Erin Ness (Plays for PokerStars)

Erin Ness (born October 12, 1978) is an American poker player, photo assistant for Maxim Magazine, and television personality, including appearances on GSN's Poker Royale.

In 2004 she was the third highest placing woman in the main event of the World Series of Poker (WSOP), finishing in the money in 207th place. She has subsequently parlayed that finish into a part-time poker career, including the television appearances and being part of Team PokerStars.

As of 2008, her total live tournament winnings exceed $20,000.

A graduate of Georgetown University, Ness currently lives in New York City.

Courtney Friel

Courtney Friel (born April 22, 1980) is an American entertainment reporter for the Fox News Channel. Currently, she contributes to a number of different entertainment related programs for the network's website, FoxNews.com. Friel is a regular guest contributor on the Fox News show Red Eye w/ Greg Gutfeld.

Pre-Career
While attending Methacton High School in Norristown, PA, Friel dreamed of being a broadcast journalist. She regularly did the televised morning announcements, and was very active in the school's media production class. She always tried to get her friends or teachers on camera for an interview. Then one day, after submitting a short video, Friel was chosen to appear in Channel One News' student produced week in Los Angeles. Friel went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from San Diego State University, while completing many internships with MTV news and several others.

Career
Friel was a sports anchor and entertainment reporter for GoTV Mobile Television, as well as the hostess for the World Poker Tour on the Travel Channel. She was also the host of GameStop/EBGames "EB TV" which boasted of recently released and upcoming video games. Before that, she was the co-anchor of Court TV's, The Saturday Night Solution. Friel has also worked as a field reporter for various networks including: E! Entertainment, Oxygen Channel and Comcast Cable, as well as the syndicated program, Extra. She also worked as an anchor at a local affiliate in Jackson, Tennessee around 2003. She joined Fox News Channel in February 2007.

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Shana Hiatt

Shana Hiatt (born 1975) is a model and presenter who has appeared in several magazines. A former Army brat raised primarily in Tabernacle Township, New Jersey, she is best known for hosting the first three seasons of World Poker Tour on the The Travel Channel. While Hiatt was a non-player prior to her job with the World Poker Tour, she is now an avid online poker player who occasionally plays in casinos. She is formerly the host of Poker After Dark and the National Heads-Up Poker Championship, both on NBC. Shana has left Poker After Dark because she is pregnant. She is replaced by Marianela Pereyra.

Hiatt was Miss Hawaiian Tropic USA in 1995 having represented Beach Haven, New Jersey after winning the local Hawaiian Tropic pageant at Touché nightclub in 1994. After becoming Miss Hawaiian Tropic USA, Hiatt was the cover model and posed nude inside the pages of Playboy in their April 1995 The Girls of Hawaiian Tropic issue. She also was on the cover for the video of that photo shoot Playboy: The Girls of Hawaiian Tropic, Naked in Paradise.

She was the Keystone Light girl in 2002, and was #75 in Maxim Magazine's "Hot 100 of 2005" list. Hiatt was a guest host of Wild On! featured on the E! network. She has also appeared in television shows and movies including Must Love Dogs and Grandma's Boy .

After leaving the World Poker Tour in 2005, Hiatt sued the producers in order to get a restraining order to prevent them from keeping her from working on a rival poker show on NBC, Poker After Dark. The WPT argued a non-compete clause was part of her contract, but Hiatt countered that she never signed it. The suit additionally revealed Hiatt left the WPT over a "hostile working environment" involving her husband, movie producer Todd Garner whom she married in October 2005. Hiatt was previously married to James Van Patten, brother of World Poker Tour co-host Vincent Van Patten.

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Sabina Gadecki

Sabina Gadecki (born September 23, 1983 in Chicopee, Massachusetts) is an actress/model and television hostess for the 5th season of the World Poker Tour with Vince Van Patten and Mike Sexton, which airs on the Travel Channel network. It has been announced that season 6 will see the replacement of Gadecki with GT4 host Layla Kayleigh.

She is also a former 2002 Miss Polonia and Miss Western Massachusetts.

She is currently dating NBA player David Lee of the New York Knicks.

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Boris Becker (Plays for PokerStars)

Boris Franz Becker (born November 22, 1967) is a former World No. 1 professional tennis player from Germany. He is a six-time Grand Slam singles champion, an Olympic gold medalist, and the youngest-ever winner of the men's singles title at Wimbledon at the age of 17. Since he retired from the professional tour, media work and his personal life have kept him in the headlines.

