPT cash at the 2009 Bay 101 Shooting Star before moving on to make third at the hotly contested 2009 World Series of Poker $5k Six-Max event.
Then, when Jaka finished second at the Bellagio Cup this past summer and third at December’s Doyle Brunson Five Diamond World Poker Classic, he took the lead in the World Poker Tour’s Player of the Year race and hasn’t given it up yet.
Add in a final table appearance at the inaugural PokerStars North American Poker Tour’s $25k High Roller Bounty Shootout and the San Jose native has cashed for almost $2 million in live tournaments over the past 12 months.
“It’s kind of ironic, considering I played so many of these tournaments and then all of the sudden I start doing really well, but it’s really just variance,” he said. “Obviously I’m constantly improving a little bit, but I don’t think there’s been anything drastic.”
Despite the rough start, having played thousands of tournaments earning over $1 million online before he ever stepped foot on the high-stakes live tournament stage, a 24-year-old Jaka says his confidence never wavered.
“I always thought I was good enough to be at the top of these things and win a few,” he said. “It’s always been just a matter of time.”
Now in the midst of the kind of successful run that would turn even the most seasoned pro green with envy, he’s still missing one thing: A major tournament victory.
“I’m definitely ready for a win,” he said. “It’s frustrating getting second and third so I’m definitely hungry.”
Yet he seems to understand opportunities like this won’t last forever.
“I’m obviously running amazing this year and it’s not going to keep going, I understand that,” he said.
In the end, Jaka’s just hoping to keep playing his best and let the chips fall where they may, especially here at home.
“This is my hometown,” he said. “So this tournament is a little more personal for me. I grew up playing here. It brings back so many memories and I still recognize so many of the dealers here from like four or five years ago.
“It would be really nice to do well here.”
Action at the WPT Bay 101 Shooting Star continues through March 12. For comprehensive coverage, tune in to PokerListings’ and .
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03 9th, 2010
Created by Bay 101 owner Marco Trapani 14 years ago, tournament director Matt Savage says the concept was based on the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am celebrity challenge, which draws some of the best golfers in the world, a host of celebrities and thousands spectators to the Northern California Coast about an hour from San Jose every year.
Trapani’s original plan, 14 years ago, was to try and draw the world’s best rounders to a fan and player friendly $1k buy-in event in the Bay Area.
When it first started, the bounties were a bunch of Trapani’s friends, but it slowly grew and when the World Poker Tour came along seven years later, Savage says they bumped up the buy-in and had a perfect fit.
Large pots were few and far between on Sunday night’s episode of the GSN series “High Stakes Poker.” Instead, a vegetarian prop bet between pros and Tom “” Dwan took center stage.
After being discussed non-stop for a half-hour of the 60-minute program, the vegetarian prop bet was finally agreed upon. Ultimately, Ivey would become a vegetarian for one year for $1 million. In a sit-down interview with “High Stakes Poker” hostess Kara Scott, Ivey told viewers, “I was thinking about doing it for a while, so this is an added incentive.” Dwan was confident that he’d win the bet, but nonetheless expressed a degree of doubt: “He’s got a lot of will power and he might go out and prove me wrong.” Any creature that moves is off limits for Ivey.
Back on the felts, Ivey proved why he’s one of the top names in the game by raising to $3,000 pre-flop with 7-2 and receiving four callers. The flop came 4-9-A with two hearts and Ivey put in a $12,000 continuation bet. Italian poker stud Dario Minieri, who held 10-8 of hearts, came along to see another ace hit the turn. Ivey bet out $30,000 this time around and Minieri folded. “High Stakes Poker” host Gabe Kaplan commented, “Most players would turn over the 7-2 there, but not Phil Ivey.”
Then, Team Pro front man raised to $3,000 with 9-6 of hearts and Eli Elezra came along with 9-8 of diamonds. The flop came 10-5-7, giving both players straight draws, and Negreanu bet $5,500. Elezra pushed the action to $13,000 and Negreanu came along to see a king on the turn. Elezra checked and Negreanu accidentally exposed his nine while reaching for a stack of $100 bills. He promptly checked and an eight hit on the river, filling his straight. Negreanu bet $20,000 and Elezra tanked before folding. Negreanu told the table, “That was the weirdest hand I’ve ever played.”
