In the field of poker, it’s something they’ve been trying for decades and only occasionally getting away with. The pastime, or should we say sport, of poker has become a massive industry in recent decades, and it’s an activity millions upon millions of us enjoy.

Of all the poker scenes put to celluloid, here are our three favorites, not necessarily due to their realistic nature but more for their iconic impact. By the way, if you are an avid poker fan out of Pennsylvania, you may want to check out this helpful list of the best PA online poker sites around.

The Sting (1973)

This classic comedy caper from George Roy Hill sees Paul Newman and Robert Redford deliver a masterclass in suave elegance as they grift their way to a killing. Robert Shaw, best known for his performance as Quint in Jaws, is the ‘Mark’ for their big con, and that’s because the tyrannical gangster was behind the killing of their friend in Illinois during the Great Depression.

In order to set the scene and lure in Shaw, Newman constructs a con that involves a high-stakes poker game that takes place on board a train. It’s an iconic scene and one that lives long in the memory.

Newman plays an obnoxious drunk who riles up Shaw and his fellow players, giving them a sense of false expectations, only to then beat him in a way that clearly shows his opponent that he’s cheated. However, it’s not a claim Shaw can make, given he, too, has been cheating.

It lays the groundwork for the ultimate con that takes place in the final act and is beautifully crafted from both a cinematic perspective as well as a nod to poker lovers out there, who no doubt know the scene back to front.

Rounders (1998)

This 90s favorite, starring Matt Damon and Ed Norton as the leads, is pretty much the poker equivalent to The Color of Money. Mike McDermott (Damon) is studying law while making a few extra bucks on the side as a poker player. He’s a happy-go-lucky type of guy whose best friend happens to be something of a risk-taker, leading him down all sorts of roads he’d rather not have traveled.

Throughout the film, McDermott is effectively playing in order to keep his friend, Worm (Norton), out of jail or the hands of the mobsters, and it all comes down to a final card game against the hilarious “Teddy KGB,” a riotous over the top portrayal of a Russian gangster from John Malkovich, which effectively steals the film.

By the end of the film, Mike has worked out KGB’s ‘tell’ and subsequently lures him in and wins back all that he is owed, resulting in his friend escaping the clutches of the mob and a tidy little nest egg for himself.

Throughout the movie, we are given an education into poker rooms, both big and small, and while it’s all a little bit ‘on the nose,’ it’s nonetheless entertaining, and the movie played its part in making poker very cool again.

Casino Royale (2006)

Daniel Craig successfully brought James Bond back to life following Pierce Brosnan’s slightly over-the-top run as 007, and in his first outing during 2006’s Casino Royale, he partakes in a big money poker game in Monte Carlo.

Unsurprisingly he’s going up against an ingenious madman who wants to destroy the world, as is traditional, but first, there’s the important matter of a card game played in a very opulent setting.

Of course, Bond wins after a poor start and pockets $100 million, further irritating La Chiffre (Mads Mikkelsen) when he gets a straight flush, beating his opponent’s full house.

Arden’s YouTube videos have hundreds of thousands of views while somehow remaining down-to-earth, frank and inclusive of moving testimonials about everything from laziness being her least favorite trait in others to how her hard work and her belief in how “opportunity and preparation” makes your luck more than just pure happenstance. She believes in “self positivity”, plays in Phil Hellmuth’s online home game, creates music, is a black belt in taekwondo and speaks out and for women in poker. She’s made her place in the world of acting and now poker, by believing in herself, having resiliency and the knowledge that “nothing that’s good or great is easy”.

Arden was kind enough to give Cardplayer Lifestyle some of her time at the 2023 PokerStars Players Championship and discuss the “poker side of her life” in our interview, an edited transcript of which is included below.

Robbie Strazynski – Cardplayer Lifestyle: When and how did you first learn to play poker?

Arden Cho: I attempted to start learning when I was in college and, Boy, was I bad! I feel like you hear that quite often, but I definitely lost a lot at the beginning. Luckily we were playing very small: $0.10/$0.25 and $0.25/$0.50.

But yeah, I played in college mostly in the dorms with friends. I wasn’t really into partying and going out. I wasn’t really quite extroverted, so I really loved that poker was a fun activity to do, and it’s a game.

It’s a very deep, thought-provoking game — and I love the challenge.

Robbie: What was it about the game that initially appealed to you – and is that thing something you still enjoy about poker today?

Arden: The competition; wanting to be better. Of course, there’s always the stigma that women shouldn’t play poker. That was something I heard often in college. The boys would be like, “Oh, this is just a boys’ night. You can’t play.”

So I dabbled a little online and that was even tougher. I think it was just the fact that I wanted to learn.

And of course, back then, I probably should’ve just gotten a coach and read some more poker books or something. I guess you just keep trying and trying. I think the fun thing about poker is that there’s really no “one way to play.” That’s probably the most interesting aspect of it.

I know now that there’s obviously “optimal” play and I hear all that, but at the same time for a recreational player — I don’t play all that much anymore and when I do play it’s just really for fun so I think that I just love that the game is always changing.

I think through the years I’ve met a lot of incredibly talented players. I have friend I respect a lot and their game. And of course, I’m at a point where I don’t really have an ego and I love to ask friends what I did wrong in a situation. Or what I could have done better, and I think that’s what I really enjoy. I love learning and I also love hearing different opinions.

Sometimes people are like, “Oh, that’s an interesting way to play it.” And I guess your result might have been bad, or could have been good, but it’s also one of those things where you try not to be so ‘results-oriented.’ Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t.

