Top Celebrity Poker Players

Turn the channel to any high-stakes poker event, and chances are high that you’ll see at least one Hollywood celebrity in the thick of the action. With flexible schedules and larger-than-average bankrolls, celebrities have both the time and inclination to hone their poker playing skills in tournaments around the world. Some, of course, never rise above the rank of amateur, but others go on to become familiar faces in the world of poker. What follows is a list of ten of the best celebrity poker players in the world (listed in no particular order).

Ben Affleck - It’s hard to argue Affleck’s status as one of the best celebrity poker players in the world after he won the California State Poker Championship in June of 2004 (where he won $356,400). When he’s not acting in movies such as Daredevil or Armageddon, Affleck collects vintage video-arcade machines and has been known to take poker lessons from pros like Amir Vahedi and Annie Duke. His win at the California Championship also qualified him for a seat at the 2004 World Poker Tour final tournament.

Patrick Bruel - Patrick Bruel is a well-known French singer and actor, having performed in over 40 television and film productions and recorded numerous top-selling albums. He also happens to be a world-class poker player. So while he may go unrecognized by American movie audiences, poker players from around the world will instantly recognize his face. Why? Well, in 1998 Patrick picked up a World Series of Poker bracelet for winning the 1998 $5000 Limit Hold’em event. He has also placed in the money numerous times in WSOP events, and earned over $750,000 in live play events.

Jennifer Tilly - This Oscar-nominated actress has starred in such hits as The Fabulous Baker Boys and Bullets Over Broadway. However, she has publicly stated that she’s becoming more interested in poker than acting. One look at her accomplishments in the poker world and it’s easy to see why. In June of 2005, Tilly outlasted 600 other players and won her first World Series of Poker bracelet (and $158,625) in the Ladies' No-Limit Hold’em event, becoming the first celebrity to do so. She has also won the World Poker Tour Ladies Invitational Tournament and competed in Poker Royale, Poker Superstars, and Celebrity Poker Showdown.

Josh Malina - With acting credits such as Sports Night and The West Wing, Malina is a respected actor of both the stage and screen. He is also an avid poker player. In fact, when he was struggling to get his career off the ground, he would often play poker in order to have enough money to pay his rent. Now that he’s financially secure, Malina is spreading his love of poker by producing Bravo’s Celebrity Poker Showdown.

Matt Damon - After starring in the poker film Rounders, you might expect the world-famous Damon to know his way around a deck of cards. He’s a regular entrant in the annual World Series of Poker, and his most interesting WSOP story occurred back in 1998. Miramax Studios entered both he and Edward Norton in the WSOP Main Event ($10,000 buy-in) to promote the upcoming Rounders. Damon played well, but he was eliminated on the first day by poker legend Doyle Brunson after Damon’s pocket kings failed to beat Brunson’s pocket aces.

Tobey Maguire - In October of 2004, the star of the Spider-Man franchise demonstrated his poker skills by winning the first-ever Phil Hellmuth Invitational Poker Tournament. He also picked up $95,480 for the win, causing Andy Bellin to remark to Phil Hellmuth, “This kid could be a legitimate pro.” He has finished in the money in several other events and has received lessons from poker pro Daniel Negreanu. And keep in mind that he’s only been playing seriously since 2004.

James Woods - Having starred in movies such as Salvador and Another Day in Paradise, James Woods is one of America’s most respected actors. And not only is he a familiar face in poker rooms across the country, he’s also the face of a new poker site. Their selling point is that players have a chance to match poker wits with top stars like Woods. Not that matching wits with Woods is a good idea, considering he has a 180 I.Q. In 2006, Woods finished in 24th place out of 692 at the L.A. Poker Classic for $40,000.

Mimi Rogers - When she’s not starring in hits like Lost in Space and Austin Powers, Mimi Rogers moonlights as a pretty darn good poker player. Tom Cruise’s ex-wife took first place on an episode of Hollywood Home Game, and also finished in the money during the World Poker Tour’s Shooting Star Championship.

