When you’re a fan of a sport, whether that be motor racing, football or poker, you look to the people in that sport for inspiration in your own lives. Whether that be encouraging you to take up that sport yourself, such as taking an amateur poker hobby into a professional career or just mentoring us in our personal achievements. These sports people are inspirations to us.
Not all inspirational poker stories are based around “rags to riches” with impressive wins, though. The players featured below have helped inspire people in all aspects of their lives and well-being with their stories.
This has never been the case with Felipe Ramos, who has become known as one of the nicest guys in the business – both at and away from the poker table. Recognised for his trademark grin, Ramos isn’t one for ending a match in frustration or angrily jumping out of his chair to leave. Instead, he leaves a loss by shaking his opponents’ hands and sincerely wishing them good luck for their match.
Coming from one of the poorest areas of São Paulo, Ramos has taken himself from the slums to riches but, crucially, he has never let this get to his head. He regularly adds advice and techniques he uses in his poker strategy to his Facebook page, allowing others to better their game.
Such strategy advice is key in poker, whether you’re playing the traditional game against real opponents, or enjoying video poker against a machine online or in a casino. One of the biggest lessons Ramos teaches is patience. For example, it’s important to wait for the better hands while playing Texas Hold’em.
But in video poker you’re playing every hand every time you spin the reels. The patience element in video poker means coming to terms with the fact winners come around rarely, while the elusive, highest-paying royal flush is rarest of all.
You must be patient and not get frustrated. However, this is also one of the joys of video poker – you’re always involved in the action! Find out more about how to play video poker and see for yourself.
Just about every one of us has looked in the mirror at our bodies and wished we looked different. Despite this, many of us never actually implement the changes to our diets and lifestyles in order to see the transformation that we dream of. For Steven van Zadellhoff, this body journey took 10 years to perfect and went hand-in-hand with the various ups and downs in his poker career.
This resulted in yo-yo dieting with successes leading to weight gain due to celebrations and bad times cultivating in over-dieting where he starved himself, which he revealed in a personal blog. By showing us his health in relation to where his career was at that time, van Zadellhoff shows us how emotional eating can be damaging to our health. It wasn’t until he reached 40 that van Zadellhoff finally achieved his dream body, which goes to show, that it doesn’t matter what age we are. If you would like to see positive changes in your body, then get started now.
Age is irrelevant when it comes to our health, meaning it’s never too late to start improving your body. With his open attitude and willingness to share both the good and the bad, van Zadellhoff has become an inspiration for both his poker career and personal life.
A highly successful player in his own right, Tommy Angelo has cemented his name in the Poker Hall of Fame not just for his own successes as a player, but as a coach and mentor to others in the sport. Here he particularly focusses on the mental strategies of the game and how to train your brain to react better. Over the years, Angelo has provided one-to-one coaching services to various professional poker players in the business, with past students including David Benefield, Jay Rosenkrantz and Phil Galfond. As well as personal coaching, Angelo has also authored various poker books and training videos, aimed at amateurs looking to improve their skills and even evolve into the professional ranks.
In particular, Angelo likes to look at how our brains and thought processes work, especially when your mind likes to jump to negative thoughts. In fact, Angelo has become so well-known for his various thought-provoking and inspirational quotes, that he’s even added his own quote section to his website. So, if you’re feeling a little dejected with your poker, have a look through his site or buy one of his books. Just a few alterations to the way we think can really improve both our poker game and our lives in general.
9 Ways Players Can Keep Gambling Fun
The Responsible Gambling Council of Ontario have some great tips for keeping online gambling fun and safe.
Schedule for First-Ever WSOP MI Bracelet Series Has Arrived
Michigan online poker players finally get a shot at winning a WSOP gold bracelet, and no longer have to live in envy of NJ, PA, and NV WSOP players.
2022 BetMGM Poker Championship: What You Need to Know
The $3500 buy-in event will headline the 2022 ARIA Poker Classic in Las Vegas, overlapping with the WSOP.
GGPoker Throwing Shade & Poking Fun at PokerStars
GGPoker offers up $150 guaranteed for its spring festival — almost double what PokerStars is offering for SCOOP — and wastes no time rubbing it in its rival’s face.
Adrian Mateos Diaz Wins EPT Monte Carlo Super High Roller
The Winamax ambassador bags over €1.3 million at the PokerStars live stop.
Long-Time Poker Ambassador Boris Becker Jailed for Ratholing
The tennis legend, who has been an ambassador for online poker rooms for more than a decade, has been jailed for two years for hiding millions of pounds after declaring bankruptcy.
The First Woman To Ever Win An EPT Title, Vicky Coren-Mitchell, Attends EPT Monte Carlo
In her first poker tournament in years, ex-PokerStars Ambassador Coren-Mitchell is playing at the PokerStars event in Monaco.
LIVE: Tune In to EPT Monte Carlo Cards-Up Coverage Now!
The €100K final table is under way in Monaco as PokerStars’ EPT Monte Carlo stop returns after a 3 year hiatus.
The Live Felt Gets a Bit Greener as 888 Shuns Single-Use Plastic
888poker is introducing biodegradable poker chip bags at all upcoming live events for 2022 and beyond.
PokerStars US SCOOP Scoops Up Success, Breaks Guarantees
A smashing success in all three states, PokerStars’ Spring online poker tournament series had over 100,000 entries & exceeded its guarantees by almost $2 million.
Newcomer WSOP MI Heats Up MI Online Poker Scene
Four weeks after launch, WSOP MI has already claimed its spot as the second most popular Michigan online poker room, squeaking past BetMGM.
At PokerStars, Game Integrity & Player Security are Paramount
Learn about all the ways that PokerStars keeps games fair and safe.
WATCH: Highlights From Poker Pro Lex Veldhuis
Catch up with all the action from the PokerStars Team Pro on his latest stream.
WATCH: Fintan Hand Shuts Down Stream During PokerStars Bounty Builder
Hand shuts down his popular stream due to “potential stream sniper on the final table.”
Overlay Alert: PokerStars Sunday Storm 11th Anniversary Edition
The 11th edition of the online poker tournament overlaid by $143K this past weekend.
PokerStars Reminds Poker Players to “Pause If You Start To Tilt”
New responsible gambling ad from PokerStars airs on Twitter, touting the benefits of RG tools on its platform.
Get to Know Joe Cada, WSOP MI’s First-Ever Poker Ambassador
In an exclusive interview with pokerfuse, Michigan native Cada dishes all the juicy details regarding his new role as WSOP MI ambassador.
2023: The Year PokerStars Returns To The Bahamas
PokerStars brings the PSPC back to the Bahamas, along with the iconic PCA.
The First-Ever WSOP MI Online Circuit Series Is Almost Here!
Michiganders get their first shot at taking home a WSOP gold ring. Here’s everything you need to know about the inaugural WSOP MI Online Circuit Series.
Kentucky iGaming Bill & $50M Problem Gambling Fund are Dead
Legal online poker and sports betting will not be coming to Kentucky in 2022.