Gavin Griffin is an exceptionally talented, American professional poker player who gained fame in 2004 when he busted Allen Cunningham’s record to become the youngest poker player to ever win a WSOP Bracelet at the age of 22. Griffin’s esteemed accomplishments are comprised of 22 live poker tournament cashes, three being 1st-place victories - including one EPT and one WPT title - and of course his historic WSOP Bracelet win.

Gavin was born in Darien, Illinois on August 28, 1981. He began his poker exploits in online poker rooms where his success gave him the confidence to escalate to live poker events. His very first live tournament cash became the memorable WSOP Bracelet winning triumph at a 2004 WSOP Pot Limit Hold’em event, worth $270,420. Griffin was immediately thrust into the lime-light as he became the youngest player, at 22, to earn the coveted gold bracelet.

Gavin’s success at the tables continued, revealing 15 more prize-worthy finishes, but none as significant as that of March 28, 2007. Griffin was seated at the 2007 PokerStars EPT Grand Final in Monte Carlo where he watched blissfully as player after player was sent to the rails. In the end, only Gavin Griffin remained, producing his first EPT championship title worth an astonishing $2,391,895. To this date, Gavin’s EPT title remains his largest single-event cash in a live poker tournament.

The most recent accomplishment for Gavin Griffin came at the start of 2008, taking home his third 1st place title, but his first among the World Poker Tour. On January 31st, Griffin took down the WPT Season 6 Borgata Poker Open No Limit Hold’em event. His 1st place finish was worth an impressive $1,375,609.

At the ripe age of 26, Gavin Griffin is considered to be one of today’s most fierce competitors in the poker industry. His live poker tournament career earnings currently amount to $4,394,845, but there is no telling how much Griffin can surmount with a life-long career ahead of him.

Gavin Griffin is not just known for his poker abilities, however. He has always been a strong supporter of breast cancer awareness, ever since his girlfriend was diagnosed with the illness at the age of 20. When Griffin ousted the field at EPT Monte Carlo, he was sporting a pink hairdo in support of the cause. He also participated in the 2007 Avon Walk for Breast Cancer that took place in Long Beach, California. Gavin’s poker teammates Kristen Roberts and Hayden Jowell walked alongside him.

Griffin resides in Fullerton, California, attributing his phenomenal success as a professional poker player to the uplifting support of his friends and girlfriend.

David Tran is a professional poker player with a consistent record for cashing in live poker tournaments over the last decade. In fact, Tran has been profiting from various poker events since he was introduced to the game, about ten years ago.

Tran’s obvious knack for playing cards was apparent from the get-go, though some of that success is often attributed to his teacher, the phenomenally talented David “Dragon” Pham. In turn, Pham received his tutoring from “The Master” of poker, Men Nguyen. Are we seeing a pattern here? Oh yes, and a lucrative one at that!

From 1998 through June of 2007, David Tran successfully finished in the prize bubble at 72 live poker tournaments, including three 1st-place finishes. The first came in July of 2000 at the Stars and Stripes No Limit Hold’em tournament, awarding $9,120. In September of that same year, David took down the Event #6 of the Heavenly Hold’em Tournament, worth another $15,680. His largest cash up to this point was realized on March 18, 2006, clearing the field at the “Winnin ‘O’ the Green” poker tournament, where Tran pocketed $47,565 for his skilled efforts.

July of 2007 turned over a new leaf for David Tran in terms of prize money, claiming his first 6-digit cash of $429,114 with a 14th place finish at the 2007 World Series of Poker No Limit Hold’em Championship. This impressive cash would soon be trumped by his highest reward to date.

Las Vegas, Nevada set that scene for the WPT Borgata Winter Open in January, 2008. David whittled his way through the large field, not only making the final table, but going heads-up against 26-year-old poker prodigy, Gavin Griffin. In the end, it was Griffin who claimed the title, but Tran’s disappointed could not have lasted long when he was awarded the 2nd place prize of $737,685.

David Tran’s most recent triumph came just recently, on April 26, 2008. The WPT Season 6 World Championship, Five Star World Poker Classic, saw Tran diligently work his way into 14th position before being sent to the rails. Tran earned an imposing $131,910 for the near final-table finish.

Tran’s current live poker tournament careers earnings come to $1,954,398, totaling 79 cashes. Though his live poker tournament success has been illustrious, David Tran professes his favorite poker action to be cash tables of $100/$200 Limit Hold’em.

Michael Schulze does not consider himself to be a professional poker player, asserting that his love for the game is purely for fun. Schulze has won only a single live poker tournament, albeit a 1st place victory worth nearly $800,000. The 40-year old skilled poker player has stayed true to his long-time career at a stock trader residing in Germany.

Michael gained fame by taking down the PokerStars European Poker Tour (EPT) Polish Open on March 15, 2008. While the victory itself was an enormous accomplishment for Schulze, it was the story surrounding his triumph that has outlined his name in the history books.

Michael Schulze had no vision of himself actually winning such a poker tournament. In fact, Michael did not even fathom himself making past the first day. He actually booked his flight with a return trip for the very next day, including a one night hotel stay. When Michael realized he wouldn’t be leaving on the second day, he had to make new arrangements.

Schulze was playing an extremely conservative poker game, never raising and always folding out of the big pots. It was his belief that by keeping the pots small, he could keep a better track of what was on the table and manage to bring in small pots here and there. Michael would only play the best starting hands - A-K, high Pocket Pairs, suited face cards at worst - anything with at least 50-50 odds of winning. Even with this strict strategy, Michael was finding the cards laid out before him perfectly at nearly every turn.