Robbie: Hard work and perseverance are two character traits that tend to serve people well in life, and of course at the poker table as well. Your father is a grandmaster in taekwondo, and you’re a black belt. Do you think your training with your father helped form some of your appreciation for hard work and perseverance?

Arden:  Oh, of course. I actually feel like there’s a lot of overlap in entertainment and poker. Anything really competitive in sports in general — you really do have to be resilient. You have to be willing to take shots. You can’t be afraid to fail. You can’t be afraid to lose.

I always see it as a lot of similarities in poker and acting as well. I think having that resilience or foundation; that attitude is very important.

Robbie:  So, I do have to follow up then. As far as that resilience, how do you bounce back? Everyone’s human. How do you bounce back from a bad beat or the day just didn’t go well — it was raining when you wanted it to be sunny?

Arden: Oh, man! Let’s see. At least in acting, I have quit more times than I can count. Whenever I play poker, I’ve probably quit more times than I can count as well. I always tell people that I think that’s pretty normal. I think it’s normal to be like, “You know what? I’m done. I can’t take it anymore. It’s just too brutal.”

Definitely over the years, there have been times when I’ve been, “Wow! I’m really running bad; maybe playing bad.” When you’re running bad you also sometimes play worse. It’s just like this mental battle, right? So, yeah. I’ve had a lot of ups-and-downs but I always think I could just still come back because I love the challenge. I love the fight, and nothing good comes easy.

Robbie: And then when you do win, it feels amazing…

Arden:  It feels so good. Even in the acting career, when you get those wins and you get those great opportunities; the great roles — it’s like winning a tournament. Of course, I’ve never done that in poker yet. Knock on wood! Hopefully one of these days!

I’m quite new to the tournament scene. I’ve played probably less than 15 events. Honestly, it’s been hard for me to find like a big, long sum of time to be able to play an event if it’s going to potentially be multiple days. And you don’t want to try if it’s going to be like, “By Day 2 or 3, in case I make it, I have to go back to work.”

So that’s always tough, but I think definitely getting close is almost more devastating versus busting out the first day and you’re like, “Oh, well. There it goes.”

Robbie:  I’m familiar with that myself. I play cash games exclusively for that exact reason. I don’t want to get stuck in a tournament if maybe, for example, I’m going to have an interview opportunity with Arden Cho! And then come up and say, “I’m in the tournament. Sorry!”

Arden: Well, it’s funny because that’s the thing. I actually play cash games, and the thing I like about that is I play a lot of games with friends and people I know in life, and they’re all incredible people. It’s sort of like a round of golf.

You play together for 4-5 hours. You play for a bit; catch up on life. You maybe watch a game and hang out. It’s sort of like a nice activity if you’re not one to wanna go clubbing every weekend. I’m just sort of not that person.

My girlfriends always tease me because they’re like, “You’re the only girl we know that her ideal Friday night is playing cards.” And I go, “Well, think about it — I can eat, get a massage, and play poker all simultaneously while hanging out with my friends.” I mean, nothing really beats that. You can’t get a massage at the club.

Robbie: Generally speaking, when you prepare yourself for something mentally and physically, you’re able to achieve peak performance. What mental and physical preparation do you do before a big poker event such as the PokerStars Players Championship?

Arden: One: I want to get a good night’s rest. Two: I don’t have huge expectations for myself. I’m so new to tournaments, I’m just happy to play and happy to have a shot.

I’m definitely talking to a lot of my poker-player friends who are pros and getting advice and trying to get some last-minute cramming in.

It’s nice. I feel like I’m very lucky everyone’s very helpful. I kind of like that about the poker industry. I feel like people are open to helping you get better. I feel like it’s interesting. I feel like sometimes certain industries are very competitive and less people want to help you.

Maybe I’m just lucky. I’ve met a lot of great pros who are very nice and want to help; give me tips. And I feel like it’s makes it fun and welcoming because I don’t really know how to play tournaments. I’ve gotten lucky in some and had a couple of deep runs and I feel like there’s definitely a mix of luck.

My first $25k (buy-in), I didn’t last very long. I lost of couple of flips. Things didn’t really go my way.

It happens, but I feel like I’m definitely still trying to figure out how to be prepared because I was definitely really nervous coming into the $25k. It is a very tough field full of amazing players, so that was quite intimidating for someone like me, but it was fun!

Robbie: You’re one of over 1,000 players in this PSPC field, and among those you’re one of over 400 who received a Platinum Pass. You’re no stranger to big time poker events, having racked up $150K in results over the years. How did it feel when you received a Platinum Pass from PokerStars?

Arden: It was so exciting! Honestly, it’s such a treat. I feel really lucky that PokerStars is encouraging to women — especially who are non-pros — wanting to “take a shot” and be a part of this world because it is quite intimidating.

A lot of my friends that might enjoy poker would never even consider coming to something like this. Because, “Why would you?” You might have no shot. But PokerStars giving these Platinum Passes — I feel like it’s such a cool opportunity. I don’t know if I would’ve come otherwise, right?

Robbie: Have you experienced a phenomenon that when other women watch you play under the bright lights, it makes them want to play poker, too?

Arden: I think a lot of friends recently… it’s actually been really funny. I’ll have friend where they see me play and they’ll be like, “Oh, I watched you play!” Or, “She watched your stream and she thinks you’re so cool!”

And I’m like, “Really?” Because I’m a bit embarrassed. I don’t think I’m good enough and I don’t really want people to see me play because it’s embarrassing. I’m like, “Give me a couple of years!”