Wil Wheaton - One of the stars of Stand by Me and Star Trek: The Next Generation, Wheaton plays in big-money games in Los Angeles all the time, is a frequent participant in online poker rooms, and was even invited to play in the World Poker Tour Championship. He is also a member of Team PokerStars and played in the 2005 World Series of Poker.

Gabe Kaplan - Best known for his role on Welcome Back Kotter, Gabe Kaplan is such an accomplished poker player that most no longer regard him as a “celebrity” player. His first World Series of Poker appearance came in 1978. In 2004, he finished third at the World Poker Tour’s No Limit Hold’em event, winning more than $250,000 in the process. He has also taken second place in the World Series of Poker Limit Hold’em event. His career tournament poker earnings exceed $680,000. He also serves as an expert poker commentator, having appeared on such shows as the National Heads-Up Poker Championship, Intercontinental Poker Championship, and High Stakes Poker.

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Played holdem yesterday

and got my ass kicked by a fullhouse :(

Can You Make Money Gambling On The Internet?

We all love the idea of money growing on trees. We all want to find the quickest and easiest way to make money. With the massive growth of the internet, many possibilities for financial gain have emerged, one of them being online gambling.

So how effective is this? Can you really make money gambling on the internet? My answer would be yes and no. Your success at gambling online will very much depend on two factors:

1. What games you play.

2. Your level of skill at the game.

Whatever you do, ensure you avoid casino games. Always remember that casino games have a house edge, meaning that over the long-run, the casino will always take money from you. It’s simply not worth it - they are designed to guarantee that you lose if you play on a regular basis. Also bear in mind that it is incredibly easy in this day and age to upload more funds via credit card, so be wary of the addictive factor too.

This is why I would recommend a game of skill, such as poker, if you wish to make money gambling on the internet. Poker requires more skill than it does luck and, unlike casino games, will see you make money over the long-term, so long as you have developed the skill to play. Many poker websites are saturated by poor players - “fish” - who have seen poker on television and fancy playing a few games themselves. Your aim is to be better than these guys, simply by practicing established strategies and fine-tuning them until you find you are winning more money than you are investing.

However, with all that said, I think there are better ways to make money online - and they don’t require you to put a stake down to try them. Instead of investing your money in a playing fund, invest your money in a good ebook on blogging for cash. Instead of investing your time into learning gaming strategies, invest your time into learning all you can about blogging for money. Instead of gambling, invest your time in building blogs and monetising them.

Ultimately the aim is always the same - to make money online. If you wish to try to make money gambling on the internet, you’re more than welcome to try; just ensure you choose the right game. If, however, you’re just interested in the financial

Eight Tips for Selecting an Online Texas Holdem Poker Table

Online Texas holdem offers you a large number of options for selecting the table when you play poker online. This is in contrast to the live casino Holdem poker game where you have limited number of options for table selection. Since a large number of people form all over the world play Online Texas Holdem, you have more chances of selecting the right online poker table for you.

Online Texas Holdem-The Right Table Holds the Key to Success Here are some important tips that will help you select the right online Texas holdem table to improve your win percentage when you play online poker.

1. Select an Online Texas hold'em poker table where more people tend to commit mistakes because they increase your winning chances. If you are able to select such a table to play online poker, you are expected win more often.

2. Online Texas hold'em poker that you select must have the less skilled players. Even if you are an excellent poker player but playing on a table with more players matching your level reduces your chances of winning.

3. The chances of your winning reduce if you select an online Texas Holdem poker table that is too tight, too loose or too aggressive. According to poker pros, a loose- passive table is the best bet for playing poker online. Such a table for online holdem poker will have more callers and few raises before the flop.

4. An online Texas hold'em poker table that has lot of rises before the flop reduces your win margins because seeing the flop becomes an expensive affair on such tables.

5. If you play online Texas Holdem poker on a tight- passive table, your expected profits reduce considerably. However, such a table to play online holdem poker is more predictable and offers you the opportunity to steal the pot more often.