Becker's game was based on a fast and well-placed serve that earned him the nicknames "Boom Boom" and "Baron von Slam." His penchant to dive for volleys across all surfaces endeared him to his fans. His heavy forehand and powerful return of serve were also very significant factors in his game.

Becker occasionally deviated from his serve-and-volley style to try to outhit from the baseline opponents who normally were at their best while remaining near the baseline. This strategy was often criticized by expert commentators.

For much of his career, Becker spent long periods ranked as World No. 2, mostly behind Ivan Lendl and Stefan Edberg. He was the top ranked player for a total of only 12 weeks during two stints in 1991.

Becker had frequent emotional outbursts on court. Whenever he considered himself to be playing badly, he often swore at himself and occasionally smashed his rackets on court. In contrast to John McEnroe, however, Becker rarely showed aggression toward his opponents. Also in contrast to McEnroe, his level of play and focus tended to be diminished rather than enhanced following these outbursts. Becker's highly dramatic play spawned a plethora of new expressions, such as the Becker Blocker (his trademark early return shot), the Becker Hecht (his flying lunge), the Becker Faust ("Becker Fist"), the Becker Shuffle (the dance he sometimes performed after making important points), and Becker Säge ("Becker Saw" – referring to the way in which he famously pumped his fists in a sawing motion).

Becker was one of the most dangerous players on grass courts, hard courts, and indoors. He had less success on clay than other surfaces as he never won a top-level singles title on clay. The closest he came was holding two match points against Thomas Muster in the final of the 1995 Monte Carlo Open. Becker did, however, team up with Michael Stich to win the 1992 men's doubles Olympic gold medal on clay.

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Cyndy Violette

Cyndy Violette (born 19 August 1959 in Queens, NY) is an American professional poker player who won a World Series of Poker bracelet in 2004.

Cyndy often played poker with family members as a child. Her family relocated to Las Vegas when she was 12 years old; Cyndy took to playing casino poker once she reached the legal age. She spent a short time as a casino employee, working as a blackjack and poker dealer.

Poker career
Violette with Doyle Brunson in 2005.In 1984, Cyndy cashed in a poker tournament in Lake Tahoe and used the proceeds to launch a professional poker career. She later took the top prize of $74,000 at a seven-card stud tournament at the Golden Nugget; at the time this was the biggest tournament prize ever won by a woman. Shortly thereafter, she married her second husband, and took a two year hiatus from poker.

In 1990, Cyndy returned to the poker scene by winning $62,000 in a tournament at Caesars Palace. She maintained her residence in Washington state but split time between Las Vegas and Los Angeles.

In 1993, Cyndy divorced her husband and relocated to Atlantic City. She continued to work the poker tournament circuit and was a regular participant in the World Series of Poker (WSOP). She has also competed on the World Poker Tour.

At the 2004 World Series of Poker, Cyndy won a bracelet in the seven-card stud high-low split tournament. She was one of three women (Kathy Liebert and Annie Duke being the other two) to win a gold bracelet in an open tournament in that year's WSOP.

Violette is a team member of the Doyle's Room online poker site. As of 2008, her total live tournament winnings exceed $1,200,000.

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Gus Hansen (Plays for Full Tilt Poker)

Biography
Before turning to playing poker professionally in 1997, Hansen was a world class backgammon player and a youth tennis champion. He was known for being a sports enthusiast throughout his teens, competing in several indoor and outdoor sports as a successful junior athlete. In 2000, he moved to New York City, and tried to make a living playing professional backgammon, but found the field too small for his taste.

He calls himself a professional gambler and has been known to take private bets on various personal athletic challenges (such as running), other than poker and professional sports.

Poker career
Hansen started playing poker at the Ocean View Card Room in Santa Cruz, California while he was an exchange student at The University of California at Santa Cruz in 1993. He is notorious for his extremely loose, aggressive play. He has a reputation for raising or bluffing with almost any two cards, which leads to opponents calling (or raising) his bets when he has a legitimate hand.

As of 2008, his total live tournament winnings exceed $5,400,000.

World Series of Poker
Hansen finished in the money in 150th place in the 2004 Main Event. In the 2006 Tournament of Champions, Gus made a World Series of Poker final table, but lost on the very first hand with Ace King against a pair of 9s.