I think it’s exciting because people are more like, “No, it’s cool! It’s cool that you’re sitting there with the guys, holding your own.” I think I’m also starting to realize that as well — that even if I’m sitting there and feeling nervous and scared — that other people can’t see that. That’s the game.

I always tell people that poker is very similar to acting because you’re telling stories. It’s a very creative game. I think people forget that poker is very creative. You’re convincing your opponent of what hand you have, or what story you’re telling with your bet. It’s way more creative than people think.

So I think as an actor, I have a lot of fun because I feel like — maybe in life I might be this tiny little Asian girl and I’m pretty bubbly, but the number one comment I get at a table is, if I’m all-in they’re like, “Why are you smiling?” And I’m like, “Well, my chips are in there. My decision is over so I’m like enjoying the moment. Bluff or not, I’ve committed myself so it’s up to you now.”

I want to have fun in the process, and of course I know it’s get very serious when we’re in big pots and you get closer to the money it gets very, very intense. But again, I think for me, because it’s still all so new — especially tournaments — I’m just having fun. It’s exciting. It’s scary.

Robbie: I hope you never lose that. I’m the same way. It’s just so important to approach events like that as a fun opportunity to enjoy yourself.

Arden: It was funny because yesterday I had a couple of friends text me and be like, “I can see you, and you are having so much fun. Your table must be amazing.” And I’m like, “Oh, I’ve lost half my chips, and ‘yes,’ I’m having a wonderful time getting crushed by these pros.”

Robbie: Phil Hellmuth has been very supportive of your poker career. How did you first meet and how did you become involved with his online home game?

Arden: Phil’s great. We met through a lot of mutual friends. It was sort of like a networking thing. We’ve got a lot of different types of people in the group. We’ve got athletes, actors, producers, businessmen, and it’s just a big fun networking thing.

Sometimes we do group trips together. We’ll all go to Vegas, or we’ll go somewhere and play and hang out and go mini-golf or… it’s not like it’s always just poker.

Recently, Phil has been very encouraging about saying, “Yeah, maybe you should play more tournaments.” I feel like sometimes with cash games, it’s tough because you can’t really control how much someone wins or loses. Sometimes a player loses so much, and between friends that can feel like a “bummer.”

I like that in tournaments everyone has the same entry; the same buy-in. It doesn’t matter how many times you’ve won. There’s a very “sport” aspect of tournaments where you get one shot in that tournament. I really like that, and I also like that obviously skill is a huge part of it, but you can still get really lucky, run like the sun, and win!

So I’m waiting for one of those, and I think Phil is very encouraging in the sense of, “Yeah, he has so many bracelets along with a lot of the other pros that we know,” but is encouraging to say we can all try. And it’s true. Otherwise, why would we be here, if there was “zero shot?”

Robbie You’re very vocal about the reality of what women face when they play poker, specifically in tournaments. What actions would you like to see in poker to help work towards parity for women in the future?

Arden: This is a tough question for me because again, I have such a small pool of experience in tournaments, so I really don’t know as much. I remember speaking to Maria Ho about it, and just how much I respect her for really being one of the few women I’ve sort of seen in the poker world for so many years.

We always ask, “What would make it better, or easier?” And I think it honestly would come down to having more women feel welcome to play.

I think — especially with PokerStars giving away so many Platinum Passes to women, that’s a start. Making us feel like we belong. Not just in Ladies events but in every event. I think it just comes down to awareness and seeing it.

Even in the media, we always talk about how unless we see minority stories, people don’t realize minorities are a part of this world and the stories we tell. So I think in poker, unless we start seeing more women playing; having more presence, it’s just so tough.

Of course, that start is tough. Obviously, it’s going to be very hard to be 50-50. We have a long way to go, but I will say that the 2023 PSPC has been really refreshing to see so many women. I’ve never seen this many women playing a poker tournament in my life. So that has been really cool.

I always get really excited seeing other women competing. I want to root for them. I might not even know who they are, but I’m like, “I hope you win!” Every woman I see at the table I’m like, “Run good! I hope you run good, too, and I hope all of us make it!” I’m like, “If I don’t make it, I hope she does!”

Robbie: Do you have friends or family joining you in the Bahamas? You do have a little extra time on your hands now; what activities do you hope to partake in off the felt?

Arden: This was so last-minute that I actually came out here alone, but I have a handful of friends out here, so it is fun to hang out and catch up. We’ve been going to the water park; going down the water slide like kids and spending some time on the beach.

That’s actually been really nice. Just walking around in the weather here. It’s amazing and it’s not a bad view! It’s wild. This is such a nice treat. It’s really great to just be here feeling like I’m on vacation, because poker, for me, is a vacation.

I know… for most of the players here it’s a very serious trip. It’s their work and they are working. But for me, I’m like, “Oh, I’m on vacation. Sorry guys, I’m just happy to play!”

So I’m going to take another shot. I think I’m going to play the $3k and the $2k, so hopefully I run better in those. It’s funny because a bunch of my friends — we all busted the $25k PSPC together so we’re all playing that next event or two together.

So again, that feels really fun because, you know, not a big deal. We’re all playing it. I think a lot of great players busted out of the $25k PSPC and so, I’m like, “It’s all right. It’s okay.”

Robbie: What memories would you like to take with you from the PSPC?

Arden: I’m so affected by my environment, so I think — just this island — is so amazing.

It’s so amazing to wake up and to see this view; to be by the ocean; great air; great weather — just good food, good vibes. All of it just feels like the perfect vacation… and then you get to play poker!

I’m going to the spa tomorrow. I feel like really, just the overall experience feels really fun. I had never been to the Bahamas. I had never played a $25k buy-in poker tournament. A lot of “firsts” here, so just the fact that I get to check a couple of things off the “bucket list” feels very memorable.

