Robert Williamson III | Jennifer Tilly | Phil Laak | Phil Hellmuth | Johnny Chan | Hollywood Dave Stann | Devilfish | Anthony Curtis | Freddy Deeb | Annie Duke | Monica Reeves | Antonio Esfandiari | Kenny Einiger | Layne Flack

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"Position is three times more important in EBJ as it is in poker and it's everything in poker."

- he loves hot sauce on everything, even beer.
- he idolizes Ronald Reagan.
- he ranks Braveheart as one of the best movies of all time.

Born in Dallas, Texas in 1970, raised in Granbury, and now living again in Dallas, Robert Williamson III started learning poker from his father at age five. Just a few years later he began playing Vegas with a bankroll of $10,000, even though he was under-aged. Not surprisingly, despite having graduated from Angelo State University in San Angelo, TX in 1994 with degrees in both finance and real estate, and working as a real estate developer and restaurateur, Williamson went on to become a professional gambler.

Nowadays the gregarious Robert Williamson III is famous in the poker circuit as an Omaha specialist, or "Mr. Omaha," due to his notable finishes in Omaha tournaments, including winning the 2002 WSOP Pot-Limit Omaha and taking 2nd in 2004 and 2005. In fact, Williamson's total lifetime earnings from Omaha tournaments exceed those of any person in the history of poker.

Although he certainly excels at tournaments, Williamson occasionally enjoys "side action," such as triple-draw lowball, mixed games ($100-$200 to $400-$800), and pot-limit $50-$100.

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"This new game of Elimination Blackjack tournaments is just insane. I love it."

- he has worked as a repo man and a real estate investor.
- he does push-ups when celebrating winning hands.
- he used to room with Antonio Esfandiari.

Phil Laak, born in Dublin, Ireland in 1972, was raised in Wellesley, Massachusetts, where he attended the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, and graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering. He worked as an engineer, a repo man, a real estate investor, and day trader before discovering his lucrative talent for professional backgammon at the age of 25.

In 1999, he turned his attention to poker. He spent a year playing underground clubs, until his friend, Antonio "The Magician" Esfandiari, convinced him to quit his job as a day trader and turn pro. Five years later, Phil "The Unabomber" Laak (so nicknamed because he always wears sunglasses and his trademark hooded sweatshirt, given to him by fellow poker professional Gus Hansen, at the table) won the World Poker Tour Invitational and made the final table in season two of the WPT Battle of Champions and the 2005 Five-Diamond World Poker Classic. He has also won the inaugural William Hill Poker Grand Prix, competed in numerous Poker Royale series and, in 2005, won against the "PokerProbot," the best poker robot in the world, and hosted Hollywood Hold 'Em on E!.

Phil currently splits his time between Los Angeles and San Francisco. Though his total live tournament winnings exceed $950,000, he still plays the stock market and deals in real estate.

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"Tournament blackjack is all about playing the guy on your right."

- he loves the show Alias.
- he's sometimes called 'Hell Mouth'.
- he's married to a psychologist.

Madison, Wisconsin-born Phil Hellmuth, Jr.'s poker career began shortly after his graduation from the University of Wisconsin. In 1989, at age 24, Hellmuth won his first World Series of Poker title, the youngest person to ever accomplish such a feat. Eleven WSOP victories and more than 50 tournament titles later, Hellmuth is well on his way to cementing his poker legacy.

After all of his success, it is no surprise that in 1996, Hellmuth's poker-playing peers voted him the "best all-around tournament poker player in the world" and Oakley eyewear and EA Sports called him a "poker icon."

The married father of two is the author of three books: Play Poker Like the Pros, Bad Beats and Lucky Draws and Texas Hold 'Em. Play Poker Like the Pros made The New York Times Bestseller List and has been translated into French and Czech. His autobiography, Poker Brat, is currently in the works.

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"I don't let anyone intimidate me. We're all players, we all get two cards, and we all make moves based on those two cards."

- she idolizes Madonna.
- she loves the movie Seven.
- she loves to vacation in St. Maarten.