In 2007 Hansen cashed in the money in the $10,000 No Limit Hold'em Main Event Championship coming in 61st place out of a field of 6,358 players, winning $154,194.

World Poker Tour
Hansen is the only player to win three World Poker Tour (WPT) open tournaments. He also won the first WPT Bad Boys of Poker invitational event. In 2004, he was inducted into the World Poker Tour Walk of Fame, along with Doyle Brunson and James Garner.

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Jennifer Leigh (Plays for Poker Stars)

Jennifer "Jennicide" Leigh (born August 10, 1983 in Wilmington, Delaware) is an American professional poker player.

Leigh was introduced to poker by Robert Boyd (Russ "Dutch" Boyd's brother) years after they met each other on Internet Relay Chat.

Leigh built up from playing $5 SNG online poker tournaments to playing $100/$200 limit hold'em cash games. She also cashed in the $1,000 limit hold'em event of the World Championship of Online Poker.

Leigh's nickname "Jennicide" was her alias on hacking bulletin boards when she was younger. She was at one time involved in beige boxing. (Leigh has described herself as a nerd, with knowledge of Linux and C# programming.)

Whilst Leigh is best known for playing online poker at PokerStars under the screen name "Jennicide," she was also involved in the Poker Royale: Battle of the Ages series. She won two preliminary heats and went on to finish 5th in the Grand Final. She finished in the money in the World Poker Tour (WPT) 2006 Caribbean Poker Adventure.

Leigh has been romantically involved with several young poker professionals. She has indicated that she finds it difficult to maintain a relationship whilst playing poker.

Jennicide loves video games, and recently blogged about reaching level 70 on World of Warcraft. She also played the MMORPG EverQuest.

Leigh has also posed for FHM Online in 2007, and will appear in the May 2008 issue of Playboy.

As of 2008, her live tournament winnings exceed $61,000.

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Kristy Gazes (Plays for Full Tilt Poker)

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

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

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.

Her biggest (tournament) 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. She took a $250,000 payout for her victory.

In 2003 she won the World Championship of Online Poker Omaha high low split title.

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

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

In August 2007 she won the World Poker Tour Season Six Ladies Invitational.

As of 2007, her live tournament winnings exceed $810,000.

Kristy was formerly married to poker pro Bill Gazes.

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

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Phil Ivey (Plays for Full Tilt Poker)

Early years
Ivey was born in Riverside, California and moved with his family across the country to Roselle, New Jersey as a three-month old. He crafted his game playing skills amongst his co-workers at a New Brunswick, New Jersey telemarketing firm in the late 1990s. One of his nicknames, "No Home Jerome", stems from the ID card he secured to practice in Atlantic City in his teenage years.

World Series of Poker
Despite now focusing more on cash games than tournaments, his tournament accomplishments include winning three bracelets at the 2002 World Series of Poker, tying Phil Hellmuth Jr and Ted Forrest for the most wins in a single year.

Ivey also has bracelets in Pot Limit Omaha from 2000 and 2005. In 2000, he was the first person to defeat Amarillo Slim at a WSOP final table. In addition to his five World Series bracelets, Ivey has shown great success in the WSOP Main Event. He placed in the top 25 three times from 2002 to 2005, with the fields growing exponentially each year. Ivey finished 23rd in 2002, 10th in 2003, and 20th in 2005.

World Poker Tour
Ivey has also reached a record eight final tables on the World Poker Tour. He has lost several of these WPT events by being eliminated while holding the same starting hand each time, an ace-queen. Eight out of the Nine times Phil Ivey has cashed in a WPT event, he has also made the television final table. During the sixth season of the WPT in February 2008, Ivey made the final table at the LA Poker Classic at Commerce Casino that included Phil Hellmuth and Nam Le, eventually capturing the $1,596,000 first prize and putting an end to his streak of seven WPT final tables without a victory. Ivey has earned close to three million dollars in WPT cashes.

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Liz Lieu

Liz Lieu (born August 2, 1974 in Vietnam) is a professional poker player.

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. She 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 she 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. She 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.

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, Lieu was honored by the WSOP and ESPN as a "Final Table Grand Marshall" along with Johnny Chan.

As of 2008, Lieu has earned over $680,000 in live tournament play.

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