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's why it's no surprise to us, and we believe to you as well, 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
Gabe Kaplan (actor)
Often known as a poker commentator, G. Kaplan is perhaps the most famous and considered the best poker player in the entertainment world. The 72-year-old man first participated in the WSOP in 1978. Just a few years later, he was considered one of the elite poker players. He has won a series of various competitions.
At one point, he ranked 7th in the world in poker player earnings. Currently, in terms of earnings in the USA, he is 386th. However, it is likely that G. Kaplan would be much higher on this list, as he rarely plays poker at this age. Additionally, the impact of inflation should not be forgotten.
The actor mostly played cash games. According to rumors, he has played heads-up against the world's most famous players many times.
As a child, he dreamed of becoming a baseball player, and he had the opportunity, but decided that baseball was not for him and turned to acting and poker. Eventually, he became a well-known poker commentator.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=radq65LLt0g
Shane Warne (athlete)
The former Australian cricket star has not won huge sums in poker; his official poker career earnings amount to just over $93,000. Nevertheless, the Australian not only comments on cricket matches but also still visits poker tables.
In fact, the last time he participated in an official competition was in 2016, when he finished 16th in the “Aussie Millions Poker Championship” in Melbourne and won $4,400.
He might have won more, but he mostly participates in charity poker tournaments (which he also organizes), and he has competed relatively little in the USA. In 2008, he signed a two-year partnership agreement with “888poker” and represented them in various tournaments.
About his passion for playing poker, Sh. Warne says: “I absolutely love poker and especially the nuances of tournament poker. This resonates with me because poker and cricket have a lot in common. This is especially true when it comes to playing at the highest level.
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I absolutely love competing on the big stage, and in poker, there is no bigger stage than the WSOP. The best players in the world are in Vegas every year for the WSOP, and I have been fortunate to participate in the main event seven times. I feel that I play in a way that allows me to compete at the highest level. I have no fear of sitting at any table and feel that I have a good image.
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There are many similarities between poker tournaments and long cricket matches. Both are long-lasting and exhausting events that can be broken down into smaller competitions. In cricket, I focus on each play, ball, session, batsman, etc. In poker, you can only play one hand at a time, against one opponent. If you can win the majority of those small competitions, in the long run, it will contribute to success. This applies to both sports. Patience is the key to success. I also enjoy the challenge of figuring out the opponent's playing tendencies. This is crucial in both poker and cricket.”
According to him, the knowledge from both fields can be applied to each other to achieve even better results. Perhaps it would be useful for us to learn the subtleties of cricket? 🙂 Or, let's just play poker.
