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Chad "Downtown" Brown

Date: Wed, Oct 1, 2008


Chad Brown, originally uploaded by pokerwire.




Chad Brown is an American actor, poker player and commentator, based in Los Angeles, California. Chad Brown was born in Manhattan, New York in 1961. Brown was raised in The Bronx, where he began playing poker in Italian cafés. Chad Brown moved to Los Angeles in the early 1990s where he began working in Hollywood. Chad Brown has had some minor roles in television series and films, including Basket Case 2 and Miami Hustle. Chad Brown also appeared as an assistant host on the game show Caesars Challenge in the early 1990s. His poker nickname is "Downtown" Chad Brown.

Chad Brown is the presenter of the Ultimate Poker Challenge television series. Chad Brown has finished in the money at several events in the World Series of Poker (WSOP), including third in the 2002 $1,500 Omaha hi-lo split event, second to Ted Forrest in the 2004 $1,500 seven-card stud event and second in the 2005 $2,000 seven-card stud hi-lo event. Chad Brown made back to back final tables at 2005 World Series of Poker circuit events, including a third place finish behind Chris Ferguson and Prahlad Friedman. Chad Brown made another circuit event final table in 2006.

Chad Brown also made the final table of the World Poker Tour fourth season Bay 101 Shooting Stars Tournament, where he finished 6th. Brown won one of the biggest online poker tournaments in the 2006 World Championship of Online Poker $5000 H.O.R.S.E. event. Chad Brown bested 174 other players to take down the $223,125 first prize and a gold bracelet. He made the finals of the NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship, defeating Yosh Nakano, Gabe Kaplan, Brad Booth, Kristy Gazes, and Gavin Smith before losing to Paul Wasicka 2-0 in the best-of-three final.

In 2007, Brown cashed in the money for the first time in the $10,000 no limit Texas hold'em championship coming in 97th place out of a field of 6,358 players, winning $67,535.

As of 2008, Chad Brown's total live tournament winnings exceed $2,300,000.

Chad Brown is engaged to professional poker player and attorney Vanessa Rousso.

Official site
Chad Brown at the Internet Movie Database
PokerLizard.com interview
Hendon Mob tournament results



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Brandi Williams

Date: Tue, Sep 30, 2008





Brandi Williams is widely recognized in the poker community as the sexy host of the hit series Ultimate Poker Challenge. Even though she shares co-hosting duties, it is apparent that the camera loves her, as she seems to get more air-time than anyone else.

Brandi Williams grew up in Perryopolis, Pennsylvania and after a stint as a cheerleader for the Arizona Cardinals she moved to Las Vegas in her early twenties. Brandi Williams has worked in television alongside noted personalities Ryan Seacrest, Alan Thicke, and Donny Osmond. Her credits include appearances on Entertainment Tonight, E! Entertainment network, acting as hostess for NYE Live on MSNBC, and for two years acted as a reporter for the morning news show on the station KTLA. She also signed a deal to be the host on LiveVideo.com.

Brandi Williams has been dubbed "The Queen of Hearts" and the "Princess of Poker" by numerous popular gambling magazines. At only 24 years old, she was named ‘One of the 50 Sexiest Women of 2005’ by the long-running Femme Fatales magazine.

In 2004, Brandi Williams helped host America’s Party: New Years Live From Las Vegas, a show to ring in the New Year that featured musical acts and performances. Brandi Williams has had a starring role in her first movie, Pretty Cool Too, where in the tradition of the classic Weird Science, she played a 3D woman acting as a Guidance Navigational Expert in a cell phone that helps a loser guy straighten up his life. She also has several more big-screen roles in the works, including films ‘Glass’, ‘Let’s Ride’, and Tommy Hilfiger’s ‘Rags’.

Brandi Williams got her boost of fame from the series Ultimate Poker Challenge. When the show premiered, it quickly became a hit and eventually went on to become one of the largest poker shows in syndication. The premise of the show is that each week represents a tournament with the players competing for a seat in the semi-finals. The players can qualify based on their points leaderboard for their finishing positions. In the show, Brandi acts as co-host with actor Chad Brown. Brandi Williams provides player interviews and into and out-of commercial breaks. The show has featured big poker names such as Chris Ferguson, Jennifer Harman, and Phil Laak. After four seasons, the show has been a viewer favorite in the ratings.