6. Remember that an online Texas holdem poker table where a large percentage of people see the flop is a looser table. If you are looking for a loose-passive table to play poker online, you should select the one with a higher flop percentage and an average pot size.

7. You have play tight on a ten-handed online Texas hold'em poker because there the competition is intense and you would have to show down your better hands. This is the reason why some players prefer six-handed tables to play online holdem poker. When you play in such tables, you have more chances of seeing the flop and winning.

8. Do not spend more than one hour on any online Texas holdem poker table. Increased time could lead diminishing concentration, which could adversely affect your game. Try to ensure that your average session online Texas hold'em poker should not exceed an hour.

Follow the aforementioned tips for selecting the right online Texas holdem table and witness your bankroll seeing a new high.

Top Ten Best Poker Tips

1. Know when to hold’em, and know when to fold’em

Most beginners play way too many starting hands; in fact top players typically play between 20-30% of their starting hands. When you're just starting out playing poker, you want to play poker, and that means staying in hands that aren't very good just to be part of the action. But playing more doesn't mean winning more – in fact it usually means losing more! Concentrate on higher value starting hands and help remove the luck element of the game.

2. Choose less skilful opponents

If you want to win money choose your opponents wisely. Although this sounds obvious you should play at the betting limits where you stand a better chance of beating the majority of players. Move down in limits if you are having difficulty winning money. Don’t be greedy and always leave your ego at the door.

3. Understand player position

Not only is it important to play strong hands, it is also important in what position you play them. For example, the ideal position is the Button - as you are last to act, and have the advantage of watching all of the betting action before you need to make a decision. If the action before you consists of a bet, a raise, and then a re-raise, and you, say, hold a pair of Tens, you might think that folding is the right decision.

4. Be unpredictable

Variation and unpredictability can be advantageous. Most good players/professionals can spot a really loose player by waiting for the nuts and being patient. However, an even easier opponent is a tight player or “rock”, who plays only the Group 1 type hands. You need to change your game up, and let them see that you can run bluffs, and can play some lower value starting hands.

5. Don't bluff just for bluffing's sake

Although most poker novices understand that bluffing is a part of poker, they are unsure exactly how. There's is no set rule saying that one must bluff a certain amount of times - or at all during a game, but many players don't feel like they've won unless they've tried a poker bluff that’s worked. Bluffs only work in certain situations and against certain people, and if you know a player always calls to the showdown, it is literally impossible to bluff that player. It's better never to bluff than to bluff just for the hell of it.

6. Don't play when in the wrong frame of mind.

When you play poker, you shouldn't do it when your depressed, angry or simply having a bad day. You will start playing emotionally, not rationally -- and as a result you won't play your best. Likewise, if during a poker game, you lose a big hand or get sucked out on and feel yourself going on tilt, stand up & take a break until you feel calm later on. Good players will sense your mood and take advantage of it.

7. Watch your opponents carefully

Always watch your opponents, especially when you are not in a hand. Watch how opponents bet and how much they bet and in what position are they betting. Learning how your opponents play is key. If you know that one player always raises in a certain position, and another has a poker tell when he bluffs and a third folds to every re-raise, you can use that information to help you decide how to play against them.

8. Pick the right game for your skill level

The main reason why you shouldn't jump into a $5/10 game after winning at $2/4 is because as the stakes rise, so will the average skill level of the players sitting there. You want to be one of the best players at the table and if you're making stacks of money at a lower level game, why move?

9. Don't Call at the End of a Hand

It may be worth seeing if a player really has the hand to attempt to gain information that will help you later on in the game, but if you really feel a player has the hand he's representing and you're already beaten, why give him even more of your money? These types of bets will add up over the course of an evening.

10. Read books and take notes

Learn how be a better poker player. If possible try and keep notes on what works and does not work for you, and eventually you will come up with a style of playing that does work. Read as much as you can about the game and keep on the look out for online tips from the professional tournament players.