As the 4-day poker tournament progressed into the third day, Michael was once again shocked to remain not only in the game, but with a significant chip stack at his disposal. Schulze was sending player after player to the rails, drawing the attention of many who had to be wondering, “Who is this guy?”

Day three evolved into day four, until a final group of 9 players converged on the final table. An original field of 359 had increased the overall prize pool to a Polish Open record-breaking PLN-7,180,000 (apprx. €2 million). Schulze entered the table with a chip lead, continuing to play in the same conservative manner that got him through the previous three days of relentless action.

When it came down to heads-up play between Schulze and Ricardo Sousa, Michael immediately knew he was up against a better opponent than himself. He decided he must change his thus-far successful conservative strategy, converting to a ‘raise, raise and raise again’ mentality.

It would seem destiny was leading Michael Schulze throughout the PokerStars EPT Polish Open, as whatever he did, he couldn’t seem to lose. The aggressive game play worked like a charm. On the final hand, Schulze chose to bet on a hand he would have previously folded - one without 50-50 odds.

Ricardo Sousa, holding Pocket 7’s, led out with 150k on the Small Blind, re-raised to 500k by Schulze; a brave move with A-6-spades in the hole. Sousa responded with an all-in, immediately called by Michael. He never expected to win the pot, even reaching over to shake Sousa’s hand before flipping his A-6.

The flop revealed 4d-2c-5h. Michael knew instantly that without an Ace or 3, he was sunk. Sousa’s pocket 7’s were too strong for Schulze, but at that moment, it seemed Ricardo’s luck have given out. The Turn revealed an Ace. The River came up a 2, sending Ricardo Sousa home with a 2nd place prize of PLN-1,220,600 (€345,543). Michael Schulze, to his grand amazement, emerged the victor, claiming a check for PLN-2,154,000 (€609,782).

Michael Schulze has not given up his day job, nor has he given up his favorite hobby - playing poker. He attests that the money will not change him, and that it was all in fun.

Immediately after his prolific win in Warsaw, Michael was asked what this victory means to him. In his typically humble way, Schulze replied, “I think it’s one of the most amazing days in my life. It’s not like anything I’ll ever do again, in my opinion. It’s very powerful knowing it will happen one time in my life and that’s it.”

David Pham is an exceptionally talented professional poker player with 2 WSOP Bracelets under his belt. Pham is also a two-time winner of Card Player Magazine’s prestigious “Player of the Year Award”, first in 2000, then again in 2007. David has finished in 6 WPT final tables, adding to his career live tournament winnings of $7,437,926 (April 2008).

David Pham’s history is quite remarkable, having escaped his home country of Vietnam at the age of 17. Pham road among a boat of 145 passengers, of which only 46 survived the journey. Upon reaching the United States, Pham was hired into the family laundry business by his cousin, the famously successful poker pro, Men “The Master” Nguyen.

Pham learned to play poker from his cousin, Nguyen, eventually opening a nail salon in Los Angeles, California, with his wife. Even though he had found a significantly better life in the US, including his own flourishing business, Pham continued to study the game of poker under his mentoring cousin.

Pham accomplished his first live tournament cash in July of 1999 - his only poker profit of the year - earning a mere $750 playing Omaha Hi/Lo at the Summer Challenge, in which he finished 7th. As menial as this feat may seem, it was the start of a wondrous career as a professional live tournament poker player.

Since then, David Pham has cashed in a total of 170 tournaments, with 29 first-place victories over his illustrious career. Pham has secured 10 World Poker Tour tournaments, bestowed with 2 WSOP Bracelets and reaped well over $7 million thus far. Along his prolific journey in the world of poker, Pham gained the honorable nickname, David “Dragon” Pham.

After earning the Card Player Magazine “Player of the Year” award in 2000, Pham went on to claim his first WSOP gold Bracelet in the 2001 World Series of Poker, clearing the field at Event #9, Limit S.H.O.E., worth $140,445. David was awarded his second WSOP Bracelet in 2006, taking down a NL Hold’em Shootout event for $240,222.

Many of David Pham’s most lucrative victories occurred during World Poker Tour events. On February 8, 2003, Pham took down the LA Poker Classic in WPT Season 1, earning himself an impressive cash of $457,320 - his largest prize at the time.

The 3rd season of the WPT was even more lucrative for David, earning seven cashes, 3 in 1st place. The most profitable win of the season came in December of 2004 at the Five-Diamond World Poker Classic, where Pham’s 1st place victory earned him $414,419. Overall, Pham pocketed more than $1.3 million in the WPT’s 3rd season alone.

Pham’s largest single-cash victory was also realized along the World Poker Tour, finishing 2nd at the Legends of Poker tournament in August of 2007. The WPT Season 6 event netted David a vast profit of $800,185. David’s second largest prize thus far came only a few short months later in January of 2008. The PokerStars Caribbean Adventure, part of the European Poker Tour (EPT), saw David Pham close in on the final table, only to be ousted in 4th position for a cool $600,000.

When asked about his outstanding poker skills, David Pham once said, “Asians gamble a lot you know; I think the Asians are more tricky than the Americans, tricky. They read the hand, but sometimes they don’t play the cards, they play the player.”

Tony Guerrera is a professional poker player and expert author on the game, though he admittedly spends much more time writing about poker than playing the game itself. As a young boy, Tony played 5 Card Draw with his grandfather for pennies. As he got older, while attending Caltech, Guerrera would play in the occasional dealer’s choice poker games amongst friends.

Guerrera didn’t realize it at the time - studying physics at college, offering his services as a private tutor and working for an optics company - but his true destiny awaited him in the poker industry.