On the bright side, that meant he had time to do some interviews, and Cardplayer Lifestyle was fortunate enough to have a few minutes of his time. Long a fan specifically of David’s work in Suits, it was a special thrill to get to sit with him and discuss “the poker side of his life”. Below is the transcript of the conversation we had, edited for brevity and clarity.

Robbie Strazynski – Cardplayer Lifestyle: David, you’re no stranger to poker; you’ve got some chops, which we’ll discuss a little later on in this interview. To start out, please share with our audience how and when you first learned to play the game, and what it was about poker that piqued your interest.

David Costabile:  I first started playing with my family. My dad was a really good card player. So we all used to play cards together, and it was really fun. So [my dad] would tell stories about when he was in college — he won a lot of money playing cards and I think he’s sort of, somewhat psychic. So he really had an ability to play. He had never taught me how to play. He was like, “I’m not going to teach you how to play.” And I was like, “Why can’t you teach me how to play?” And he was like, “I’m not going to… no.”

He just refused to ever tell me his secrets or what to do, or how to do it. So I had to just kind of watch him and learn.

So at big holidays, like at Christmas and Thanksgiving, everybody would come around — and he came from a big family. So we were like, Italian Irish Catholics. He was the youngest of nine kids so there were always constantly people to play. It was also just about the camaraderie and the chatter. Growing up, the dinner table was “the place.” We would sit around at dinner at talk and talk and talk.

So that was really about; I wanted to be like the grown-ups. I wanted to be able to play like them and I love games. So it was a super-fun way to be both social and be with your family and also feel like you’re included and really doing something.

Robbie: And you still have that same enjoyment of the social banter?

David: I do. I play in a weekly game. We do it on Zoom because we can’t all be together, but I did that sort of all the way through COVID. I know one or two of the guys in the game. So I met a whole new group of friends and it’s interesting to talk to them. It’s interesting to talk about cards. They’re all going to give me great or terrible reviews when I get back because then they all get to watch me on the stream.

It isn’t as if you could go and tell them about the “glory hands” and then the “sh–ty hands,” but then they get to see all the hands. And they’re just like, “no, no, wrong wrong… again wrong.” And you’re like, does everybody get to see your cards too? Every hand?”

Robbie: Exactly. It’s easy to just watch from the side and not under the lights.

David: Three and a half hours on TV! Look, I work on TV all the time. I shoot television all the time. I know what it’s like to be on camera, but you do it in little chunks. You do it for two minutes, or a minute, and they say, “cut.” And then you go, “I’m not on camera.”

And then they say, “we’re rolling — action!” You do it for two minutes again. But here, it’s just a rolling three hours.

Robbie: But there is obviously a difference as a paid professional actor playing a role as opposed to sitting and playing in a poker tournament. Do you feel, when you’re under the lights, the pressure to be Hollywood actor David Costabile?

David: Yeah, sure. You also want — I mean, I know what those guys in the booth are looking for. I’ve watched their live stream. I spent the whole last week watching the live stream which those guys are killing themselves to do, and I think it’s incredible what they’re doing. It’s hard work. It’s mostly people who are being silent [at the featured table].

That’s a very difficult thing. To make jokes; to make it interesting. Something is happening. There are cards. You can talk about the cards, but for so much of poker, it’s ordinary. Right? It just goes, “raise-call-check-fold.” Once you get into this thing, it was very interesting for me to watch the pros, and to try to glean their strategy and what they were doing.

I’m obviously not going to learn fast enough as I am going down that road. But it was totally fascinating, and also — because you’re “the mark” — so you have to figure out what part of the mark you’re going to play. Are you doing to play-up the mark or play-down the mark? Are you going to pretend that the mark is the mark? Which part of the mark is it? Are you going to reveal the mark or not reveal the mark? So, there were many pieces at stake all at once.

Robbie: You’re of course not the only Hollywood celeb who enjoys some poker. Back in the old days it was folks like Johnny Carson, Frank Sinatra, Telly Savalas, and others of that generation gathering around a table. These days, the Hollywood home games can boast more actors than even Phil Hellmuth could name-drop. Who are some famous film and TV stars who you’ve competed against at the felt over the years, and which have been your favorite to face?

David: I work for Brian Koppelman. We play cards together on occasion, but he’s a high-flier. So I can’t fly as high as he does. Which is good. I don’t go near [those stakes].

Hank Azaria has a game in New York, and this is a dangerous game for anyone who is not at that particular [stake] level. So I can steer clear of that some days. I play in a game with Billy Crudup and Eric Bedoucha now. A bunch of New York actors, which is very fun.

You’re able to talk about work, and you’re able to talk about it in a way that is easy. We can talk about it openly and easily.

Robbie: Is Texas Hold’em the only poker you play, or do you by any chance also enjoy some other poker variants like stud and Omaha… or even perhaps home game favorites like deuces wild, follow the queen, pass the trash and that sort of stuff?

David: It’s just Texas Hold’em and it’s only cash.

Robbie: Generally speaking, a big force bringing poker players to the table, both recreational and professional, is the desire to make money. Typically, Hollywood actors tend to do alright for themselves to the point that I imagine money isn’t the main carrot that brings you to the felt. What do you enjoy the most about competing in a cash game or poker tournament, and what sort of feeling/emotion are you chasing?

David: I like action for sure. You like to feel like you’re in the action. I’ve spent my life thinking about human behavior, psychology, and how one acts under duress. Or any number of aspects of the human spirit. So you’re putting the human experience under pressure which then is going to make it alter. Which is interesting to watch, and then for yourself, too. You’ll see like, “Oh, look how you’re shifting and moving” So I think that aspect is always interesting.