Official Website
Pokerpages.com Profile

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Cindy Margolis

Date: Mon, Sep 29, 2008


Cindy Margolis, originally uploaded by MBS1983.




Cynthia Dawn "Cindy" Margolis is an American glamour spokesmodel and actress. Cindy Margolis was born October 1, 1965 in Los Angeles, California of Jewish heritage. According to an interview in Playboy, Cindy Margolis career began with a business class project on greeting cards at California State University, Northridge, where she produced cards with a photograph of herself wearing lingerie and including her phone number. Her modeling career took off when agents started asking about the woman on the cards. Cindy Margolis has modeled in advertising for companies such as Reebok, Vidal Sassoon, Coors, Frederick's of Hollywood, Hanes, and Sunkist. She was Miss Makita Power Tools 1986 and did appearances at woodworking trade shows.

Cindy Margolis was married to restaurateur Guy Starkman. Following in-vitro fertility treatment, she gave birth to a son Nicholas Isaac in 2002. Twin daughters Sabrina and Sierra were born in 2005 via a surrogate mother. She and Starkman divorced in 2008.

Cindy Margolis first began playing poker when her husband and several of his friends got together for a game. She was inspired by Chris Moneymaker’s big victory at the World Series of Poker and was soon hooked. In 2005, she began hosting World Poker Tour’s online site Chipleaders.com.

By 2006, Poker Royalty signed Cindy up to act as a poker representative for functions and events. She also helped kick-off Phil Hellmuth’s fantasy poker camp ‘Camp Hellmuth’ at the PURE nightclub at Caesar’s Palace. In 2006 Cindy signed agreements to represent the online site Tropical Poker at all press releases, poker events, and appearances that she made. She also launched her own site, CindyPoker.com. Cindy Margolis site boasted a VIP lounge accessible only to members that features exclusive photos of Cindy and poker celebrities at tournaments and events. The VIP Lounge was a unique concept in a sea of copycat poker rooms.

Cindy Margolis has become a recognized poker celebrity. In 2007, Cindy Margolis played on ESPN’s televised Pro-Am Equalizer tournament. The concept of the tournament was that each table featured four professionals and two celebrities. To give the celebrities a better chance, they started with half again more chips than the pros. The event featured players such as Phil Ivey, Erick Lindgren, Chris Ferguson, and Howard Lederer. On the celebrity side, there were names such as Don Cheadle, Shannon Elizabeth, Jose Conseco, and Jennifer Tilly.

Cindy Margolis has played in numerous World Series of Poker events. Cindy Margolis has also hosted several tournaments as well as appeared on the cover of Woman Poker Player magazine. Her popularity has made her a highly sought-after representative for events and tournaments and she makes an ideal choice as the sexy poster girl for the poker industry.

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Isabelle "No Mercy" Mercier

Date: Mon, Sep 29, 2008


Isabelle Mercier, originally uploaded by pokerwire.




Isabelle Mercier is a professional poker player. Isabelle Mercier was born August 5, 1975 in Victoriaville, Quebec.

Isabelle Mercier originally learned to player poker as a child, but prior to turning to a poker career, she earned an undergraduate law degree from the Université de Montréal and practiced commercial law for six months. Isabelle Mercier then moved to Paris, France and earned a Masters Degree while working as the poker room manager at the Aviation Club de France, before turning to poker full-time. During her time working at the Aviation Club she was nominated for Staff Person of the Year twice at the European Poker Awards.

Isabelle Mercier first made a name for herself by finishing in second place in the $800 No Limit hold 'em tournament at the Masters Classic of Poker 2002 in Amsterdam, where she earned $53,499.

In 2004, Isabelle Mercier won the World Poker Tour (WPT) Ladies' Night tournament to win the $25,000 first prize, where Mike Sexton nicknamed her "No Mercy."