Tony always took his poker game seriously, being highly competitive by nature, but he cites his introduction to ’serious’ poker as his first trip to Commerce Casino in 2002. During the summer, Guerrera traveled to the casino, buying-in for $40 to play $1/$2 Limit Hold’em. He lost it all; but even so, realized he had an edge over his opponents in the way of intelligence.

Tony began acutely studying the game of poker, reading different strategy books written by the pros, understanding the odds, the starting hands factor and more. In no time, Tony Guerrera was taking down low-stakes cash games on a regular basis.

Just before Chris Moneymaker took down the 2003 World Series of Poker, Tony Guerrera found himself switching his game from land-based casinos to online poker rooms. Moneymaker’s historic win had created a surge of poker enthusiasts joining the online poker community in hopes of repeating his spectacular victory that began from an online poker satellite sponsorship. Thus, Guerrera could not have chosen a better time. The influx of inexperienced players saw Tony’s bankroll soaring to new heights.

Guerrera increased his play from a single table to multi-tabling at 2, 3 and even 4 tables at once. He also began playing in No Limit Hold’em games, though he did not divert from his Limit Hold’em origins.

Tony had been monstrously successful at full-handed poker tables, but his curiosity drove him to delve into the short-handed variety of No Limit Hold’em. Now a regular at PartyPoker, Guerrera was 4-tabling $25 short-handed NL Hold’em games, using his trademark tight-aggressive playing strategy. He did favorably well at these tables and eventually moved up to $100 short-handed games.

Around this time, Tony read Doyle Brunson’s poker book “Supersystems”, which caused him to put much more thought into his strategic poker play. He began playing extremely tight - so tight in fact that his friends deemed him “Too Tight Tony”. This caused him to take on what seemed an extreme, almost maniacal, playing style at a home game. When he realized how successful a loose-aggressive attitude could be, he rethought his poker strategies once again.

Tony reverted back to the $25 NL Hold’em tables at PartyPoker to experiment with his new found knowledge. His success was instantaneous and, within a few months, Tony Guerrera was right back into the big-stakes short-handed $400 NL Hold’em games. It is said that Tony’s biggest strength in the game of poker is his adaption of so many playing styles.

After finding such enormous and consistent success at online poker, Tony’s good friend and fellow poker player John Vorhaus asked him to contribute to his upcoming poker book, “Killer Poker Online 2″. Guerrera ended up writing Appendix B of the poker book, detailing the use of playing tracking software in online poker. Both Vorhaus and his Kensington editor were so impressed with Guerrera’s input that Tony’s career ended up shifting in a whole new direction.

Kensington offered Guerrera a lucrative book deal that lead to the publication of “Killer Poker By The Numbers”, released in 2007. Tony then co-authored the book “Killer Poker Shorthanded” with Vorhaus, available on shelves now.

Since then, Guerrera has become an authority on poker strategy, writing poker articles for various web sites, including his own online poker resource, http://www.killerv.com. Tony’s web site offers the best in poker rakeback deals at online poker rooms and his own poker writing services. Through his web site, Tony is a coach to poker players around the globe. Killerv.com also serves as a way for fans and poker enthusiasts to contact him directly with any questions and/or comments.

Outside of the poker spectrum, Tony Guerrera enjoys several sports, including tennis and table tennis, basketball and pool. He also enjoys video games, music, reading and according to Tony, “anything else that won’t land me in jail or in the hospital.”

John Vorhaus is very well known in the poker community, but not necessarily for his game play. An expert poker analyst, Vorhaus is considered an ultimate authority on poker strategy, best represented by authoring numerous top-selling poker books, as well as publications in all four of the top poker magazine in the world; Card Player Magazine, Poker World, Poker Digest and Poker Europa.

Residing in Monrovia, California, John Vorhaus has only cashed five times in live poker tournaments for a grand total of $28,102. The lucrative nature of his successful poker book writing career, however, greatly offsets his relatively low-cashing poker wins.

John Vorhaus - Poker Author
Vorhaus’ first poker book was ‘The Pro Poker Playbook’, hitting the shelves in 1995. John immediately received praise and admiration of ‘America’s Mad Genius of Poker’, Mike Caro. “With this book, John Vorhaus goes beyond his own stature as one of the great poker writers,” Caro was quoted, followed by “he comes of age as an important poker analyst.”

‘Killer Poker: Strategy and Tactics for Winning Poker Play’ was released in 2002, soon trailed by the second edition in the series in 2003, ‘Killer Poker Online: Crushing the Internet Game’, which became an instant top-seller on Amazon.com. The third volume of the series, ‘The Killer Poker Hold’em Handbook’, hit stands in 2004.

Also in 2004, John Vorhaus teamed up with Marian Lizzi to co-author ‘Poker Night: Winning Poker Strategies for Playing at Home’, aimed at teaching players with beginner and mid-level poker skills how to take down home poker games. Card Player Magazine reviewed ‘Poker Night’, calling John Vorhaus, “one of poker’s best teachers…”, and declaring him the top poker analyst in regards to the psychological side of poker.

Vorhaus authored another poker book, published in 2005, delving into the more amusing side of poker - I think the name says enough - ‘The Strip Poker Kit: The Game Where You Get to See a Whole Lot More of Your Friends’. Not only does John describe how to play strip poker, including strategies and tips on the game itself, he also details the most beneficial attire for such an occasion.

2006 saw the publication of John Vorhaus next poker book, ‘Killer Poker Online 2′, a follow up to the original ‘Killer Poker Online’. In this continuation of part-one, Vorhaus goes further into the realm of winning online poker games, including common mistakes and easy traps to fall into; considered a must-read poker book for any serious player.