And then it’s sort of like “playing.” My job is to “play.” That’s what I do all day and what I think about all day. And to sort of enliven your spirit; to try to strengthen the spirit of your play inside of your being is essential for me. I want to “play” all the time. When I’m not playing, I feel like you’re missing the boat. You’ve missed it.

Robbie: So win or lose, you come away with a good feeling after a poker session?

David: [audibly screeches] If I had walked away from this and you’re like, “Dude, you got a terrible beat. You got it in great and got a terrible beat. I would be like, “That’s great. That’s as much as I could hope for.” And it seems like I held enough for the first two hours and felt, “Okay, you did it!” You got through the two hours and after the break they’re like, “You’re going to come back and do two more hours.” I’m just like, “Can’t I go to the other dark part where I can just shut my mouth?”

Because there’s no way to guard against it. There’s too many; it’s too much. I mostly wanted to get to the second day, but I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t find the bag.

Robbie: Our crack research team – of me – unearthed a nice little nugget… one of the films you starred in back in 2013 was one with some (online) poker in it, called Runner Runner, where you played Professor Hornstein. What do you remember about that particular role and what did you enjoy the most about that gig?

David Costabile:  [Professor Hornstein] was a degenerate gambler and Brian [Koppelman] and David [Levien] were working on it. And Justin Timberlake. We were in Puerto Rico; we shot in Puerto Rico. It was fun. I got to work with JT. I mean, that was fantastic! Who wouldn’t want to do that?

Robbie:  You’ve mentioned Brian Koppelman a couple of times. Would you want to play a role in a sequel to Rounders if such a movie were ever to be made; and if so, what kind of role?

David:  Yes! Yes, of course! — The guy who wins the poker tournament [laughs]! Whatever they put me in, I’d do. They say, “Jump,” and I say, “How high?”

Robbie: Well, you’re here now at the PSPC, but it’s not your first collaboration with PokerStars. Back in mid-2020 you not only participated in the Stars Call for Action online celebrity tournament; you actually won it! Refresh our memories – what was that tournament about and why was it important to you to participate in it?

David: That’s true! You did the research. Did you do some of the research on the hand history? Did you look up who I beat?

Robbie: Yes, I did. We’ll get there, but first, what was it about that tournament that was important to you to participate in?

David: There were a couple of things. One was, we were all in lockdown and everybody in the world felt like, “We’re living in a hard time and we want to help people as much as we can. And the opportunity to… I knew I could do it. Just like coming here. I knew I was off work from shooting and I could come here which was great.

In that situation, we were home with our kids and my wife was like, “Okay, you should do that for sure.” It was a great opportunity, and I won. I got $100,000 for World Central Kitchen. I’m really proud of that. I believe so deeply in the work that they do around the world and we’re so happy to support them. I really felt like I did make a contribution, which was super-cool.

So to that end, when you ask, “Why do you do it? — You weren’t in it for the money.” It was better than if I had won $100,000 you’d be like, “Really [bored face]? That’s what you did? You spent a Saturday trying to win $100,000?” But if you won $100,000 that you were going to give to something that you deeply believed in, you’re like, “What a great gift! What a gift to me; that I got!” So, I really felt that way afterwards.

One of the things about it is that nobody knew who I was, because they tried to Zoom it and it was post-edited. They couldn’t figure out how to make all of it sort of coalesce, but it was great. It was a great feeling.

Robbie: Ahead of playing in the Stars Call to Action tournament, you posted on Instagram that you were “taking direct aim at fellow players Aaron Paul, Gabriel Macht, and Bryan Cranston.” Of course, you were their co-star in Breaking Bad and Suits, respectively. Among the characters they played in those TV series, namely Jesse Pinkman, Walter White, and Harvey Spector, which of those would be the best poker player and why?

David: Yeah, f— those guys [jokingly]. Walter White would be the best poker player.

Robbie: You’re here now at the 2023 Poker Players Championship but unfortunately you’re no longer playing in the event. You did last until the final level of play yesterday, Day 1, and you had been at the featured table on center stage for a good portion of the day. What were some of the highlights of your experience?

David:  I got to meet a bunch of poker players. Dan Shak gave me absolution after I had f—ed up a hand. I asked him if I played it right and he was like, “That’s exactly how I would’ve played it.” And I felt so much f—ing better. It felt great to get that affirmation because it was right after the hand — and he was like, “Can I have a picture?” And I was like, “Yes! I love watching you play poker. You’re such a good poker player.”

And I was like, “Could you just tell me if I did this wrong or right?” Because even if he had said, “You f—ed it up.” I would’ve been like, “Alright. I did. Big deal.” But he was like, “That’s exactly how I would’ve played.” So it was great to have one of the ‘high priests’ be like, “You’re okay.” And it actually did sort of calm me down, which was nice.

Because it can go so fast, and for me it really wasn’t about the win, but I just wanted to keep playing. I wanted to go to somebody and ask, “Can I have more chips? — I need more chips. I don’t need lots more, but just enough to keep doing it.

Robbie: Well, unfortunately you won’t be making a deep PSPC run, BUT on the flip side, that means you’ve got a good bit of extra time on your hands. What activities are you hoping to enjoy during the rest of your stay here at Baha Mar in the Bahamas?

David: Flamingo Yoga maybe? There might be some Lazy River in my future. I saw the flamingos this morning. They’re very cute.

Robbie: The Lazy River; I would say, “Don’t go just once. Go again and again.” It’s very fun. David, thank you very much.