In 2005, Isabelle Mercier finished tenth in the European Poker Tour (EPT) Grand Final in Monte Carlo, earning $23,090, and outlasting players such as World Series of Poker (WSOP) runner-up Julian Gardner, WPT multi-tournament winner Gus Hansen, WPT season 2 champion Martin De Knijff and Barny Boatman.

Also in 2005, she had three money finishes at the WSOP. Isabelle Mercier made her first EPT final table in February 2006 in Deauville, finishing seventh at a final table also featuring Ram Vaswani and Kirill Gerasimov.

Isabelle Mercier has her own instructional DVD and appeared in the documentary That's Poker. In January 2008, she released her own biography: Profession : bluffeuse (Profession: Bluffer), in Montreal and printed in France by Flammarion.

A member of the PokerStars online poker cardroom's "Team PokerStars" group of sponsored players, Isabelle Mercier's total live tournament winnings exceed $695,000 as of 2008.

Isabellemercier.com Official Site
Team PokerStars profile: Isabelle Mercier
Hendon Mob tournament results: Isabelle Mercier
Sporting Life interview
TexasHoldemForums.com interview



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T.J. Cloutier

Date: Mon, Sep 29, 2008


TJ Cloutier, originally uploaded by pokerwire.




Thomas James Cloutier is a professional poker player from Albany, California. T.J. Cloutier was born October 13, 1939. T.J. Cloutier was inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame in 2006.

T.J. Cloutier attended the University of California, Berkeley on an athletic scholarship for American football and baseball and played in the Rose Bowl in 1959. However, he later dropped out because of family financial hardship.

T.J. Cloutier was drafted into the U.S. Army. After the Army, he played football in the Canadian Football League for Toronto and Montreal, but an injury cut his career short.

T.J. Cloutier then started a food company, but it was not successful, so he moved to Texas to work on oil rigs. On his off days he began to play poker, and quit his job after realizing that he was winning more money playing poker than working. T.J. Cloutier started playing poker when he was a caddy at a golf course and played poker after the rounds.

T.J. Cloutier specializes in playing tournament poker, especially No Limit and Pot Limit Hold'em. T.J. Cloutier is the only person in the history of the World Series of Poker (WSOP) to have won events in all three types of Omaha played at the World Series - (Pot Limit High, Limit High, and Limit 8-or-Better High-low split).

Despite winning dozens of tournaments, he has never won the main event of the World Series of Poker, although he has placed four times in the top 5, including two 2nd place finishes in 1985 and 2000.

T.J. Cloutier also plays in World Poker Tour (WPT) events, where his highest finish to date was 3rd place in the 2003 Legends of Poker event won by Mel Judah.

T.J. Cloutier has also featured in the Ultimate Poker Challenge, the National Heads-Up Poker Championship, Poker Superstars Invitational Tournament and Poker Royale: Battle of the Ages.

T.J. Cloutier is currently second to Phil Hellmuth (40) for the most all-time WSOP final table finishes record, with 39.

As of 2008, his total live tournament winnings exceed $9,300,000.

WSOP Bracelets
Year Tournament Prize
1987 $1,000 Limit Omaha Hi $72,000
1994 $1,500 Limit Omaha 8 or Better $135,000
1994 $2,500 Pot Limit Hold'em $163,000
1998 $2,500 Pot Limit Omaha Hi $136,000
2004 $1,500 Seven Card Razz $90,500
2005 $5,000 No Limit Hold'em $657,100

Cloutier is the co-author (together with Tom McEvoy) of four books:
Championship Tournament Practice Hands
Championship Holdem
Championship Omaha
Championship No-Limit and Pot Limit Hold'em.

In May 2006, T.J. Cloutier released How To Win The Championship: Hold'em Strategies For The Final Table, a book covering tournament strategy with an emphasis on the final few tables. T.J. Cloutier also writes for Card Player Magazine.

Official Site
Pokerbaron Interview
Hendon Mob tournament results



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Stuart "The Donator" Paterson

Date: Mon, Sep 29, 2008


Stuart Paterson, originally uploaded by pokerwire.



