Poker is not a niche game encountered by a minority. Quite the opposite – many people who enjoy card games or are encouraged by friends and social media come across poker.
That is why it is no surprise to us, nor do we think it is to you, that famous personalities around the world – athletes, musicians, actors, etc. – sit at poker tables.
“PokerioMokykla.com” presents to you its new entertainment section, where we will tell you about celebrities who have appeared in the poker world.
Part III of the article series
Jennifer Tilly (actress)
Who would have thought that an acting career wouldn't hinder becoming a high-level poker player? During her poker career, she has won nearly a million US dollars (specifically, 925 thousand) in official competitions. Her biggest win came in the WSOP women's event in 2005. She was the best among all the female participants and won 158 thousand.
The actress, who has starred in well-known films such as “Monsters, Inc.”, “Bound”, and “Liar Liar”, is still a regular tournament participant. This year alone, she has already participated in four tournaments. Unlike most other US stars, J. Tilly plays poker in other countries as well – Australia, the Bahamas, England, France, etc.
J. Tilly herself says that her previous and biggest win obliges her to try to win again, as she is still underestimated in the poker world because she won only against women that time.
“In tournaments, your chance to continue playing can often be on the edge, whereas in cash games you can buy back in to continue. I would say that tournaments are more macho, more pressuring, and exciting for people,” she said about her choice between tournaments and cash games.
However, she often plays cash games as well.
“The variance in cash games is crazy. Losses are very painful, unlike in tournaments. In a tournament, you buy in for 5 thousand, play for a day, three, and you can't lose more money,” said the actress.
In an interview with foreign media, she demonstrated her understanding of poker and found an explanation of how her acting skills help at the poker tables. She says that the knowledge gained during acting lessons helps her immerse herself in the game and convince others with her actions.
“When I act convincingly, I believe in what I am doing at that moment. For example, when I bluff, I can believe myself that I have pocket aces, so I don't show any nervous tics, I don't sweat. I can be calmer than the average player,” she says, mentioning that once she sat at a table thinking the blinds were 25/50 US dollars, only to find out later they were 500/1000. Even so, she still played as if she had intended to play at such an expensive table.