Born and raised in Toronto, Ontario, Monica Reeves grew up in a family that loved to play all card games, except poker and blackjack. In 1994, she earned her dental hygienists' license at college in Syracuse, New York. A career in gambling seemed the farthest thing from her mind.

Until 2003, when Reeves met her poker boyfriend, Jim "KrazyKanuck" Worth, who exposed her to the world of poker. With his guidance, she quickly mastered the game and within nine months quit her job to play professionally.

Since then, Reeves has also become a force to be reckoned with on the blackjack tables, making her a double threat in the world of gambling.

When she isn't tearing up the tables, Monica spends time at home with her two boys aged five and eight, who think it is pretty cool to have a mom with this profession.

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"I play without fear."

- he was mentored by Huck Seed.
- he loves 80's music.
- that if he couldn't have become a professional gambler, he would have opted to become a professional bowler.

Born in South Dakota and raised in Montana, Layne Flack learned to play poker from his grandparents. Upon graduating high school, Flack worked at a casino as a dealer in Montana and spent his free time playing poker. While enrolled in college, studying business, Flack played poker to pay tuition and met fellow Montanan and poker pro, Huck Seed, who helped him improve his game. In 1997, at the age of 24, Flack dropped out of school and headed to Las Vegas. Six weeks later he played at the Horseshoe in the Hall of Fame tournament and won $68,000. It was the first time he had ever played in Vegas.

Encouraged, Flack continued on the poker circuit and met Johnny Chan, who became his mentor and backed his play through a few bad sessions. In 2002, Layne earned his poker nickname "Back-to-Back Flack" after he took two gold bracelets in consecutive World Series of Poker events, the $2,000 No-Limit Hold 'Em and the $1,500 No-Limit. He won more than $570,000 in two weeks.

Since then, Layne, who has become known for his aggressive style of play and has been described by Phill Hellmuth as a "no-limit poker genius," has crowded his resume with honors, which include seven more WSOP bracelets, a slew of first place finishes in major tournaments, and name recognition in the world of Elimination Blackjack. Now one of the world's best poker players and a legend before the age of 40, Layne's winnings exceed $3 million in tournament play alone.

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"Remember my name, baby - Einiger."

- his yellow jacket is his lucky charm.
- Piano Man by Billy Joel is his favorite record.
- he loves to vacation in Maui.

Brooklyn-born Ken Einiger moved with his family to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, at the age of ten. During the next 33 years there, he owned and operated numerous companies, began playing blackjack, including tournaments, and met the girl of his dreams, Kimberly.

In December of 1991, Ken won fifth place in the Riviera Casino's blackjack tournament and in 2001 took first place in the Mandalay Bay blackjack tournament. These wins were just the beginning.

In 2003, Ken, his wife and two Golden Retrievers moved to Las Vegas where he fulfilled some dreams, among them pursuing a gambling career and becoming the 2005 World Blackjack Champion.

To date, Ken has won over $1 million. He is also the creator of the best-selling book Play to Win and the DVD Truth About Blackjack. When Ken is not playing professionally, he is one of the most sought-after private blackjack tournament instructors in the world.

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"I think I'm the greatest in the world. The best. As good as it gets."

- he considers oranges his lucky charms.
- he appeared in the film Rounders as himself.
- he has six children.

Born in Canton (Guangzhou), China, Johnny Chan immigrated to the United States in 1968, where he eventually settled in Texas and attended the University of Houston. In the early eighties, at age 21, he dropped out of school and moved to Las Vegas to become a professional gambler.

Twenty-three years later, Chan, who is known for setting a lucky orange at the table in front of him during play, earned his status as a legend in the poker world, and his nickname "The Orient Express," by winning back-to-back World Series of Poker Championship titles in 1987 and 1988. In 2002, Chan became the first Chinese-born player to be inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame and just three years later, made history again when he became the first player to ever win ten WSOP bracelets.

Chan, who has won almost four million dollars to date, is the author of Play Poker Like Johnny Chan and Million Dollar Hold 'Em and made a cameo appearance in the 1998 film Rounders. Currently, Johnny owns a fast-food restaurant in the Las Vegas Stratosphere Hotel, writes for Card Player Magazine, and works as a consultant to casinos and game makers.