Stuart "The Donator" Paterson plays online at Full Tilt Poker. Stuart Paterson was born in Freeport, Grand Bahamas but moved to Florida at a young age so that he could attend school in the U.S. Stuart Paterson got into poker pretty much by accident. was winning a lot of money betting sports when, after a good session one day, he took his winnings and sat down at a poker table. That money was lost; yet, Stuart was hooked.

Stuart Paterson online nickname is "The Donator". He is sponsored by Full Tilt Poker and is a member of Team Full Tilt.

Over the next couple years, Stuart Paterson worked hard on his poker game. After three years, his game was starting to gel. Stuart began playing online at FullTiltPoker.com against guys like Phil Ivey and John D'Agostino, and soon was holding his own against the poker greats.

During this time, Stuart Paterson befriended poker professionals like Robert and Michael "The Grinder" Mizrachi, and Josh Arieh. He listened to their sage advice and it completely transformed his game.

This year, Stuart Paterson had his first big win at a live tournament when he took sixth place at the Borgota Poker Classic. Recently, Stuart Paterson cashed in the Main Event at the 2006 World Series of Poker.

When Stuart's not playing in live tournaments, he spends as much time as possible going to sporting events. Being from Boca Raton, his favorite teams are the Dolphins and the Heat. Stuart graduated from Florida Atlantic University with a degree in business management. Like the way he transitioned from the sports book to poker, Stuart plans to move to a career in business after a few more years on the felt.

01/14/2008 - Stuart Paterson came in 1st place and won $93,250 in the $1000 buy-in, $1K Monday on FullTiltPoker.

7/19/2008 - Stuart Paterson came in 1st place and won $19,448 in the $100 buy-in, $60,000 Guarantee (Rebuy) on FullTiltPoker.

05/02/2008 - Stuart Paterson came in 1st place and won $20,979 in the $162 buy-in, The Nightly Hundred Grand [$162 NLHE] on PokerStars,

Official Site
Full Tilt Poker Site
Cardplayer.com Profile
Pocketfives.com Profile
HendonMob results

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Kevin "BeL0WaB0Ve" Saul

Date: Mon, Sep 29, 2008


Kevin Saul, originally uploaded by pokerwire.




Kevin Saul is an American professional poker player from Forest Park, Illinois. was born May 25, 1980. Kevin Saul is known for playing online under the name "BeL0WaB0Ve" on PokerStars, Bodog and UltimateBet and "GetPWN3D" on Full Tilt Poker, became more widely known outside the online poker community in 2007 when he won the World Poker Tour (WPT) Bellagio Cup III Championship after defeating Mike Matusow during heads-up play, earning him the first place prize of $1,342,320

On 08/14/2008 - $322 buy-in, Hold'em No Limit on FullTiltPoker, Finished in 2nd place for $167,843.00

08/12/2008 - $1060 buy-in, Hold'em No Limit on FullTiltPoker, Finished in 4th place for $105,000.00

08/20/2008 - $100 buy-in, $100,000 Guarantee (Rebuy) on FullTiltPoker, Finished in, 1st place for $34,650.00

Kevin "BeL0WaB0Ve" Saul is also a guest instructor, along with other online professionals such as Eric Lynch at PokerXFactor.com, an online poker training center headed by Cliff Josephy and Eric Haber.

As of 2008, Kevin Saul's total live tournament winnings exceed $1,700,000

Kevin "BeL0WaB0Ve" Saul Wins Bellagio Cup III
Hendon Mob tournament results
Cardplayer.com Kevin Saul: Profile
Pocketfives.com profile



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Kenna "Cowboy" James

Date: Mon, Sep 29, 2008


Kenna James, originally uploaded by pokerwire.




"Cowboy" Kenna James is an American professional poker player who currently resides in Los Angeles, California. Kenna James was born December 18, 1963 in Chicago, Illinois. James is recently divorced from fellow poker professional Marsha Waggoner.

Kenna James works with the Screaming Eagle Poker League and The Wounded Warrior Project. Kenna James donates 1% of all his tournament winnings to the Wounded Warrior Project in the name of the Screaming Eagle Poker League, and in 2006 he hosted a charity poker tournament that raised $70,000 for the organization.