John continued the ‘Killer’ series in 2007 with two more publications, ‘Killer Poker No Limit’ and ‘Killer Poker Shorthanded’.

John Vorhaus Poker Achievements
While John has only earned a grand total of $28,102 playing live poker tournaments, there’s no limit to the imagination when it comes to Vorhaus’ lucrative cash game and home poker game accomplishments when you consider the range of his poker related publications.

Vorhaus has cashed in 5 live poker tournaments between 2001 and 2008. His most profitable tournament venture came July 12, 2006 at the 37th Annual World Series of Poker. Playing Event #19, Seniors NL Hold’em, Vorhaus barely made his way into the final table, only to be ousted in 9th position. John pocketed $24,242 for his WSOP final table finish.

Antonio Esfandiari is a professional poker player whose flourishing career has brought increasing fame; destined to be a top ranked in the coming years. His lucrative career has earned him more than $2.5 million in live poker tournaments thus far, including the acceptance of one WSOP Bracelet in 2004, and a 1st place victory at the LA Poker Classic a few months prior, worth nearly $1,400,000.

Antonio Esfandiari’s Early Days
Antonio was born December 8, 1978 in Tehran, Iran as Amir Esfandiari. His family moved to San Jose, California when Amir was only 9 years old. As a foreign boy in a new country, Amir was the subject of stereotypical bullying. For this reason he had his name changed to Anthony. Upon turning 19, he changed his name once again to Antonio to help out his chosen profession, a magician. It was this decision that resulted in Antonio’s eventual career as a highly successful poker player.

While performing his act, Esfandiari was invited to join in a game of Texas Hold’em. He was instantly hooked, and began playing small cash games regularly. Antonio did not enter his first real poker tournament accompanying a roommate to the Garden City Club in San Jose. Esfandiari went on to win that tournament, then decided it was time to learn more about the game of poker. He read poker books and various strategies to fine tune his natural talent for the game of poker.

By the age of 22, with a economical whirlwind lowering his profits as a magician, Esfandiari realized he was making more money at the poker tables than his magician act, or day-time job waiting tables, could provide. Antonio immediately ceased both jobs and began his road to victory as a professional poker player.

Antonio Esfandiari’s Poker Achievements - WSOP
Antonio Esfandiari earned his first World Series of Poker cash in April of 2003, finishing 5th in Event #5 NL Hold’em for an impressive $34,060 prize. The following year, in May of 2004, Esfandiari’s name earned great recognition for taking down WSOP Event #21 PL Hold’em, earning his first WSOP Bracelet and padding his wallet with $184,860.

The following years have been less rewarding for Antonio, but he did manage two cashes in early events of the 2005 WSOP, at 5th and 43rd positions for about $70,000 total. Esfandiari cashed twice again in the 2007 WSOP, taking a 39th and 62nd finish for just over $21,000.

Antonio Esfandiari’s Poker Achievements - WTP
Antonio has seen the largest amount of success paying in the World Poker Tour, from the start of his career to current, most of Esfandiari’s cashes have come from WPT events, including his largest single-tournament cash of near $1.4 million.

In November of 2002, Esfandiari earned $44,000 for finishing 3rd in the $500k Guaranteed Gold Rush tournament of WPT Season 1. By the time PT Season 2 rolled around, Antonio was psyched up and ready to roll, ousting the opposition one after another at the LA Poker Classic Main Event on February 24, 2004. For his skilled efforts, Antonio Esfandiari pocketed his largest single tournament cash prize to date, $1,399,135. For this victory, Antonio gained not only fame, but an exclusive invite to the WPT Invitational $200k Freeroll held the very next day. His 6th place finished earned Esfandiari an additional $8,000.

In its 3rd season, Antonio netted about $183,000 in WPT events by finishing in the money 4 times. The first was at the Aruba Poker Classic, finishing 34th, followed by a 4th place finish in the LA Poker Classic. The WPT Shooting Start Tournament Main Event saw Esfandiari sent to the rails in 14th position. Last but certainly not least was a 3rd place victory at the Five-Star World Poker Classic, making up more than $120k of the 3rd WPT season’s success for Antonio.

Since then, Esfandiari’s success with the WPT has noticeably slacked off, earning a single cash in the 4th season of the WPT, a 26th place finish in Event #7 NL Hold’em of the Bellagio Five Diamond World Poker Classic for a mere $3,305. WPT Season 5 was even less profitable for Esfandiari, earning only $2,425 for finishing 13th in a NL Hold’em Shootout at the LA Poker Classic.

Antonio Esfandiari’s Other Poker Achievements
In 2005, Antonio Esfandiari whittled his way through the field to come in 3rd place at the NBC National Heads-Up poker Championship, worth $125,000. In January of 2006, Esfandiari found himself at the Crown Australia Poker Championship (Aussie Millions) where he placed 11th for $38,088.

Esfandiari’s most recent fortune came on April 17, 2008 on the European Poker Tour. Antonio was seated at the final table of the EPT Monte Carlo Grand Finals, where a 8th place knock-out earned him a respectable $220,184 prize.

March of 2006 saw the release of Antonio Esfandiari’s poker strategy book titled “World Poker Tour: In the Money”. Within the pages, readers will find in-depth strategies and insights as to winning Texas Hold’em cash games. Highlights of the poker book include starting hands and how these should vary by position, as well as the use of table image; how your opponents perceive you (tight, loose, unpredictable, etc). When purchased new, the book comes with a DVD that includes some of Antonio “The Magician” Esfandiari’s famous chip tricks.