David:  It’s been nice to meet you.

Robbie: Likewise.

We have winner! Andrew @BowieEffect Wilson is the 2022 @WPT RRPO Champion after a tough heads-up battle against Josh Kay. He earned $785,800 and put his name on the Mike Sexton WPT Champions Cup.

Congrats Andrew!

Updates: https://t.co/K8MFeOHar8 pic.twitter.com/5AIzsOGTH7

— Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open (@shrpo) November 30, 2022

It’s been an amazing week all around with the perfect combination of an incredible tournament series put on by the World Poker Tour and its incredible team, and an outstanding venue in the Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood Hotel & Casino.

My first time here has been memorable for many reasons, and I can’t wait to come back, a sentiment echoed by many players, such as Raminder Singh, who cite this venue as one of their favorites, too.

Here’s a look at my five favorite things about the Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood Hotel & Casino (in no particular order).

My Spacious, Luxurious Room

As you may have seen in my opening piece about what I was looking forward to, a room in the famous Guitar Hotel was on the list. Unfortunately, with the high demand here this week, that wasn’t possible. However, what I did receive was even better!

I was set up in the original Hard Rock Hotel, which has been fully renovated with luxurious, spacious rooms, of which I had a plush king bed with super cozy bedding and pillows, a large bright bathroom with a deep bathtub and shower, a 55-inch smart tv, a comfortable desk with plugs, HDMI and USB ports, and a small sitting area in front of a large window…with a view of the Guitar Hotel!

If you’re staying in the hotel, how are you supposed to see it and marvel at its architectural glory?

Plentiful Food and Beverage Options

Any good casino resort has an abundance of options in this area, and the Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood more than qualifies.

Starting with a food court containing options such as pizza, burgers, hot dogs, Chinese food, and a kiosk of healthier options, there are plenty of choices for times you need to grab and go.

Then scattered throughout the property are plenty of contemporary restaurants, including Rise, where I had many a good and quick breakfast, The Bol, a quality spot for delicious Asian cuisine, and of course, the Hard Rock Café, to name just the places I enjoyed personally.

As for fine dining, there are plenty of great options as well, including Abiaka Wood Fire Grill overlooking the massive pool area (more on that coming up…), Cipresso, which serves Italian-American fare, and the Council Oaks steakhouse bringing diners top-quality steak and seafood.

When it comes to bars, lounges, and other spots for a beverage, they too are spread throughout the property with options for all tastes, including a pair of nightclubs, classy cocktail lounges, and a pair of sports bars, both on the casino floor, and the PLA sports bar in the shopping area not far from the poker room which also offers interactive gaming for patrons.

The Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood Poker Room

I mean, what’s a poker trip without playing some poker right? Along with my first foray into the incredible SHR Hollywood poker room, of which I did a full review, a second session was far more successful, which allowed me a trip to South Beach the following day on other players’ dimes.

The room instantly became one of my favorites anywhere, and I’ll be looking forward to my next session here ASAP.

The Pool(s)

A resort without a good pool is no resort at all. Based on my evaluation of the pool here, I can safely say that the Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood is a RESORT!

A sandy beach area, loungers, cabanas, palm trees, waterfalls, multiple crystal-clear pools, and even little tables for writers to put their laptops on! All in the shadow of the Guitar Hotel, and that’s only the main pool area!

The secondary pool area at the opposite end of the property near the original Hard Rock Hotel was under construction but promises to be re-opened in January 2023, offering more fun in the sun for visitors to the resort.

Cool Music Memorabilia Everywhere

A staple of any Hard Rock Hotel, casino, or cafe is the amazing amount of music memorabilia filling every corner of the property. With a space as massive as the Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood, the amount of cool stuff to check out could fill a museum.

Along with being greeted by a mural of WPT ambassador Steve Aoki at the elevators on my floor, I had a great time scouring the property, trying to find items from my favorite artists, and was happy to find a guitar signed by the late Taylor Hawkins of the Foo Fighters.

Instruments, outfits, and even vehicles can be found throughout the property, each bearing a plaque explaining their significance.

On top of that, visitors to the Guitar Hotel are greeted in the lobby by The Oculus, a massive 35-foot high waterfall that transforms into a musical show, as songs by artists such as the Police, David Bowie, Maroon 5, and many more are synced to the waterfall and a massive screen behind it, providing a very cool water and light show every 20 minutes.

Honorable Mentions

While those were my favorite things that I got to experience first-hand, there’s still much more worth discussing, starting with the massive casino floor which includes over 3,100 slot machines, and nearly 200 table games with stakes for all players.

Just off the casino floor is a full shopping area with several high-end stores, a cigar shop and of course the Hard Rock store to grab merchandise to remember your trip by.

There’s just so much to enjoy at Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood. With multiple WPT stops and their own series throughout the year as well, it’s a location that should be at the top of any poker player’s list of places to visit.

But while these guys have been grinding away for huge prizes, I can’t lie, I’ve been a bit conflicted on my purpose here.

Normally I’d be at an event like this as a live poker reporter, spending many hours on the tournament floor, capturing hands and stories on the road to crowning a champion. But this has been a full-on gig for Cardplayer Lifestyle… with the emphasis on Lifestyle.

So around the other articles I’ve written, dammit, I’ve been living the lifestyle as much as possible this week. If you’re going to send me to South Florida for a poker tournament and want me to write about what else you get besides a world-class poker tournament, you’re gonna get it; so here goes.