Minieri was overly active throughout the episode and set the tone after made it $3,500 pre-flop with A-8. Minieri, sensing weakness, made it $11,500 with A-9. Then, fireworks went of, as Hansen re-raised to $35,500 and Minieri shoved all-in for $213,000. Hansen quickly mucked, leaving Kaplan to remark, “That’s either a good read or a moment of insanity.” Negreanu would later try to force an all-in from Minieri when “Kid Poker” held pocket aces, but the Italian instead folded.
In one of the larger pots of the episode, which aired at 8:00pm ET on Sunday on GSN, Ivey raised to $3,000 with pocket eights, Negreanu called with A-7 of spades, and Dwan called with Q-J. The flop came A-J-4, and Ivey checked his pocket pair. Negreanu led out for $8,000 with top pair, while Dwan made the call with middle pair. Ivey got out of the way and a queen hit the turn to improve Dwan to two pair. Negreanu fired out a bet of $18,000 and Dwan called. The duo both checked a river five, shipping the $63,800 pot to Dwan.
In the final hand of the hour, Elezra raised to $3,000 with 9-7, Negreanu called with Q-9, and Dwan called with K-Q. The flop fell K-8-10 and Elezra put in a $7,200 continuation bet with an open-ended straight draw. Dwan came along with top pair to bring a jack on the turn, filling Eleza’s straight. However, with three spades now on the board, the action went check-check. The river was a six and Dwan bet $8,400. Elezra raised to $28,400 and Dwan released his hand.
Next time, four “High Stakes Poker” players get felted and an epic hand brews between Dwan and Ivey. New episodes of “High Stakes Poker” air on Sunday nights at 8:00pm ET on GSN.
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03 9th, 2010
Ilari “Ziigmund” Sahamies would be the first player to take on the unknown Swedish pro.
After 451 hands of $300/$600 Pot-Limit Omaha, with Sahamies losing over $487k, the two moved their game to $500/$1,000 PLO, where they remained for 40 minutes.
By the end of the 259-hand nosebleed session, Sahamies logged off, down another $290,965.
With Sahamies gone, Isildur1 went on the hunt for his next opponent, finding him in Justin “ZeeJustin” Bonomo. The two played $200/$400 NLHE for 791 hands with Bonomo finishing up $187k.
Looking to bounce back after that NLHE loss, Isildur1 took on the CardRunners team, playing both Cole South and Brian Hastings heads-up at the same time.
Despite starting the year off with a white-hot streak of wins, South lost $334k over his 825 hands, while Hastings made $330k over a shorter 224-hand match, all at $300/$600 PLO.
Hastings, who holds the online record for most money made in a single session after crushing Isildur1 for $4.2 million on late in 2009, tried to repeat his feat, convincing Isildur1 to move their game back up to $500/$1,000, where they played for another 468 hands.
Although Hastings was unable to make anything close to $4.2 million, he came away from the nosebleed session with another $219k, up over half a million total on the day.
After some small sessions at smaller stakes games, Isildur1 sat for his final heads-up sessions, giving South a chance to get even on the day.
After 565 hands of $100/$200 PLO, and South getting himself suck another $222k, the two doubled the stakes, finishing their session with 344 hands at $200/$400.
Although he wasn’t able to get completely out of the hole, South managed to make back $77,958 before the end of the match.
In total, Isildur1 added $572,746 to his roll, putting him up well over $1 million in 2010 so far.
Below you can find Isildur1’s three largest hands of the day. To see more hands from Isildur1, including the $1.3 million dollar largest-ever online pot, head to .
03 9th, 2010
The PartyPoker.com Women’s World Open IV will take place in London, England March 23 and 24 featuring 24 of the best female poker players on the planet.
03 8th, 2010
After all, Bay 101 has seen deeper runs by women than any other venue on the World Poker Tour.
