By Sean Chaffin
Plenty of members of the Zynga Poker crew are in action today in Flight 1G and that again includes Hugh Grant. He’s once again hoping for a deep run here at Aria in the Zynga Poker WPT500 Las Vegas.
Last summer, the Zynga VIP finished eighth for $24,310, making his skills on the social poker felt pay off in a live setting.
“Obviously it went well the last time I came out,” he says. “So I’m hoping to have a duplication of that opportunity. It was a lot of fun.”
Those skills include being one of the top-ranked Zynga players in the world – a big feat considering there are hundreds of millions of players worldwide.
“The more you play, the more chips you win,” he says. “As you continue to level up each week there are rankings and I guess a big accumulation over time leads you here.”
More recently, poker has become much more of a social game but he does have some experience playing in a casino. He and some friends also get together occasionally for a poker night, and he usually fares pretty well in those games also.
Originally from North Carolina, Grant now lives in Atlanta, Georgia, where he and his wife have a 3-year-old daughter. As last summer’s finish shows, the 38-year-old social poker savant has successfully been able to make the transition from free mobile poker to a tournament environment with thousands and thousands of dollars on the line.
“The main difference is playing in person,” he says. “On Zynga, it’s prompted and a quick pace. Here people take time to read things, make actions, maneuver. So I guess the length of in-person play, having to look your opponents in the eye, and not being able to leave the room if you embarrass yourself are probably the biggest differences.”
An academic adviser at Emory University, Grant’s daily routine includes giving advice to students. Unlike four-time WPT champion Darren Elias’ college experience, poker doesn’t usually come up during his career conversations with his students.
“Not at all,” he says. “Most of my students are looking to go to med school or dentistry school or something of that sort.”
When not at the virtual poker table Grant enjoys spending time with family and friends. He’s also a big basketball fan and pulls for the Los Angeles Lakers. There’s an interesting reason for his out-of-state fandom.
“I actually went to the same high school as James Worthy,” he says. “We were coached by the same junior high coach. So I’ve always been a James Worthy fan and tried to be in his footsteps. I’m a Tar Heels fan and a Lakers fan.”
Worthy is an NBA legend who won three NBA titles with the Lakers, was voted a seven-time All-Star, and named MVP of the 1988 NBA Finals. Here at Aria, Grant is hoping he can channel some of those classic Lakers championship teams to battle for his own title.
Sean Chaffin is a freelance writer in Crandall, Texas, and his work appears in numerous websites and publications. Follow him on Twitter @PokerTraditions.