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"Part of my basic strategy is to get out while my hair still looks good, before my makeup starts to crack."

- she was born Jennifer E. Chan.
- she won an Oscar for her part in Woody Allen's Bullets Over Broadway.
- she was voted one of Celebrity Sleuth's 25 Sexiest Women.

Born in Harbor City, California, to a family of mixed Caucasian and Chinese heritage, Jennifer Tilly studied drama at Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri before moving to Los Angeles to pursue acting. Over the years Tilly, known for her distinctively breathy voice and generous curves, slowly built a name for herself in the film industry as both an actress and voiceover artist. In 1994, she appeared in Woody Allen's Bullets Over Broadway, for which she earned an Academy Award nomination.

In 1989, Tilly began playing poker in her spare time, a hobby sparked during the filming of the gambling comedy, Let It Ride. By 2003, her skills had improved enough to catch the attention of the World Poker Tour, which invited her to participate in the WPT Invitational tournament at the Commerce Casino.

In 2004, Tilly's gambling career took off when she appeared on Celebrity Poker Showdown. A year later she won the Ladies No-Limit Texas Hold 'Em event at the World Series of Poker and the WPT Ladies Night III, earning her the distinction of being the first celebrity to win a World Series event, the only person to win both a WSOP bracelet and a WPT title not to mention the only player who has ever been nominated for an Oscar.

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"There's nothing like telling the truth, even to your best friend, even if you hurt him. As long as you are honest and love people and treat everybody with respect, you will never have a problem."

- his birth name was Kassem.

Born Kassem Deeb in Beirut, Lebanon, Freddie Deeb emigrated to the United States at age 19 where he attended Utah State University. In 1975, civil war broke out in Lebanon. Deeb lost contact with his parents, who had been supporting him financially, for two years, and took up blackjack to pay the bills.

Known for his flamboyant style of dress and his wicked grin, Freddie Deeb won his first bracelet at the 1996 WSOP. Since then he's won the 2003 L.A. Poker Classic and the 2004 Festa al Lago II. He prefers to play in the big tournaments because "that's where the money is." A million dollars richer after winning the WPT Aruba Poker Classic in October 2005, Freddy is enjoying the attention he's getting. After gambling for 20 years, Freddy predicts that poker is only going to get bigger and that blackjack is just beginning to explode.

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"Playing online is cool. No risk, nobody's gonna shoot ya, you know?"

- he campaigns to ban smoking in poker tournaments.
- his first nickname was Dave the Clock.
- he plays a mean guitar.

A regular on the CBS blackjack show, David Ulliott was born and raised in Hull, England, where he discovered his talent for cards at a young age. He played against friends in a cemetery and later moved on to beating his father who, irate, put an end to the innocent games. But Ulliott continued to play and in 1996 was nicknamed "Devilfish" when he went up against Men "The Master" Nguyen. The next morning, headlines announced "Devilfish devours The Master."

In 1997, Ulliott took first place for a bracelet in the WSOP Pot-Limit Hold 'Em event and second place in the same event the following year. In January of 2002, Devilfish took first place in the Jack Binion World Poker Open Pot-Limit Omaha event and the following year came back to win the $10,000 buy-in No-Limit Hold 'Em main event worth $589,175. He is also a regular on the Ultimate Blackjack Tour and has proven his pro status over and over in Elimination Blackjack tournaments.

At the poker table, Devilfish is known for his distinctive style of dress, which consists of orange-tinted prescription sunglasses, a sharp suit, slick-backed hair and gold knuckleduster rings reading "devil" and "fish."

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"I'm an actor in my heart and my soul. Gambling was just something to pay the bills. I'm an artist, baby."

- his favorite subject in school was Shakespeare.
- he's a pinball wizard.
- he has been a member of Mensa since his teenage years.

Dave Stann, originally from Cleveland, Ohio, became a member of Mensa in his teenage years. After graduating from Kent State University with an Honors BFA Theater degree, Dave set out to pursue acting in Los Angeles. Needing a source of income between gigs, he turned to gambling, which proved a lucrative career that enabled him to combine his talent for mathematics with his unique tournament strategy, and his in-your-face camera presence. Thus "Hollywood" Dave, the undisputed Bad Boy of Blackjack, was born.