At the 2007 edition of the popular bounty event, Joanne Liu made runner-up to Ted Forrest in an attempt to become the WPT’s first female champion.
Then last year, veteran pro Kathy Liebert matched the feat, finishing second to 2009 champion Steve Brecher.
Liebert’s runner-up finish helped push her up and over $5.6 million in career tournament earnings, making her far and away the number one earning female poker player of all time.
Being the number one female player in the game is not exactly the reason Liebert plays, but it’s certainly an honor she cherishes.
“Being a top poker player is more important to me than being a top female poker player,” she said. “But being the top woman in poker is something I’m proud of. There are a lot of women trying to catch up to me.”
One of the women chasing Liebert is two-time World Series of Poker bracelet winner and respected high-stakes cash game pro Jennifer Harman.
Though Harman, who currently sits fifth on the all-time female money list and made the final table at Bay 101 in 2008 finishing third, really sees herself as just one of the boys.
“I look at myself as a poker player,” she explained. “I don’t believe in the whole gender thing because this is a co-ed sport.
“You shouldn’t get kudos for being a woman or a man, you should get kudos for being a great poker player and that’s all.”
International Women’s Day is about celebrating the economic, political and social achievements of women past.
But even as women like Liu, Liebert and Harman continue to achieve in poker, it appears many men on the felt refuse to treat them as equals.
“I think some men treat women with no respect at the table and some men treat women with too much respect,” said Harman. “For me, since I’m like old furniture in this business, they just treat me the same as anybody else. They don’t play any differently against me because I’m a woman, but I know with some women they do.”
Regardless, Harman, who booked her first major cash in a poker tournament 16 years ago, says the game is changing all the time and more women are flocking to it every day.
“When I first started, I would walk into a poker room and there would be me,” she said. “Now you walk into a poker room and there are one or two women at every table.
“I think it’s grown and it will continue to grow. A lot of women are still intimidated, but I know they enjoy the game and they want to do it, they just need to take that next step, because poker can be a lot of fun.”
Liebert says she feels a lot of love and support from female fans of the game, many of whom she sees following her lead.
“I always have women coming up to me and telling me they are rooting for me,” she said. “And they feel like if I’m a woman and I can do it they can do it to.”
Action at the WPT Bay 101 Shooting Star continues through March 12. For comprehensive coverage, tune in to PokerListings’ and .
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In the world of poker, one of the best ways to keep up with your favorite players is through their Twitter feeds. These 140 character comments from the best in the game today can be sometimes shocking, sometimes hilarious, but always entertaining. Poker News Daily peruses the Twitterverse to capture the latest hijinks from all of your favorites.
Earlier this week during the taping of “Poker2Nite” for the Versus network, host Joe Sebok and recent () Invitational final table player Trishelle Cannatella apparently had quite the argument, which ended with Cannatella storming off the set of the show. Video of what occurred has not only appeared on Twitter, but also has been picked up across the internet. While some may say that the argument was staged, on Twitter both sides made it seem serious.
Cannatella popped a Tweet aimed at Sebok, saying “Such a jerk face!!” Sebok seemed to be more than apologetic when he Tweeted in reply, “omg! I’m sorry! Didn’t mean it!.” Perhaps alleviating the tension was poker player Alex Outhred, who chirped to the “Poker2Nite” producers the potential reasons for Cannatella’s hissy fit, “a) @joesebok called @TrishelleC Lacey… Or b) she only came bc she heard I was there in Lacey drag. She’s disappointed.”
Outside of the “Poker2Nite” studios, other poker players were partaking of the return of comedian Jay Leno to “The Tonight Show.” Leno, who reappeared on the legendary late night television show on Monday, has had A-list celebrities appearing this week in an attempt to draw back his late night audience. Former Alaska governor Sarah Palin was the featured guest on Wednesday evening and the poker world was quick to grade her.
“Lord Jesus, I never knew watching Sarah Palin do ‘comedy’ on the Tonight Show could be this painful. Team CoCo 4 life, yo,” was the reaction over Twitter from “Hollywood” Dave Stann after watching the former Republican Vice Presidential nominee on the show. Brad “Yukon” Booth was also a bit dismissive of Palin when he Tweeted, “Watching Jay Leno interview Sarah Palin is like watching a scene of ‘Dumb & Dumber’ except it’s sad not funny.”