Antonio “The Magician” Esfandiari - On and Off the Poker Tables
Antonio earned his nickname, “The Magician”, from his impeccable dexterity and previous job as a night-club magician. Esfandiari is known for his loose, aggressive playing style at the tables. He often takes on the attitude that it really doesn’t matter if he wins or loses, since he is rich anyway, resulting in frequent daring maneuvers.

Still very young in his career, Antonio Esfandiari loves to party with his friends and enjy the finer things in life. While some would call this “blowing his money”, Antonio does understand the difference between splurging and squandering. Antonio has separate cash allowances, one that he may use on whatever he feels drawn to at the time - typically party-related - and the other that must be spent wisely to further his career. This way of life hasn’t failed Esfandiari yet, and according to many analysts, Antonio is on a streaming path to becoming one of the world’s most successful and memorable poker pros.

Ted Forrest is an all American professional poker player who found his fame in the 1993 World Series Of Poker, claiming three WSOP Bracelets throughout the tournament. Ted Forrest spent the next few years concentrating his energy on cash games, but in 2004, made his triumphant return to the WSOP by snagging his fourth and fifth WSOP Bracelets. Forrest is known for his ultimately competitive nature in high stakes poker, especially Stud games.

Born September 24, 1964 in Syracuse, New York, Ted Forrest turned pro in 1986 at the age of 22. Since then, Forrest has accomplished many feats along his lucrative career path. Ted has finished in the money at live poker tournament events 63 times, 11 of which were 1st-place wins. Over the last 22 years, Ted Forrest has accumulated 5 WSOP Bracelets and earned a total of $4,509,259 in live poker tournament winnings.

Though regarded as one of the most prolific poker players of our time, Ted Forrest is even better known, in some circles, for taking pleasure in proposition bets. Forrest once made a $10,000 wager that he could perform a standing back-flip during a WSOP event. Ted won that bet. He also made a wager that he could bench press 225 lbs., 50 times in a single day. He would likely have won that bet as well had he not torn a pectoral muscle in the process.

Ted Forrest and the WSOP
Ted Forrest found his first significantly profitable poker tournament to be the 1993 WSOP, where he astonishingly won three truly back-to-back Bracelets - Events #11, #12 and #13. Along with his coveted Bracelets, Ted Forrest pocketed $114,000, $77,400 and $120,000 respectively.

Forrest’s second big WSOP victory came on May 2, 1999 in Event #7 NL Hold’em. He finished just shy of another WSOP Bracelet, taking the 2nd position for $145,825. Ted took a break from major tournaments for awhile after that, joining mostly in cash games.

Forrest’s fourth and fifth WSOP Bracelets did not come until 2004, taking down an early Seven Card Stud event, followed by a NL Hold’em event a few weeks later. Forrest took home another impressive paycheck of more than $400,000 for the combined wins.

Since that time, Ted has only cashed four times in the WSOP, twice in 2006 and twice again in 2007, earning about $48,000 collectively.

Ted Forrest and the WPT
When the World Poker Tour began its first season, Ted Forrest hopped on board, like most of the professional poker players on the circuit today. His first win came in the Five Star World Poker Classic on April 18, 2003. Forrest finished 5th overall in the Main Event for a tidy sum of $119,990. WPT Season 2 saw nearly the same success for Ted, taking 1st place in Event #6 Limit 7 Card Stud Hi/Lo for $73,720, and 22nd place in the Main Event for another $49,899.

Ted cashed four more times in the third season of the WPT, his most substantial being a 4th position at the LA Poker Classic Main Event to collect $263,487. In its fourth season, the WPT gave Ted Forrest very little opportunities, but he made the most of what he was given. Forrest won $579,386 for a 2nd place finish at the Mirage Poker Showdown Main Event in May of 2005.

Ted’s most productive tournament to date came into play on March 16, 2007 at the Bay 101 Shooting Star Tournament of WPT Season 5. Forrest eluded the opposition, clearing the field to be the last man sitting in the NL Hold’em Championship, awarding a massive prize purse of $1,100,000.

Ted Forrest’s Other Achievements
In 1992, Ted Forrest found his name plastered around the professional poker community for cashing an amazing 12 times in the LA Poker Classic tournament. Forrest not only finished in the money, he made the final table in each and every one of those cashes, earning a total of about $110,000.

In May of 2005, Ted Forrest was seated at the PPT NL Hold’em $500,000 Freeroll Tournament, where his skills and expertise brought him all the way through to the 1st place position to pocket a cool $200,000.

March 6, 2006 is another notable date in the Forrest family album, as Ted took down another 1st position win at the National Heads Up Poker tournament for half a million.

Most recently, Ted Forrest participate in the first annual World Series of Poker Europe (WSOPE), where he finish 17th in the PL Omaha Championship for a cash of $16,085.

Scotty Nguyen is one of today’s most actively successful professional poker players. From 2000 to 2004 alone, Nguyen cashed in more than 100 events, while picking up two of his four WSOP Bracelets. Scotty Nguyen is best known for his charming smile and charismatic behavior at the tables, often seen holding a beer. You can almost see the spinning twinkle in his eye as his opponents fall to the wayside, one by one.

Born in South Vietnam October 28, 1962, Scotty Nguyen escaped the country by boat at the age of 14. However, according to Nguyen, he traveled on a boat with 16 others that was meant to arrive in Thailand in two days. Therefore they had only brought enough supplies to last that long. Their boat was chased off course by Communists, which resulted in a 3 week voyage. The passengers were thrown food and water from a pirate ship, but only enough to last a few more days. Scotty claims that on the twenty-second day, the voyagers decided to eat his 12 year old brother, but a sudden rescue from a Taiwanese boat on day twenty-three halted the plan. They were dropped off on an island where they spent the next 6 months before another boat arrived, carrying 49 people from Vietnam. Nguyen claims that the boat left dock with 139 passengers, but that 90 of them had been eaten by the time the boat arrived at the island.

