Article

Erica Schoenberg

When you're a poker duo, it can be hard playing in the same event. That's the case for me and my boyfriend, David Benyamine. Whenever you get knocked out of a tournament, you're completely bummed and want to get out of there as fast as you can. But if your significant other is still in, you have to stay and support them – even though all you're thinking about is the hand that busted you. And it's even trickier when you wind up at the same table together...

I remember the first time that happened – it was at the Mirage. Me and my ego tried to bust him, and I was totally unsuccessful. I should have known. Over time, we've gotten over that unusual dynamic of being seated together. And I've got to keep pace with him, too. If I don't, he'll be playing all the $10K events and I'll be home baking cookies, which I must confess I do whenever I have spare time.

OZ NOT WIZARD

A couple of months back, we were really excited to go to Australia for the Aussie Millions. I had never been there before, and I was looking forward to seeing the country. But in order for me to keep that level of excitement up, I would have to perform well in the tournament. Things were definitely looking good on the first day. On one hand, I had A-7 of diamonds, and there was plenty of action before the flop as three of us remained in the hand. The flop was just what the doctor ordered: all diamonds, Ten-high! I couldn't believe how fortunate I was. More action followed. The turn failed to pair the board, and I wound up calling an all-in against one opponent, who had me covered.

I was pretty sure he had a set and, sure enough, he turned over pocket Tens. I was still in great shape, but he caught a full house on the river and I was suddenly knocked out of the tournament. I was more irritated than anything. I had played so tight, and thought I had landed in the perfect spot to really move up.

After that, it kind of soured my trip. I didn't even indulge in kangaroo while I was there, although I heard it was tasty. (OK, I'll be honest: even if I had a great tournament, I wouldn't have eaten kangaroo. I'm practically a vegetarian.)

After that, we went to Tahiti – Bora Bora to be specific. It's exactly what you'd expect: crystal blue water and sandy beaches. The idea was that we'd both go there to relax, forget our troubles for a while and I could put that rough beat behind me. What better place than Tahiti, right? Well, unfortunately for us, a tropical storm came through while we were there.

DISASTER ZONE

We were staying in what was basically a hut on stilts that rests over the water – the worst place to be. The locals told us to listen for the alarms and stay indoors, so we had to huddle in our little abode. We completely caught the brunt of the storm out on the water. The power went out, so we had to suffer through the entire thing in the dark. It was truly terrifying.

Remarkably, the trip got even worse from there. Two days later, David was playing tennis when he twisted his ankle, and the thing swelled up like a balloon. It was so bad that we knew we had to get home as soon as possible. So we left the island, and it was an adventure just getting back to the States.

After multiple boat rides, including a jaunt on a dinghy, we jumped a small propeller plane, then another small plane, before finally catching a jet back to Los Angeles. From there we still had to get back to Vegas.

All this time, David was in a wheelchair and couldn't even walk. So I had to haul two months' worth of luggage through the Tahiti weather: hot and humid as anything you've ever experienced. Needless to say, I was exhausted by the time we got back from our "vacation".

I was hoping to get back into a groove at the World Poker Tour LA Poker Classic a few weeks later. I had taken a break after Australia, and I was in a little bit of a funk. In fact, I had gotten rusty from the lack of play, and I knew I would have to shake it up.

Someone like me, who hasn't been playing very long, is always making changes. There have been times when I've played too loose and I try to tighten up. Then there are times when I'm playing too tight and I need to loosen it. I'm always trying to find the right middle, which isn't easy. When you're trying to incorporate new aspects into your game, some of them work and some of them don't. It's a constant learning process. And the learning continued in Los Angeles, where I failed to make the money.

By the time I got back to Vegas, I was ready to get really serious about my game again. I entered a $1,000 tournament at the Wynn Hotel. I decided to try something new, and it resulted in a much more aggressive style, which worked very well for quite a while. I also got lucky when I needed it. For instance, I busted pocket Aces with my pocket Queens. It seemed like things were going my way as we headed towards the money bubble.

CASH AT LAST

At this point, I was playing to win. The top prize was $80K and that was all I was really thinking about. In a tournament with this size money pool, I wasn't interested in simply sneaking into the money. It was the eighty grand – and particularly the accomplishment of winning – that was driving me.

Generally, in smaller events like this one, most players are attempting to make the money any way possible. Knowing that affects how I approach my game and how I will challenge my opponents, forcing them to put their tournament life on the line when I feel they'll be nervous doing so.

I had been playing tight right around the money bubble, and the players at the table recognized that. That's when I was in the Small Blind and looked down at A-J off-suit. A guy one behind the Button raised and I decided to press him. I'd been watching him carefully and knew he had been raising with a wide variety of not-so-strong hands.

I figured he might have junk, so I re-raised strongly. He responded by moving all-in. By this point I was pot committed, so I called him and had him covered. I was pretty surprised when he turned over pocket Tens – the tight play I had exhibited would generally lead a player to believe I had better than that. But that was the move he made, and that made it a coin-flip.

I got no love on the flop, turn or river, and the Tens held. After that I was crippled. I still made the money, cashing out $1,400, which meant a $400 profit. As soon as they put the money in my hand, I promptly marched right over to Manolo Blahnik, the makers of the best shoes on the planet. I found a pair that were absolutely my style and were 50% off. Bonus! The total for the shoes came to $401.99 after tax. That meant I spent a buck ninety-nine on the day, and now I'm sporting the hottest heels in town. I'll take it!

Now it's time for me to go to the dentist. Believe it or not, I have six cavities to fill. It's been over a year since my last appointment, and my sweet tooth definitely has not served me well. I guess I better cut back on the cookies from now on.

**ERICA FACT**

"Poker Babe" made money at modeling, pro beach volleyball and blackjack before trying Hold 'Em.