Kenna James got his introduction to cards dealing at Hollywood Park Casino in Los Angeles in 1996. At that time he started playing $1-2 limit hold’em. In six months he became a tournament director for HPC and had moved up to the big game…$3-6! It was the beginning of 1997 when Kenna started playing in $20 to $100 buy-in tournaments around southern California.

A jack of many trades Kenna James decided to become a master of one, poker. With only a few years of experience playing in low limit games, Kenna James decided to turn pro and took a job as a proposition player at Crystal Park Casino in LA in1999. More then a few times Kenna went to the felt and came up with nothing but lint in the pockets. “I surrounded myself with good people and developed good friendships and that was the key for me in surviving some tough times.”

Kenna James has traveled the world many times over playing and directing poker. Kenna James has traveled to Austria, Amsterdam, England, Russia, Spain, Australia and Germany to name a few. Winning over a million dollars in major tournaments around the world he is considered one of the top pros on the Professional Poker Tour today. Kenna is on a hot streak right now.

Kenna James recent finishes are 2nd in a WP T event, The Legends of Poker, at the Bicycle Club Casino for $588,000 , 7th in the Monte Carlo Millions for $100,000 and 9th at the Aussie M illions for $85,000 Down Under in Australia, $242,000 1st place win o ver the "Grinder" at the LA Poker Classic and 2nd in the Party Poker Million worth $700,000 .

Kenna James has been on television numerous times both as a player and as a commentator but perhaps is most remembered for burying his head in his jacket and zipping up against Howard Lederer on ESPN’s coverage of the 2003 World Series of Poker.

Kenna James has finished in the money at twelve World Series of Poker events as of 2006. Of these, the only final table appearance was 4th place in the 2003 $2,500 no limit Texas hold'em event, for which he won $36,140.

Kenna James was the only player to win two satellite tournaments for the first season of the Ultimate Poker Challenge. Kenna James was eliminated from the semi-finals by Jennifer Harman when his pocket Kings ran into pocket Aces.

In August 2005, Kenna James finished in second place behind Alex Kahaner at the World Poker Tour Legends of Poker $5,000 No Limit hold 'em tournament, earning a $588,210 prize.

In March 2006, Kenna James finished second to Mike Schneider in the fifth annual PartyPoker Million Cruise. Kenna James received $700,000 for this finish.

Kenna James most recent victory came in February 2006 at the LA Poker Classic when he won $242,251 playing no limit hold 'em.

As of 2008, Kenna James total live tournament winnings exceed $3,100,000.

Official site
American Poker Player Magazine feature
Hendon Mob tournament results
PokerListings.com Player Profile



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Liz "Poker Diva" Lieu

Date: Mon, Sep 29, 2008


APPT Macau 2007: Liz Lieu, originally uploaded by APPT - Asia Pacific Poker Tour.




Liz Lieu is a Vietnamese professional poker player. Liz Lieu wasborn August 2, 1974 in Vietnam. Her sense of style and love of clothing earned her the nickname "Poker Diva".

Liz Lieu was primarily a limit Texas hold 'em cash games player for a number of years, before embracing tournament play at the 2005 World Series of Poker. When John Phan encouraged her to enter the $1500 no-limit hold'em event, she ended up in fifth place with over $168,000 in prize money. Liz Lieu went on to place 12th in the $5000 no-limit hold'em event the same year and cashed in the $3000 tournament as well.

The next stop was the Bellagio's 2005 Festa Al Lago tournament, where Liz Lieu placed fourth in the $2500 no limit hold'em event and 16th in two other top tournaments in the series, taking home more than $80,000 for less than a week's worth of work. Liz Lieu went on to finish in the top ten spots at the World Poker Finals, Five Diamond World Poker Classic, and the Gold Strike World Poker Open.

Liz Lieu's first tournament win came at the 2006 L.A. Poker Classic at Commerce Casino, where she won the $1000 limit hold'em event. Her second tournament win came when she won the same event in 2007.

In 2006, Liz Lieu was honored by the WSOP and ESPN as a "Final Table Grand Marshall" along with Johnny Chan.
Back in September 2007 Lieu signed an exclusive partnership with Chilipoker and acts as an Ambassador for the poker room.