As the weekend approached, the poker community was focused on two ongoing events. In Berlin, the European Poker Tour (EPT) was in full swing with two of the top female poker players in the game today Tweeting the proceedings. England’s Vicky Coren was torturing the players at her table, Tweeting, “One guy threw his jacks away so angrily and violently I couldn’t resist showing the bluff. I feel bad now. I never do that.” It seemed that Germany’s Katja Thater was in a giving mood during the tournament when she Tweeted, “I am the master of doubling up the short stacks…now I look myself for a double up.” Unfortunately, neither lady was able to last into Day Three of the event, which will crown a champion this weekend.
Thursday evening brought the draw party for the National Heads-Up Poker Championship, which will also be contested this weekend. “Headed down to Pure for the NBC HU draw party and I’m hoping to NOT draw one of the 7 qualifiers or a woman. Record going into #6 is 7-5,” Tweeted as he prepared for the draw. “Kid Poker’s” luck wouldn’t be good, as he learned he would play one of the hottest players in the game today in the first round. “Super tough match for me in Jason Mercier. I have a tough bracket Gavin (Smith), Ivey, Scotty (Nguyen), Hachem, Chan, Durr, Laak, Juanda, Sexton, deKorver,” Negreanu later Tweeted. A winner will be crowned on Sunday.
As for Tweet of the Week, two contenders battle it out. Poker Royalty super agent Brian Balsbaugh was in attendance for the National Heads-Up Poker Championship draw and pointed out a shocking bit of trivia for his followers, Tweeting, “Overheard at NBC HU draw party: I just realized if a bomb went off here, (Hustler magazine founder) Larry Flynt would be the best poker player in the world.” Anthrax’s Scott Ian handed out a bit of poker wisdom over his Twitter account as he played late last night. With an accompanying Tweetpic, Ian stated, “Just took this sick beat @ultimate_bet. Did I cry? Did I bitch? Did I quit poker? Nope. It’s poker. Get over it.”
Poker News Daily adds to the chirping on Twitter, so add @pokernewsdaily to keep in touch with the world of poker on Twitter.
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03 3rd, 2010
Not all the interesting news in the world of poker occurs at the tables or in the halls of government. Sometimes, it is simply people themselves that catch our attention. Case in point: the budding romance between Team member and fellow pro Erica Schoenberg.
Our friends over at PokerListings.com were the first to provide the evidence to the general poker public. At the L.A. Poker Classic, Lindgren was spotted “railing Erica as she played deep in the LAPC main event,” was the first to console her after she busted out, and most notably, they were seen kissing.
Schoenberg, a model turned poker pro, had previously formed half of one of poker’s power couples, as she was once engaged to recent Premier League IV champion and “High Stakes Poker” fixture . Their relationship was one of the central themes of the September 6th, 2009 episode of G4TV’s “2 Months, 2 Million,” a show in which four online poker pros - Dani Stern, Jay Rosenkrantz, Brian Roberts, and Emil Patel - lived together in Las Vegas and attempted to win $2 million playing poker in two months. Rosenkrantz, one of the founders of the poker coaching site DeucesCracked.com, had once played Benyamine online when, to his disappointment, Benyamine left for a higher stakes table. Upset about the apparent “hit and run,” Rosenkrantz berated Benyamine in the chat box, calling him a “fish.” Schoenberg then proceeded to stand by her man, calling Rosenkrantz “just a typical NL a**-clown” in her blog.
In the “2 Months, 2 Million” episode, Rosenkrantz saw Schoenberg at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Pool and reached out to mend fences. The two let bygones be bygones and Schoenberg set up a time for the two men to play heads-up online. Benyamine ended up winning $60,000 from Rosenkrantz.
The details behind the Schoenberg/Benyamine break-up are not known, but their relationship was rumored to have ended in October.