Since then Hollywood Dave has quite literally become the TV face of blackjack and is featured in over 50 episodes of gambling television, including two seasons as co-host of GSN's Celebrity Blackjack, as the resident antagonist on Spike TV's controversial King of Vegas, and most recently as the bad boy on the CBS blackjack show, Ultimate Blackjack Tour.

Hollywood Dave has already won over $500,000 and can always be found counting cards in casinos around the world.

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"Playing an EBJ tournament was more exciting than a poker tournament, because there's no slow period:
it's just boom, boom, boom, boom, boom."

- he was born Amir Esfandiari.
- he wants to open a high class restaurant.
- he's a former roommate of Phil Laak's.

Born Amir Esfandiari in Tehran, Iran, Esfandiari moved to San Jose, California with his family at the age of nine where he eventually changed his first name to Anthony. At age 19, he left college to become a professional magician and changed his name again to Antonio.

At age 21, Esfandiari turned his attention to poker, and in 2004 won close to $1.4 million at the Commerce Casino. Shortly thereafter he became the youngest player ever to win a televised WPT event. He is also one of only 17 players to ever win both a WSOP bracelet and the L.A. Poker Classic.

Esfandiari is the author of "In the Money" a must-have strategy guide for poker enthusiasts. He has appeared in the second series of Poker Superstars Invitational Tournament and is currently featured in GSN's High Stakes Poker. As of 2006, Antonio's total live tournament winnings exceeded $2,400,000.

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"I don't believe in luck. I don't even think it exists. What you see are deviations and probability. You see the bell curve in action."

- he was mentored by Stanford Wong.
- he loves to vacation in Mission Beach, SD.
- he considers N9NE in Las Vegas his favorite restaurant.

Growing up in Detroit, Michigan, Anthony Curtis had always shown a talent for math. When he was 16, a family friend gave him Charles Einstein's How to Win at Blackjack. Curtis was hooked and decided that he would one day move to Las Vegas and play games for a living. Sure enough, five years later, in 1979, after practicing card counting for hours every day, he dropped out of UCLA, which he'd attended on a wrestling scholarship, and headed to Las Vegas.

Over the next 15 years, Curtis developed his skills at blackjack. His top wins include the Las Vegas Blackjack Championship, the World Matchplay Blackjack Championship and the Atlantic City Craps Championship. He has appeared as a casino expert on Dateline NBC and 48 Hours, has been the subject of articles in myriad publications and is the author of numerous books on the gaming industry, including Bargain City-Booking and The Art of Gambling.

By 1989, Curtis had card-counted his way to enough money to bankroll Huntington Press, his publishing house, which prints how-to-gamble books. These days, Curtis only takes part in a few high-stakes tournaments, preferring to spend time on his company.

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"I don't think I've worked any harder than anybody else on this planet or that I deserve what I have more. I'm just really lucky."

- she attended Columbia University.
- is the sister of Howard Lederer.
- she sports a tattoo of old botanical drawings across her lower back, which wraps around her sides.

Born and raised in Concord, New Hampshire, Annie Duke attended Columbia at the age of 18 and later enrolled as a graduate student at the University of Pennsylvania for Cognitive Psychology.

In 1991, Duke proposed to an old friend, Ben Duke, and packed up her life for Billings, CO. Living in romantic poverty with her husband, Duke began to play poker to pay the mortgage.

In 1994, her brother, famed poker player Howard Lederer, convinced Duke to try her hand at the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas. She placed 13th in her first tournament, knocking her brother out of play. Soon after, Duke and her husband moved to Las Vegas so she could pursue poker professionally.

Over the course of the next decade, Duke established herself as one of the best poker players in the world by winning her first WSOP bracelet and knocking out eight of the worlds' greatest poker legends in the WSOP Tournament of Champions.

In late 2005, Duke's hit autobiography, Annie Duke: How I raised, folded, bluffed, flirted, cursed and won millions at the World Series of Poker, hit shelves. Besides appearing on the CBS blackjack show, Ultimate Blackjack Tour, she now serves as a consultant and coaches the likes of Ben Affleck and Matt Damon on their poker game.

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