Poker is for Valentine's

There seems to be a trend relative to romance and poker, while professionals kiss - and tell their significant others the secrets on how to play the game and win. The intimate approach has worked for newcomers Marco Traniello, Cecilia Mortensen, and Jennifer Tilly, who are proof that cuddling up to a maven has its advantages. Forget the reference books. To love an expert may cause one to develop more than just a poker bug.

Recently, Joe "X" Reitman won the UltimateBet.com's $1 Million-Guaranteed Tournament online. The Hollywood actor and metal band Acid Reign member parlayed his way into the final event of the 2006 World Series of Poker, though he was probably going anyway.

Reitman is the long-time live-in boyfriend of professional poker player Annie Duke and admits, "Having Annie around doesn't hurt." He adds, "Since Annie started teaching me how to play, my game has improved 10-fold." Reitman has been passionately involved with Duke and her career, recently closing production on the upcoming manifest Annie Duke Takes on the World airing this May on GSN.

Joe Reitman didn't know he was going to play that day. Duke handed him a laptop in bed and said, "Honey, you're playing!"

Joe Reitman joins the company of freshmen Marco Traniello and Jennifer Tilly who emerged onto the scene giving poker a more maudlin feel. Is it a fondness for the game or his or her own muse that allures these students to compete on their beloved's turf? Whoever their inspiration, adoring couples have taken pillow talk to a whole new level.

Traniello, former beauty shop owner and husband of super-kitten Jennifer Harman, cashed in seven of last year's WSOP events - final-tabling one. He placed in three other major tournaments, earning over $142,000 in six months, since going pro. Recently, he's closed up shop (literally) and now travels the tournament circuit with his Mrs.

Maybe the most high-profile tête-à-têtes is the recent coupling of Phil "the Unabomber" Laak and his girlfriend, Oscar nominee Jennifer Tilly. Tilly admits that Laak taught her everything she knows about the game, and the "Unababe" has risen to new stardom by winning the WSOP and World Poker Tour ladies' events, during her seven-month honeymoon with poker.

Veteran duo Dan Alspach and Joanne Liu have paired off to heighten their game by sharing each other's most intimate secrets.

Liu, the recent WPT fourth-place finisher at the Bellagio $15,000 Five-Diamond Classic main event, has 34 cashes and 23 final tables (including four wins) among her trousseau of fedoras and baubles. Alspach boasts 57 places, with nine wins from 44 final tables. It's not clear who guides whom about the felt, but the cozy dialogue appears to arouse each to elevate the other's performance.

If poker had its own sitcom, then Chip and Karina Jett would be "The Honeymooners." They met in 2001 at a poker tournament in Tunica, an evening that included a stop at a strip joint and a three-handed no-limit hold'em game.

These two redefined romance and made history at the final table of last year's $10,000 London Open. Though they never engaged in a pot, Chip took fourth place, while Karina made eighth, and the Family Jett sacked $195,000.

They also danced the final table tango at the 2002 Foxwoods event. The newlyweds clashed when Chip busted Karina in an ugly beat.

"She got up from the table and said, 'You'd better win.' And I did. I probably would've been on the couch for a year if I hadn't."

Jett was soon out of the doghouse. Baby makes three and the power duo might one day bequeath the throne to their little queen of hearts, Athena.

All is fair in love and poker. From between the sheets to the battlefield, we can probably expect more fireworks from these lovebirds. But that's the beauty of romance, after a long day of engaging competition, it's nice to know they can kiss and make up.

Most Viewed Articles