South Beach

As I begin writing this, I’m sitting on the best Starbucks patio I’ve ever experienced. I’m at the end of the Ocean Drive promenade, shaded by palm trees, watching people come to and from the beach, while others make their way up and down the promenade past the legendary row of art deco hotels, restaurants, bars, and cafes.

Before sitting down to write, I spent the day enjoying the scenery and atmosphere of the beachfront neighborhood that’s just as incredible in person as it looks in the movies. It truly does feel like something off the silver screen, and that’s before the sun’s even gone down.

Two meals of Belgian waffles for breakfast and fish tacos for lunch have been thoroughly enjoyed, and once the sun sets and the promenade is awash in neon lighting, I’ll have another tough decision to make of which of the seemingly hundreds of restaurants to indulge in. It truly is a place you could go block to block, experiencing every culinary location South Beach has to offer.

Along with the great dining and scenery, obviously, the beach itself is the main attraction. Miles of soft sand, warm crystal blue ocean waves, and sidewalks full of people biking, rollerblading, scooting, skateboarding, running; you name it. It’s an incredibly active, vibrant beach. If you’re a fan of beach culture and for whatever reason have never been to South Beach, change that right now — it’s truly a scene that must be experienced.

As for the evening, yup, it’s as incredible as you’d imagine. As cool and stylish as Ocean Drive is in the day, once it’s lit up with bright warm colors, it’s a sight to behold. I’ll just let these pictures tell the story.

The South Florida Sports Scene

As a huge sports fan, there was no way I was missing the opportunity to check out the hottest ticket in Miami, the red-hot Dolphins. South Florida loves a winner, and while the Heat, Panthers, and Marlins are also on the sports scene, this is a Dolphins town, and with them in the midst of their most exciting season in years, teal and orange is everywhere. I needed to be a part of it.

Fortunately, my good friend Chad Holloway who was also here for the tournament series happens to be a huge Dolphins fan, so I couldn’t have asked for anyone better to join me.

We made our way there via a roughly 25-minute Uber trip and got there in time for some tailgating with the hordes of Dolphin gear-clad faithful. From there, it was into Hard Rock stadium, one of the nicer stadiums I’ve seen with plenty of amenities and surprisingly short lines given the number of fans at the game.

The game itself was a blowout for the good guys, as the ‘Fins led 30-0 by halftime on a sweltering sunny day. The atmosphere was amazing for that first half, with fans having plenty to cheer for and repeated announcements of ‘another Dolphins first down… HUAAAA!’ filling the stadium.

The second half was notably quieter, with the game well in hand, and a slight feeling of exhaustion from tired fans who had exerted a lot of energy in that first half while their team ran up the score.

The home team held on for a 30-15 win sending fans home happy, with many of them calling it a day early. That first half provided all the excitement needed however, as my first Dolphins game was one I certainly won’t forget.

The night before was also filled with sports as, courtesy of live reporter extraordinaire and South Florida resident, Mickey Doft, we were gifted with his pair of season tickets for the NHL’s Panthers.

The Panthers arena is also just a short car ride away from the Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood Hotel and Casino, making it another very accessible option. While another good time was certainly had, the Panthers fanbase isn’t as rampant as the Dolphins, with the arena maybe two-thirds full.

Unfortunately, the game ended in disappointment with a 5-4 overtime loss to the St. Louis Blues after the home Cats had the crowd jumping in the first period with a 3-0 lead.

Panthers tickets come in at a much lower price point, and as a proud Canadian, I’ll never say a bad word about going to a hockey game, so if you’re up for a cheaper night out for some live sports in South Florida, the Panthers are certainly the way to go.

The Player Party

The WPT can throw one heck of a party!

On Saturday night, RRPO players and media (myself included) gathered in one of the Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood’s classy lounges for a rockin’ party with tasty beverages and high-end cocktails, delicious hors d’ oeuvres that included amazing Wagyu beef skewers, and plenty of good company.

It was a great opportunity for folks to mingle and blow off some steam after grinding through the early days of the tournament, with some blowing off more steam than others, as there may have been reports of players gleefully dancing on tables as the party found its way into the wee hours.

It truly isn’t a party until someone’s on a table!

The @WPT party @HardRockHolly is underway!

Come to L Bar until 1am! pic.twitter.com/l8Bpgc64yp

— Matt Savage (@SavagePoker) November 27, 2022

Cruising South Florida

I had heard from multiple sources while here that South Florida traffic was something to behold. Now coming from Toronto, where traffic is pretty gross there, this would have to really be something.

It was, but you know what, so long as you’re on a scenic route, and I guess not having to deal with it on a daily basis, I really didn’t mind it!

For my drive from Hollywood to South Beach, instead of taking the I-95 freeway down inland, I went east to the coast and took the famous A1A Beachfront Avenue that young Mikey had heard about in the lyrics to the 90s classic, Ice Ice, Baby. (Word to your Mutha!)

It was a very cool drive down into South Beach, passing the multitude of glamourous beachfront condos and surfside towns. There were indeed some Lamborghinis, I’m not sure if they were driven by “Rockman lovers”, but the Lambos, Ferraris, and other expensive vehicles were plentiful.

The trip home was even more filled with traffic despite my departure from South Beach around 8 pm. But again, with plenty to see that kept my head on a swivel while crawling west across the A1A toward Miami and the I-95 north, I was just fine with it.

The Miami skyline is an incredible site from any of the westbound bridges across Biscayne Bay, with several small islands in the bay home to some of the largest and most incredible-looking mansions you could imagine.

Experience it!

While any great resort has a ton of outstanding amenities to keep its guests happy, which the Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood certainly does (and that I’ll discuss in my final article from my time here), a trip off-property for some exploration is a must. Especially in a location such as South Florida with so many options for any kind of adventure. I’ll eagerly be anticipating my next trip here to discover even more!