Liz Lieu has donated 20% of her tournament earnings to charity since her first cash in 2005. Liz splits her time between L.A., Las Vegas and London since July 2007. She has worked as a casino dealer and speaks Chinese, Vietnamese and English.

As of 2008, Liz Lieu has earned over $690,000 in live tournament play.

Official site
Pokerlistings.com profile
TexasHoldemForums.com interview
InsidePoker magazine interview
Hendon Mob Database: Liz Lieu



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Amarillo Slim Preston

Date: Mon, Sep 29, 2008


Amarillo Slim Preston, originally uploaded by pokerwire.



Thomas Austin Preston, Jr. known as Amarillo Slim, is a professional gambler, famous for his poker skills and proposition bets. Amarillo Slim Preston wasborn December 31, 1928 in Johnson, Arkansas.

Amarillo Slim Preston won the main event at the 1972 World Series of Poker. Amarillo Slim has been a member of the Poker Hall of Fame since 1992.

In 1973, Amarillo Slim Preston and Bill G. Cox authored Play Poker to Win, published by Grosset and Dunlap. a revised edition was published by HarperCollins in 2005 as Amarillo Slim's Play Poker to Win.

In May 2003, Amarillo Slim Preston published his autobiography Amarillo Slim in a World Full of Fat People, where he revealed tales of playing poker with Larry Flynt, Lyndon Johnson, and Richard Nixon, among others. The book is the basis for a biopic under development by Nicolas Cage since 2004; Cage will reportedly play Preston, and Miloš Forman is scheduled to direct.

In April 2007, Amarillo Slim Preston opened a website and released an E-Book All In: An E-guide To No Limit Texas Hold'em, by Amarillo Slim.

Amarillo Slim Preston is divorced, has three children, and currently resides in Amarillo, Texas. Preston was the best friend of casino owner Benny Binion; when Binion died in 1989, he left his horse to Preston.

Since 2003, Amarillo Slim Prestonhas had several encounters with the law, both as convicted misdemeanor and as robbery victim.

In August 2003, Amarillo Slim Preston was indicted on three charges of indecency with a 12-year-old family member. The charges were reduced to misdemeanor assault in a plea bargain and on February 10, 2004, he pled guilty to the reduced charges, receiving a $4,000 fine and two years deferred adjudication.

Early on the morning of October 4, 2006, Preston was approached on a street by a would-be robber. He sped away, but not before the gunman fired three bullets at his car. Preston was not injured. On January 28, 2007, Preston was robbed at gunpoint in his own home.

Before becoming a well-known tournament player, Amarillo Slim Preston was a rounder, touring the United States looking for gambling action along with Doyle Brunson and Sailor Roberts.

Following his WSOP victory he appeared on several talk shows, including The Tonight Show, and had a bit part in the 1974 Robert Altman movie California Split. Amarillo Slim Preston appeared on I've Got a Secret, where his secret involved losing $190,000 in one night of poker.

As of 2008, Amarillo Slim Preston has a total of four WSOP bracelets, including two in Omaha, with his most recent WSOP win in 1990. He has won over $590,000 in tournament play.

In January/February 1980 Amarillo Slim hosted the Second Annual Poker Classic which became the second most prestigious poker tournament during its time. This series would eventually be called the Super Bowl of Poker and would continue until 1990. Gabe Kaplan became the first tournament winner of this series.[4], and Stu Ungar won the title three times.

World Series of Poker bracelets
Year Tournament Prize (US$)
1972 $10,000 No Limit Hold'em World Championship $60,000
1974 $1,000 No Limit Hold'em $11,100
1985 $5,000 Pot Limit Omaha $85,000
1990 $5,000 Pot Limit Omaha $142,000

Official Site



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Joe "The Elegance" Beevers

Date: Sun, Sep 28, 2008


Joe Beevers, originally uploaded by pokerwire.




Joseph Charles "The Elegance" Beevers is an English professional poker player and a member of The Hendon Mob. Joe Beevers was born 9 December 1967 in Marylebone, London)

Joe Beevers nickname "The Elegance" originates from the lifestyle he has been able to live through his poker winnings. Joe Beevers drives a Porsche 911 with the personalised number-plate Joe 911. In fact, Beevers is the only member of The Hendon Mob who kept his original nickname given by Victoria Coren in the first article on them, in the Evening Standard in September 2000. Joe Beevers is a season ticket holder at West Ham United F.C.