Schoenberg’s new companion is no step down at the poker tables. Lindgren has won two (WPT) titles and was named WPT Player of the Year in 2004. In 2008, he finally earned his first () bracelet, capping a fantastic WSOP in which he made three final tables, cashed five times, and was named 2008 Player of the Year. On the live tournament circuit, Lindgren ranks 22nd on the all-time money list.
Schoenberg, while perhaps best known for being one of the most attractive poker players in the industry, is no slouch on the felts, either. Even though she is relatively new to the game, she has three six-figure tournament cashes. The first was for a 16th place at the 2006 $25,000 WPT Championship ($117,165) followed by a victory in the $2,500 No Limit Hold’em event at the 2007 Mandalay Bay Poker Championship ($105,875). Her largest cash to date is $261,646, earned by placing third in a $1,500 No Limit Hold’em event at the 2007 WSOP.
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03 3rd, 2010
“High Stakes Poker” Season 6 is currently underway on cable station GSN. One notable difference from the first five seasons is the absence of commentator A.J. Benza, who was let go in favor of bringing on floor reporter Kara Scott. Poker News Daily sat down with Benza to get his take on the show’s sixth cycle, which airs on Sundays at 8:00pm ET.
Poker News Daily: What are your thoughts on the sixth season of “High Stakes Poker,” which kicked off on February 14th on GSN?
A.J. Benza: I saw the premiere. When Gabe Kaplan was speaking, I was sitting on my couch and making the same comments I would have if we were taping it. I called Gabe and said it was different. He’s one of the best commentators of our time and I’m lucky to have been with him for five seasons. I missed that most of all – we had a lot of chemistry from being from the same neighborhood in Brooklyn.
I wish I could speak to GSN about why they did what they did. When I got the call that they were going another direction, I was more than mildly upset, not to mention financially upset. I knew it wasn’t a money thing and you can’t help but take it to heart. I said the show wouldn’t be the same. Nothing against Kara Scott, but you fall into the mold of the other shows.
I know that the ratings [for “High Stakes Poker” Season 6] aren’t what they were. It doesn’t mean that I’m the best guy to have in your poker studio, but it means that Gabe and I had a chemistry that worked. The only problem with having a floor reporter is that it’s like having a sideline reporter in a football game. It’s hard to stick a microphone in someone’s face and ask them how they feel after they’ve gotten felted or lost $200,000. GSN knew they were doing something controversial, but I don’t think they understood how controversial it was until the show aired.
PND: How did “High Stakes Poker” change your broadcasting and media career?
A.J. Benza: When I was a journalist in New York, I was always doing television appearances. I came out to L.A. for a show on the E! Network called “Mysteries and Scandals” and that put me on the map in Hollywood as an on-air personality. I hosted a few other shows in Hollywood and was fortunate in that respect. By the same token, network executives step in and try to do things different ways. It taught me a lesson – that’s showbiz. It’s like the phrase “That’s poker.”
PND: What about the first five seasons of “High Stakes Poker” stands out the most and why?
A.J. Benza: I’ve gambled all my life on football and go to Las Vegas a lot. I never saw men and women that could be down a few hundred thousand dollars without any perspiration at all. I have a huge amount of respect for them. They’re all immensely talented. There is so much to learn about poker. It’s brutal, it’s messy, it’s very mathematical, and it’s a nasty game, but you have to be a gentleman about it.
PND: What’s next on your agenda?
A.J. Benza: I’m writing a screenplay. This all happened in the middle of me writing a book, so now I am balancing that as well. There are a few radio personalities doing things with me and I’m doing a play out in Hollywood. I’ve been busy.
PND: We’ve had a tidal wave of comments from PND readers calling for your return to “High Stakes Poker.” Is it flattering to see that kind of support from the poker community?
A.J. Benza: It’s beyond words. I didn’t know anything about high-stakes poker when I started. From reading TwoPlusTwo and other forums, poker players hated me. Gabe was off and running and I didn’t know much more than flop, turn, and river. Once I knew the game to an extent, I wanted to stay true to the guy at home who doesn’t know everything about poker. I wanted to be the armchair quarterback who asked the questions and let Gabe take it from there.
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