All right Vice City, where’s Tommy Vercetti at? pic.twitter.com/JN8Mp52Ete

— Mike Patrick (@MikePatrick98) November 29, 2022

Those were the actual words that fell out of my mouth as I entered the Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood poker room and saw its warm massive surroundings for the first time. From the second I walked in, I was impressed, and as with many aspects of life, first impressions are important. Poker rooms included!

But would the steak live up to the initial sizzle of the spacious 45-table room, especially on what promised to be one of its busiest days of the year?

While I’m here for the WPT Rock N Roll Poker Open, it’s also Black Friday, the busiest shopping and promotional day of the year. The Seminole Hard Rock poker room was well aware of this and loaded a high-hand promotion onto Black Friday and the following Saturday where they gave away $1,000 every 20 minutes from noon ‘til midnight! That’s $36,000 a day, twice!

An action-packed day was in store for not just the players, but the staff as well, as by early afternoon, every one of the 45 tables was full of players engaging in cash games ranging in stakes from $1/2 to $50/100 NL with Pot Limit Omaha games ranging from $2/2 up to $25/50, with an $8/16 Omaha 8-or-Better game sprinkled in as well.

A day THAT busy provides many challenges for the staff, but credit to everyone from floor staff, to dealers, to servers; everyone was fantastic, leading to my confirmation that indeed the steak lived up to that initial sizzle.

The Poker Room Itself

So, getting back to that initial reaction of mine. That came from not just the size of the room, but from the warm décor and classy vibe, which can be tough to capture in a large room.

The primarily dark brown wooden walls house a room with well-spaced tables – again not necessarily something you find in a large 45-table room where real estate is critical, especially on days as busy as this weekend.

Going with the theme of the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, the walls are adorned with cool artwork featuring musicians as characters on playing cards, like John Lennon in the picture below as the ace of diamonds.

A dress from ‘Poker Face’ singer Lady Gaga also hangs in the entrance to the room.

Player comfort has been prioritized, not just by the spacing of the tables, but by sticking with 8-handed play (again, they could easily insist on 9-handed, but have chosen to keep to a more spacious and comfortable seating of 8-handed), along with comfortable, high-backed swiveling chairs.

Equipment quality is great as well, with automatic shufflers at every table, clean, new felts with a nice level of compression, USB ports at every seat, and – my personal favorite – Faded Spade playing cards, with their unique card faces and satisfying snap as you peel and release.

The Poker Games

I’d like to be able to regale you with tales of wild pots, huge wins (or at least a huge but entertaining loss), but unfortunately, over approximately nine hours of play at $1/2 and $2/5 No-Limit Texas Hold’em across three sessions, I was never up or down more than a couple hundred bucks, with the final tally of the day being -$15, with no high hand bonus anywhere near me. So, we won’t talk about that.

I will say that the players were a good mix of tight-aggressive, loose-passive, and weak-tight players, mostly standard for low-stakes games. Above all, however, players were friendly and I didn’t have a single unpleasant opponent at any of my tables.

Of note, the final of my three sessions in the day was a late night 3:30 a.m. run to the room after waking up and not being able to sleep. Friday late night / early morning in a poker room should be ripe with a tired and non-sober variety of players, but they appeared few and far between in my venture there. There were only a couple of well-lubricated players at my table who busted shortly after my arrival only to be replaced by dealers from neighboring casinos who were capable players.

So yeah, no easy late-night money for me. Regardless, each session was enjoyable with good crews of players at all times of the day.

Poker Room Staff

As mentioned earlier, a promotional weekend like this with a jam-packed room throughout the day is certainly a challenge for every member of a room’s staff, but the Seminole Hard Rock crew crushed it.

When I first arrived at approximately 11:30 am, the $1/2 No-Limit list was nearly 50 players deep with half the room already full. The room was well prepared for what was to come, as (expecting that I may have a bit of a wait ahead of me) I took off briefly only to return 20 minutes later having missed my call… and saw that 10(!) more tables had been filled in that time. The registration desk recognized me and put me back at the top of the list, and not five minutes later, another batch of tables were opened and I was seated.

After taking a two-hour break to watch the USA-England World Cup game, I returned for session number two, and while the room was full, the list was short, and it wasn’t 15 minutes until enough players had left and I was seated again.

For my late-night session, 22 tables were still in play at 4 am, and I was able to hop into a game immediately.

While initial buy-ins were encouraged to be purchased from the cage because of the volume of players in the room, chip runners were readily available both for initial buy-ins and rebuys when necessary.

Again, on a day as busy as this the depth of dealers can be challenged, but my experience saw a quality dealer hop into the box every half an hour. Games were well controlled, hands were dealt quickly, and house rules were enforced efficiently and politely. The only real challenge came from a pair of players who repeatedly violated the English-only at the table rule, and after multiple violations they had to be warned more sternly, at which point, they adhered to the rule.

Servers were doing laps of the room regularly, with wait times for cocktails much shorter than I would have expected on a day with a packed house.

From top to bottom, every member of the poker room staff is to be commended for an outstanding effort to make the playing experience as enjoyable as possible for the players.

I’ll Be Back

Despite an uneventful day financially at the tables, my experience at the Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood poker room left an indelible impression, quickly becoming one of my absolute favorite rooms I’ve ever played in.

I’d heartily recommend it as a must-visit for any poker players traveling through South Florida, and one I’ll certainly be visiting again.

Like, immediately. I mean I’m here for another few days!