Nguyen finally made his way to the United States, settling down in Orange County, California. Even at the ripe age of 14, Nguyen was immediately drawn to the backroom poker games. He spent so much time there, in fact, that Scotty was expelled from school. Nguyen ended up taking a job as a poker dealer in a casino in Southern California to pay the bills. To Scotty, this was his training period.

Nguyen learned his current poker strategies from watching other players at the casino as he dealt the cards. He noted the losses, the wins and the reasons for each. In this way, Scotty Nguyen developed and tweaked his own extraordinary poker skills. He began proving his abilities at the tables, bringing home more than enough to support is family, and then some.

Currently residing in Las Vegas, Nevada, Scotty Nguyen has finished in the money 174 times, claiming 30 1st place victories, 4 WSOP Bracelets and total live tournament career earnings of $7,020,628.

Scotty Nguyen and the WSOP
Scotty Nguyen has formed quite a history playing in the World Series of Poker (WSOP). Scotty has taken down the entire WSOP Main Event once, and has claimed a current total of 4 WSOP Bracelets. The first came on April 26, 1997 in a Limit Omaha Hi/Lo event, awarding Nguyen his first sizable prize purse of $156,950. But it was Nguyen’s second WSOP Bracelet that effected him the most.

Nguyen underwent one of the greatest, yet devastating moments in his life in 1998. On May 11, Nguyen found himself seated at the final table of the WSOP Main Event NL Hold’em Championship. After all of the opposition had been derailed, Scotty sat across the table, playing heads-up against Kevin McBride. On the final hand, Nguyen made the famous remark, “You call, gonna be all over baby!” McBride did call, and Scotty won with a 9-9-9-8-8 Full House, taking down the tournament, claiming his second WSOP Bracelet, and pocketing $1,000,000 in winnings.

The tragedy came the very next day as Scotty Nguyen received the news that his brother had been struck and killed by a car in Vietnam. Nguyen has never worn his 1998 WSOP Bracelet.

Scotty did not earn his third WSOP Bracelet until 2001, finishing 1st in Event #14 PL Omaha for a purse of $178,480. Five days later, Nguyen finished 23rd in a PL Hold’em event for a much smaller prize of $3,945. Another 3 days later, on May 11, 2001, Scotty whittled his way through the field of Event #23 Limit Omaha Hi/Lo to claim his fourth, and thus far final, WSOP Bracelet, along with an impressive cash of $207,580.

Nguyen’s most recent, significantly lucrative victory in the WSOP came on July 17, 2007 in the Main Event. He finished just shy of the final table, coming in 11th position for $476,926.

Scotty Nguyen and the WPT
Scotty has earned a large portion of his career earnings in various World Poker Tour (WPT) events. His first WPT cash was a 6th place finish at the Five Diamond World Poker Classic in season 1. Nguyen was awarded $48,692 for his efforts. He went on to claim and 1st and 2nd place finish in early events of the 2002 Legends of Poker tournament. Then, in January of 2003, still in the first season of the WPT, Nguyen took on the Jack Binion World Poker Open, taking 2nd place in an early event for $76,048.

In its second season, the WPT saw Scotty Nguyen finish in the money 11 times. The most lucrative cash came on March 18, 2004 at the WPT PartyPoker Million III, as Scotty finished 6th overall in the Main Event for $129,842. Nguyen cashed another 9 times in the third season of the WPT, including a 5th place finish at the Mirage Poker Showdown for $121,509; a 1st place finish at the Doyle Brunson North American Poker Championship for $185,243; and a 4th place finish overall at the Jack Binion World Poker Open Main Event, awarding $336,282.

Scotty Nguyen’s most profitable WPT victory occurred January 23, 2006 at the WPT-4 Goldstrike World Poker Open. Scotty skillfully derailed each of his opponents in the NL Hold’em Championship to take the WPT title and a massive prize purse of $969,421.

Scotty Nguyen’s Other Achievements
While a significant amount of Scotty Nguyen’s career earnings have come from WSOP and WPT events, he has accomplished a few tremendous cashes in other live poker tournaments as well. On November 17, 2001, Scotty Nguyen earned $159,600 for a 1st place victory at the World Poker Finals (before it became a stop on the World Poker Tour).

October 3, 2003, Nguyen participated in the US Poker Bowl, where he finished 3rd at the final table, pocketing a cool $100,000.

Perry Friedman became a professional poker player in the late 1990s, cashing in 26 live poker tournaments since May of 2000. Though his career earnings are not that of today’s most profound poker players, Perry has the obvious potential to compete with the big boys in years to come. Friedman has accomplished only one 1st place victory in a live poker tournament, but it was enough to earn him a coveted WSOP Bracelet.

Born May 15, 1968 in Brooklyn, New York, Perry Friedman finished high school and went on to attend Stanford University. He was quite the celebrity on campus, known for his quick humor and constant antics. Friedman worked for the school’s humor magazine, the Stanford Chaparral, maintaining his amusing, prankster status throughout his college years. Friedman’s antics actually led him to national media coverage, as he was responsible for getting Bart Simpson - the adolescent cartoon character from “The Simpson’s” - elected to the Graduate Senate. There was even a mass protest held when all of the votes for Bart Simpson were thrown out.

Friedman first started playing poker as a young boy, but he did not take his skills seriously until about 10 years ago. Though his favorite poker game is Seven Card Stud, Friedman has earned most of his winnings in Limit and No Limit Hold’em games, as well as a few Omaha events. In fact, his WSOP Bracelet came in the 2003 WSOP, playing Limit Omaha Hi/Lo.