Joe Beevers lives in Hendon with his wife Claire, whom he married at the Bellagio in Las Vegas, Nevada at the conclusion of the 2005 WSOP. Joe Beevers has twin daughters, born February 21, 2006 named Millie and Lola.

During his lengthy poker career, Beevers became one of the pioneers of poker on television by appearing in every series of Late Night Poker, where he made a record 3 grand finals.Joe Beevers also won the 2007 Poker Million and finished runner-up in two further televised poker events.

Beevers' father taught him how to count cards in blackjack from age 10. His father also taught Joe Beevers how to work out permutations and probabilities on a Sinclair ZX81 computer. Beevers left school at age 16, and became a part of a card-counting team with his father and two others at age 18. They often played at the Sergeant Yorkes Casino in Luton, where they found a croupier who often paid out 3-1 on blackjacks, and sometimes also paid out when a player's hand was bust. The team eventually stopped playing as their success led to Beevers being banned from 4 London casinos, and his father being banned from 19. Between them they were banned from 21 out of 23 London casinos. They also went to gamble on horse racing events about three times a week.

Joe Beevers worked first for NatWest then for Citibank in Hammersmith. Joe Beevers went on to attend Middlesex University as a mature student towards of the end of his 4 years playing regular blackjack, and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Honour's degree in Finance and Accounting at the age of 24.

Around this time, Beevers placed dog racing bets for future Hendon Mobster Ram Vaswani in Harrow, and they later met in Luton, starting an ongoing friendship.

Joe Beevers began playing poker by entering a $10 pot limit stud rebuy poker tournament during a blackjack session in Luton. He went on to regularly play in a seven-card stud game in North London, where he estimates he won $35,000 to start his bankroll. By the time he finished university, he was earning well enough from playing poker and giving lessons to teachers and other students that he never returned to office work.

Prior to the emergance of televised poker, Beevers ran private poker games with Ram Vaswani. They played much pot limit Omaha there, which Beevers considers to be his preferred poker variant. It was in this game that they met Barny and Ross Boatman, the other two members of the Hendon Mob. Beevers began to travel to tournaments and won his first major event in Amsterdam in 1997. Upon winning, Beevers called his flatmate at 3am and sang Queen's "We Are the Champions" down the phone to him.

Beevers and the rest of The Hendon Mob were invited by Nic Szeremeta to appear in the brand new Late Night Poker television series, and supported the then-questionable idea of using a hole cam to make poker into a spectator sport. Beevers appeared in all 6 series of the show, and is tied with Dave Colclough for a record 10 appearances. Beevers made the Grand Final in seasons 1,4 and 5.

Beevers was the first member of The Hendon Mob to cash in a World Series of Poker (WSOP) event, placing 14th in the $2,500 pot limit Texas hold 'em event in the 1996 World Series of Poker.

Joe Beevers also finished as the runner-up both to Jimmy White in the 2003 Poker Million and to Xuyen Pham in The Gaming Club World Poker Championship. He also finished on the TV bubble of the World Poker Tour (WPT) season 3 championship and finished in the money of the 2005 WSOP $10,000 no limit hold'em main event.

Joe Beevers major titles include:

$2500 No Limit Hold'em, Great British Poker Tour - Grand Final 2007 Hold'em 100, 2000
$200 pot limit Omaha, British Open 2002
$1,000 no limit hold'em, Irish Open 2003
$300 pot limit hold'em, Poker Classics 2003
$5,000 no limit hold'em, Four Queens Poker Classic 2004 Poker Nations Cup 2007 Poker Million

As of 2007, Joe Beevers total live tournament winnings exceed $2,300,000.

He is sponsored by Full Tilt Poker.

Full Tilt Poker Site
Official Site
The HendonMob Website
Hendon Mob tournament results



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Kristy Gazes

Date: Sun, Sep 28, 2008


Kristy Gazes, originally uploaded by pokerwire.




