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In this week's INSIDER:

:: Poker News: Say Hello, High Life with New Deposit Bonuses!
:: Poker World: Dressed for Success!
:: Celebrity Poker Night with Tom McGowan
:: Player Spotlight: Fina500
:: Player of the Week: Kevin Nealon
:: Actor of the Week: Kelli Williams
:: Girl of the Week: Miss March
:: Celebrity News: Tom McGowan's New Movie
:: WSOP Tournament News: 1 WSOP Event, 2 Ways to Win!
:: Words from Vince Van Patten, WPT Host & Commentator
:: The Hollywood Poker Quiz: Win Hollywood Poker Gear!
:: Write to Win a Tournament Ticket!

Poker World: Dressed for Success

Hollywood Poker has hit the fashion scene and it's contributing to the rich history of poker apparel. In fact, we'd even venture to say we’re improving it. Ok, let's face it: Poker and fashion is not a match made in heaven. Still, presented with the prospect of players going sans clothing, it's a safe bet we'll endure a few fashion faux-pas.

Let’s take a stroll down memory lane and revisit a few of the more notable trend-setters.

Phil ‘The Unabomber’ Laak. Admittedly, most poker aliases are not flattering. In my mind, Laak is perhaps the most unfortunate bearer of such circumstance. But clothes make the man and his token hoody, dark shades and eerily composed demeanor make it all but impossible to separate Laak from this notorious madman – which in the poker world, is probably more of an advantage. Also, if we break down his garb to its constituent parts, it’s not all that offensive: Jeans, sweat shirt, sun glasses – not too bad on their own. It’s the way that Laak puts them together that makes this combo so memorable.

Greg ‘Fossilman’ Raymer. Rather than having a hodgepodge of fashion deficiencies, our next specimen has but one: Those insufferable glasses. Why? And more to the point, Why? They look like something my 5 year old nephew would bring home from a birthday in a loot bag.

Chris Ferguson. Now this is a guy who’s put effort into this look – and I’ll give him props for that. It’s obvious that his entire ensemble has been thought out. In fact, it’s painfully obvious. Chris is a tight player, I know, but he needs to loosen up with his wardrobe. You know, branch out a little, maybe throw a splash of color his black and silver studded world. As for the hat, I say keep it. Ladies dig the hat.

Stu Unger. Poker’s rock star equivalent. Judging by the look of him, he probably only changed his pants as much as Jim Morrison at his lower points – and unfortunately, the lows were frequent. His style screamed disheveled, wrinkled and distraught; perhaps the most apt physical representation of an inner state in the history of poker. Many people, myself included, have a soft spot for Stuey though. It’s hard to battle your demons and come out clean pressed.

When it’s all said and done, we have to remember one thing: Mercifully, playing winning poker has nothing to do with a decent sense of style. Poker fans don’t really care if their icons look like deranged cowboys, drug addicts or circus clowns. In fact, these personal touches (however questionable) help make players more distinct – a lofty feat in an industry of millions. For better or worse, I tip my hat to all the players who have contributed to a colorful and oxymoronic history of poker fashion.

Want to add a bit of style to your game? Bring home some Hollywood Poker Gear.


Words from Vince Van Patten, WPT Host & Commentator

Well for the last 2 weeks I’ve been giving some very advanced poker lessons to actress/star Anne Heche and her husband, Coley. Anne’s going to play the World Series Ladies event coming up in July, representing, of course, Hollywood Poker. There will be about 6 other of our regular lady star players from Hollywood Poker also playing that event. Anne’s a good player to start with, but she wanted to go to another level. Believe me, she’s catching on quick. She is soaking up the poker nuisances and she’ll be ready for that event in a big way. Her husband, Coley, is also quite fearless and he’s playing a high level game now too. But besides that, they are lots of fun.

On a more personal note, I’ve been taking dance lessons with my wife in the past two weeks; salsa to be exact. Now to begin with, I am just a horrific dancer. I am a pathetic cry for help when I’m on the dance floor. I’m very stiff, very self-conscious and I have a painful forced smile on my face. I try to avoid dancing at all costs, but my wife persuaded me with all her lady like powers and put me into some kind of wife payoff trance, because I agreed to do it. Can you believe it. I even missed my weekly poker game while I stopped to the Gypsy Queens and you know what? It’s not that bad. I’m starting to like it. Don’t tell my poker buddies.

Anyway, I’m writing this while flying back home from Vegas coming from our WPT event at the Mandalay Bay. Season five is in full gear as 349 players put up $10,000 each to take a shot at the title. Once again, all the super star players were there, played it, but busted out leaving more or less 6 unknown upset kings at the WPT final table going after millions. Poker is so wide open, it is very exciting. Well, one of the players named, Burt was an extremely talented and aggressive poker pro/stock broker, about 38 years old and had some interesting quirks about him. He played with a unique intensity, slapping the chips into the pot with hyper passion. Quite a character. In fact, I nicknamed him on the show, ‘Mad Dog’, because he looked a little insane and he literarily popped up from his seat after every bet he made and would pace around the table. He was almost comical. I mean he went back and forth from that table like Rosanne Barr at the buffet line. Watch the show, maybe you’ll agree with me. You’ll get a kick out of Mad Dog Burt.

Well that’s about it for now. I’m going to our Paris WPT event next week. I hope you are enjoying Hollywood Poker as much as I am and the cards are running good for you.

‘Til next time, play loose and stay out of my pots.

~Vince Van Patten

Tom McGowan's New Movie

If you see Tom McGowan around the site, be sure to congratulate him on the opening of his new movie, 12 and Holding, which has just opened in New York and L.A.

Read more about Tom.

Player Spotlight: Fina500

Want your chance in the Spotlight? Simply e-mail me at hollay@hollywoodpoker.com. If you’re chosen for the week’s Player Spotlight, you’ll win Hollywood Poker gear!

In this week's Player Spotlight meet Fina500!

I’ve lived beside the same woman for 12 years and I did not meet her until we were seated next to one another during a Hollywood Poker tournament. Chatting begat more chatting, questions lead to more questions and next thing I knew, we discovered that not only did we live in the same state, city and area, but in the same apartment block. Ironic that it took a global medium to bring together 2 people who live inches apart. (Never mind the absurd fact that we’d both never met after all that time.)

Now we are great friends and often meet at the Hollywood Poker tables – except now we leave our doors open so we can shout obscenities at one other across the hall. And just so the record’s straight, I’m up on her!

~Fina500


Write to Win

Express your creativity by entering Hollywood Poker's popular Write to Win contest. If your entry is chosen as a finalist, you could win a tournament ticket to one of Hollywood Poker's Celebrity Tournaments.

All you have to do is write about anything poker related and send it to hollay@hollywoodpoker.com. I’ll post all articles that qualify in the ‘Center Stage’ section of the Lounge where your fellow players will vote for their favorite article. Aside from the prestige and praise you’ll receive for your rhetorical brilliance, if you win you’ll also score a Hollywood Poker tournament ticket. It gets even better: Every week, one random voter will win Hollywood Poker gear.

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