Perry Friedman has accumulated $636,082 in live tournament winnings over his career thus far, and is one of those players everyone should keep their eyes on. Perry is known for his light-hearted attitude and strong ability to bluff his opponents, earning him the nickname, “The Baiter”. Poker is not Friedman’s only skill, having once won a chip-castle building contest, creating an entire scale-model castle out of nothing but poker chips. He has also been known to provide entertainment by way of finger-puppets, aimed at hole-card cameras.

Perry Friedman and the WSOP
The World Series of Poker (WSOP) has played a great roll in Friedman’s professional poker career, having been his first live tournament cash, as well as awarding him a Bracelet a few years later. On May 2 of 2000, Friedman earned his first live poker tournament prize purse of $37,750 in Event #9 Limit Seven Card Stud for finishing in 3rd.

Two years later, Perry’s second WSOP cash was more than a significant paycheck. On April 21, 2002, Friedman was awarded the honorable WSOP Bracelet for taking down Event #3 Limit Omaha Hi/Lo, pocketing $176,860 for his skilled efforts. His luck stayed strong enough to cash four more times in the 2002 WSOP, including a fourth place finish in Event #23 Limit S.H.O.E. for another $16,140.

In the 2003 WSOP, Perry took home a little more than $6,000 for a 16th and 18th place finish in early Limit Omaha Hi/Lo events, but did not see the same success as the previous year. In 2004, Perry Friedman made another first, ranking high enough to finish in the money in the No Limit Hold’em Championship. Friedman came in 165th overall, earning $15,000.

Friedman made another run for the Bracelet in the 2005 WSOP, but came up a little short in Event #9 No Limit Hold’em, finishing 3rd for an impressive prize purse of $196,455. In 2006, Friedman was awarded about $13,000 for two in the money finishes in early events, but made no final tables.

On June 17, 2007, Friedman worked his way into a seat at the final table of the WSOP Event #28 No Limit Hold’em, where he got sent to the rails in 7th position, adding another $57,063 to his career earnings.

Perry Friedman and Full Tilt Poker
If you’d like to learn a few poker tips from Perry Friedman, or even take him on at the tables, he can often be found playing online poker at the popular Internet site, Full Tilt Poker. Perry Friedman is a member of the Tiltboys, a group of exceptional poker players who play online at Full Tilt Poker, and collectively wrote the book, ‘Tales From The Tiltboys’.

Perry Friedman actually works for Tiltware, the company responsible for the software that powers Full Tilt Poker.

Perry Friedman Outside of Poker
Perry Friedman is 39 years old, divorced with no children. Along with dominating the poker tournaments, it is Perry’s desire to simply live a happy and healthy life. His hobbies include cycling, ice and inline skating, backgammon, coin collecting and surfing the web.

Layne Flack is one of today’s most watched professional poker players, as he is known for finishing at the final tables quite frequently. Though a career total of 64 live tournament cashes may not seem like a whole lot when compared to some of the other professional poker players on the circuit, Flack has turned 13 of those into 1st place victories, and 5 of those into WSOP Bracelet. Over his relatively short career, Layne Flack has earned a total of $3,281,959 since 1997.

Born May 18, 1969 in Rapid City, South Dakota, Layne Flack first learned to play poker with his grandparents when he was a child. Though it was only a hobby at the time, it lead Layne to a job at a local casino dealing the cards. In turn, Flack decided it was time to try out the other side of the table. Layne Flack would often finish his shift, then head over to another nearby casino to play poker.

Flack worked his way into a Night Manager position, but felt his time was better spent playing poker, rather then dealing the game. He eventually quit his job altogether to become a professional poker player. As time went on, Flack crossed paths with Johnny Chan, who offered his mentor-ship to Layne for a long enough period to teach him the importance of being well rested before an upcoming tournament, as well as a few other tips that improved his skills at the tables.

For a brief period that began in 2004, Layne Flack found himself heading down a destructive road of recreational drug abuse. His friend, Daniel Negreanu, footed he cash - $60,000 - to put Flack into rehab. Reportedly, Layne has experienced no further problem with drug use.

Layne Flask and the WSOP
Layne Flack found his first profitable experience in the World Series of Poker (WSOP) in April of 1998, earning a respectable $133,000 for finishing 2nd in a NL Hold’em event. The 1999 WSOP was more favorable to Layne, collecting two purses; the second of which came with his first WSOP Bracelet for taking down a PL Hold’em event worth $224,400.

Layne cashed in the following years of the WSOP, but in 2002, he earned the nickname “Back to Back Flack” for winning two WSOP Bracelets. The first was in Event #4, NL Hold’em, worth $303,880, while the second came two weeks later in Event #19 NL Hold’em, pocketing another $268,020.

In 2003, Layne Flask lived up to his nickname once again, receiving his fourth and fifth WSOP Bracelets in Event #18 Limit Omaha Hi/Lo and Event #25 Limit Hold’em Shootout. Flack earned $119,260 and $120,000 respectively.

The 2004 WSOP almost saw Layne Flack earning his sixth WSOP Bracelet, but he fell just shy in Event #3 PL Hold’em, taking the second place prize of $185,855. Layne took three more cashes that year, including a 194th overall finish in the 2004 WSOP Main Event, worth $39,075.

Layne Flack and the WPT
Layne Flack immediately made a name for himself on the World Poker Tour (WPT) in its very first season. On November 17, 2002 Flack came in second in a NL Hold’em event at the World Poker Finals, earning $186,900. In February of 2003, Layne took down the WPT $200,000 Freeroll Invitational for another $100,000.