Kristy Gazes is a professional poker player originally from California. Kristy Gazes was born October 28, 1967.

Kristy Gazes has been playing poker since 1986. Kristy Gazes made a living for years as a high stakes cash game player in Los Angeles, California.

Kristy Gazes preference for high-low split and mixed games like H.O.R.S.E and H.O.S.E. has earned her the nickname "Mixed Games". She made the 2002 World Series Of Poker S.H.O.E. final table.

Kristy Gazes biggest career win came in 2005, when she took first place in the Full Tilt Poker Championship at the Wynn Las Vegas, besting a live televised final table that included among others Ted Forrest, Clonie Gowen and Daniel Negreanu. Kristy Gazes took a $250,000 payout for her victory.

In 2003, Kristy Gazes won the World Championship of Online Poker Omaha high low split title.

Kristy Gazes made multiple final tables during the first season of the Ultimate Poker Challenge and appeared as a guest commentator on that program. Kristy Gazes appeared in the GSN series Poker Royale Battle of the Sexes.

In 2007, Kristy Gazes made two final tables at the Aussie Millions, the Main Event & Pot Limit Omaha event, taking home over $230,000.

In August 2007, Kristy Gazes won the World Poker Tour Season Six Ladies Invitational.

As of 2008, Kristy Gazes live tournament winnings exceed $910,000.

Kristy was formerly married to poker pro Bill Gazes.

In recent years she has shifted her career focus from poker to the stock market and now owns a successful options trading business.

Official site
fulltiltpoker.com profile
Hendon Mob tournament results
pokerbeauties.com profile



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Charles "Chip" Jett

Date: Sun, Sep 28, 2008


Chip Jett, originally uploaded by pokerwire.




Charles "Chip" Jett is an American professional poker player from Las Vegas, Nevada. Charles "Chip" Jett was born September 22 in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Charles Jett has been known as "Chip" ever since he left the hospital when he was born. The nickname was suggested by a nurse to Jett's parents.

Charles "Chip" Jett began working as a poker dealer in an Indian casino, but turned into a professional player when he realized he was making more money as a player.

Charles "Chip" Jett finished 2nd to Howard Lederer in the World Poker Tour (WPT) PartyPoker.com Million II cruise event in March 2003. Later in the same year he made 2 World Series of Poker (WSOP) final tables, and another WPT final table in the Legends of Poker event won by Mel Judah.

Charles "Chip" Jett also had a 3rd place finish in the 2005 WSOP $5,000 seven-card stud event.

Charles "Chip" Jett is married to fellow poker professional Karina Jett.

In August 2005, they both made the same final table, at the London Open event in Old Billingsgate Market. They have one daughter and one son.

Charles "Chip" Jett has written articles for Card Player Magazine and he and Karina write a column together, answering reader questions in a "he said/she said" format.

As of 2008, Charles "Chip" Jett total live tournament winnings exceed $2,000,000.

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Karina Jett

Date: Sun, Sep 28, 2008


Karina Jett, originally uploaded by pokerwire.




Karina Jett is a professional poker player living in Las Vegas, Nevada. Karina Jett was born Karina Mikelis in Vietnam. Karina Jett may be best known for her appearances on the GSN series Poker Royale Battle of the Sexes. Karina Jett also appeared in Late Night Poker's fourth season.

For Karina Jett, poker is all in the family. Her mother was a successful Seven-Card Stud player who taught her poker strategy, and her husband is fellow Full Tilt Poker pro Chip Jett. They have one daughter and one son.

The couple writes a column together for Card Player magazine, answering reader questions in an irreverent "he said/she said" format. When she's not playing in tournaments - or playing against her husband - you can find Karina online at Full Tilt Poker.

With lifetime tournament winnings of more than $129,000, Karina has booked fourth-place finishes in the 2003 WSOP $1K Ladies Hold 'em Stud tournament and the 2004 WSOP $1K Ladies Limit Hold 'em event. She also made the final table in Poker Royale: Battle of the Sexes, and took part in a history-making finish at The London Open when she and Chip became the first husband and wife to make the final table in a major tournament.

As of 2008, her total live tournament winnings exceed $150,000.

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