The WPT Season 2 got underway, Layne Flack whittled down the field of a Limit Omaha Hi/Lo event at the Five Diamond World Poker Classic, pocketing $92,150 for his skilled efforts. His next WPT finish in the money did not come until its third season, when Layne took home four prize purses. He did not earn any titles, but he did collect a cool $500,000 for coming in 2nd at the Aruba Poker Classic.

Layne Flack Outside of Poker
Layne Flack is currently single and has one child, a daughter named Hailey. Layne resides in Las Vegas, Nevada, keeping close to the action in hopes of fulfilling his goal to play well enough that he doesn’t have to play as often. He enjoys 80’s music, traveling, golfing and bowling, and actually came close to pursuing a professional bowling career. According to Layne Flack himself, he has bowled a perfect 300 game in his past.

Daniel Negreanu is a magnificently talented professional poker player. At the age of 33, Negreanu already has three World Series of Poker Bracelets and two World Poker Tour championship titles under his belt. With a long and illustrious career ahead of him, Daniel’s live tournament winnings alone already equal $9,450,425. Daniel Negreanu has finished in the money 102 times in live tournaments, 23 of those being 1st-place finishes.

Negreanu was born in Toronto, Ontario, on July 26, 1974 to parents Annie and Constantin, who moved from Romania to Canada in 1967. Daniel grew up as the average boy, but came up a few credits shy of graduating high school. Daniel decided it was time to move on, dropping out of school to play in charitable casino games and even illegal poker games when he could find them.

During his early poker playing days in Toronto, Daniel crossed paths with his soon-to-be girlfriend Evelyn Ng, who would also follow the path of a successful, professional poker player. He spent his time building a sizable bankroll so that, upon turning 21, Daniel could travel to Las Vegas to find his fortune and fame at the poker tables.

Negreanu did just that, but did not find the success he had hoped for. Vegas was not as kind to Daniel as the local poker games had been, and he was soon forced to move back to his hometown of Toronto to rebuild his bankroll. In 1997, Negreanu’s professional career took a turn for the better, taking down the World Poker Finals on December 9, 1997 for his first live tournament cash of $38,400.

Daniel Negreanu’s poker career has flourished ever since, taking down numerous events and finishing in the money enough time to pocket nearly $10-million thus far. He is usually easy to spot at the poker tables, often donning a hockey jersey and headphones. Negreanu enjoys listening to relaxing music and sounds, like ocean waves, claiming it helps him to win.

Daniel Negreanu and the WSOP
Daniel Negreanu has found great success in the World Series of Poker (WSOP), though he has yet to win the Min Event. Daniel has accumulate 3 WSOP Bracelets and several million dollars over his professional poker career. In fact, Negreanu’s first WSOP cash was a Bracelet-winning, 1st-place victory in the 1998 WSOP Event #9 PL Hold’em, awarding $169,460.

Daniel’s second notable WSOP win was in 2002, but did not come with a WSOP Bracelet. He finished 2nd in Event #29 Limit Omaha Hi/Lo for $85,400. The following year saw Daniel Negreanu claiming his second WSOP Bracelet on May 29, 2003. He triumphed over the field of Event #23 Limit S.H.O.E. for another lucrative prize purse of $100,440.

2004 was also a great year for Daniel Negreanu in regards to the WSOP. He claimed his third, an thus far final, WSOP Bracelet in Event #15 Limit Hold’em, earning $169,100 for his 1st place win. However, Negreanu’s largest WSOP cash actually came in a pre-tournament circuit event on January 22, 2006, when Daniel finished 1st in a NL Hold’em championship event for $755,525 at the Grand Casino Tunica Poker Tournament.

Daniel Negreanu and the WPT
In its very first season, the World Poker Tour (WPT) 2002, Daniel took not one, but three 1st place victories in the Legends of Poker Tournament for a grand total of just under $100,000. In February of 2003, Negreanu finished 1st in a PL Omaha event of the LA Poker Classic, awarding another $49,900.

Daniel Negreanu found extremely profitable success in the second season of the WPT, cashing seven times. Though none of those prize purses came with a 1st place victory, Negreanu did snag 3rd place in the Caribbean Adventure in January of 2004, earning $192,270, and only two months later, finished in 2nd at the PartyPoker Millions III for an impressive $675,178.

As the WPT reached its third season, Daniel Negreanu’s skills followed right along. He took down the Borgata Poker Open on September 22, 2004 to pocket his largest single-match earnings of his career up to that point, $1,117,400. A few months later, Negreanu bested his own record by taking home $1,770,218 for clearing the tables at the WPT Five Diamond World Poker Classic II Main Event.

Negreanu’s most recent, profitably notable cashes in the WPT came in its fifth season. On December 19, 2006, Daniel earned $592,000 for a 3rd place finish in the Bellagio Five Diamond World Poker Classic. January 25, 2007 was almost just as lucrative, pocketing another $502,691 for a 2nd place victory in the World Poker Finals NL Hold’em Championship.

WPT Season 6 has been slow, yet profitable for Daniel thus far. His only finish in the money came in December of 2007, once again at the Bellagio Five Diamond Wold Poker Classic, where Negreanu finished 14th over for a purse of $96,355. It will e most interesting to see what the coming season of the World Poker Tour has in store for Daniel Negreanu.

Daniel Negreanu’s Other Achievements
In 1998, Daniel Negreanu took 1st place in the California State Poker Championship, earning $40,320. The following year, he upped the ante by taking down the United States Poker Championship for $210,000. Outside of WSOP and WPT events, Daniel’s next big tournament win came in June of 2004, awarding a 1st place prize of $310,000 in the Championship at the Plaza Main Event.