Erica Schoenberg
Posted : admin On 4/3/2022Erica Schoenberg has career earnings of $848,458. She is a tight but aggressive player who is making a name for herself very quickly. With Schoenberg’s background and experience, she is sure to become a big name in the poker industry. Erica has appeared on TV numerous times. Get information about Dr. Schoenberg PhD, a clinical psychologist in Lyme, NH. Learn more about her background and issues she treats on CareDash.
One thing is certain, Erica Schoenberg has a funny sense of humor and is hot. Holding up her sleeve a bachelor's degree, writing capabilities and a prestigious math award, it's obvious she has more than just a great personality. Since 2006, she has prevented the one-series-wonder label by snagging five WSOP and 10 WPT cashes. Yet, considering Schoenberg's flowing hair, athletic body, perfect skin and previous career as a model, some might mistakenly limit their assessment of her hotness solely to appearance.
Schoenberg declines to refer to herself as the 'Poker Babe' simply because she doesn't think it's 'too cool to refer to yourself by your nickname. People refer to Daniel Negreanu as 'Kid Poker,' but I doubt he introduces himself that way.' However, here's what she had to say about a possible new nickname, forums, her WSOP final table, and how one might be labeled should she enter a dressing room with her.
Lewis: Would you prefer a genderless nickname, like Erica 'Math Champ' Schoenberg?
Schoenberg: Honestly, I'd rather have a badass nickname, like Erica 'The Hammer' Schoenberg, but that's probably taken by a wrestler or something.
Lewis: How did you hook up with the MIT posse?
Schoenberg: I was playing on GSN's World Series of Blackjack when I met some of the original members of the MIT team. They then referred me to another player who lived near me in L.A. who taught me how to count cards, etc.
Lewis: Are you banned from casino blackjack because of that affiliation?
Schoenberg: I'm not banned from casino blackjack, but it's not worth it for me to risk getting thrown out of certain casinos where I always play poker I just don't really play anymore.
Lewis: You met French pro David Benyamine at the Bellagio were you at the cage? Because I'd like to give hope to single poker players looking for love at the Bellagio.
Schoenberg: I was in the office in the poker room talking to one of the managers about a player's rate and David came back and introduced himself. He asked me out and the rest is history! However, I wouldn't usually recommend loitering in casinos or poker rooms if you're looking for a good man!
Lewis: Yes, but now you and David are engaged. I'm fluent in slaughtering the French language do you speak French?
Schoenberg: Mais oui!
Lewis: Can you say something else in French other than 'fromage' or 'Voulez-vous coucher avec moi ce soir?'
Schoenberg: C'est tres important de savoir commander un bon fromage et de savoir comment ramenez quelqu'un chez vous.
Lewis: OK, you will have to translate that into English.
Schoenberg: I said it is very important to know how to order good cheese and to know how to bring someone home with you.
Lewis: I like that line but if I said it I would end up rejected by a man who smelled like cheese. Did you know Lacey Jones speaks French and said you were one of the hottest women in poker?
Schoenberg: I was unaware of both, but you can tell her 'Je pense qu'elle est tres jolie aussi.'
Lewis: Who do you think is the hottest female in poker?
Schoenberg: Evelyn Ng -- she's a good friend and my best shopping partner so I see her in dressing rooms enough to know how hot she is.
Lewis: Yes, she is and she's great at 'Guitar Hero.' Do I dare ask which guy besides David or Patrik Antonius?
Schoenberg: I mean, David, for sure. But Patrik's all right if you like that chiseled, dreamy, model look
Lewis: Not many women like that look. Who do you enjoy hanging out with in the poker world?
Schoenberg: I'm a pretty big homebody, but I have a few good friends in the poker world I hang with -- Evelyn Ng, Karina Jett and Hollywood Dave to name a few.
Lewis: Your 2007 WSOP final table while some rejoice at that kind of monetary gain others cringe at missing the gold bracelet. You've had great tournament success elsewhere but was the WSOP a different story for you?
Schoenberg: That was really tough for me because it's a deep burn to get soooo close and not seal the deal. It's also very hard to look back at certain hands and things you could or should have done differently, but it was an awesome experience and I'm sure (fingers crossed) that I'll have another WSOP final table soon!
Lewis: You get a lot of coverage, specifically from Wicked Chops Poker are you flattered by their coverage or do you think they're just a bunch of sexist pigs?
Schoenberg: Well, I don't think you can deny that much of what they write is sexist, but I still think it's pretty hilarious. I mostly find it flattering and amusing whenever they mention me! You know you've arrived when Wicked Chops talks about you
Lewis: How do you feel about the forums chatting about you?
Schoenberg: Here's what I think about poker forums -- I have perused them in the past but read some nasty things (about myself, David and other friends) and vowed never to read such garbage anymore. I have pretty much abided by this rule because if someone has the cojones to say something to my face about my blog, my boobs or my boyfriend, I might be inclined to listen. However, if someone needs to hide behind a screen name and talk trash via the anonymity of the Internet, then I really don't care what these types of people could ever say or think about me.
Lewis: Do you ever feel like a piece of meat or have you been treated with the same respect as the men?
Schoenberg: Women aren't often treated with the same respect as men in general and certainly not in the poker world.
Lewis: Well, if I were to label you as a piece of meat I would say you were the filet. Or maybe a rib eye because you're all that and more
Schoenberg: Well, I truly appreciate that. David loves a good rib eye!
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09:2901 Dec
The recent happy union between Jason MercierandNatasha Barbour brought together two of poker’s brightest talents, but they are far from being the first poker-pro marriage – so let’s look at some of the others and how pledging undying love worked out when the green felt was the common bond.
Erica Schoenberg
1. Erick Lindgren and Erica Schoenberg
Married: 2011
Children: One
Erica Schoenberger
Divorced: 2014
A stranger couple you’re unlikely to meet in many ways. Erick ‘Edog’ Lindgren was at one point the face of modern poker, his early noughties rampage through the tournament circuit bringing him multiple titles and millions of dollars in prize-money and endorsements.
Erica Schoenberg was equally talented, a pro volleyball player and model-turned blackjack pro before finding poker – and Lindgren. But first she met and fell in love with another poker pro, David Benyamine – the couple getting engaged before the romance fizzled out.
Lindgren and Schoenberg married in Santa Barabara just one month after the Black Friday poker disaster, and not much has gone right for him since.
Well-documented financial problems, including an alleged $multi-million loan from Full Tilt which was mistakenly sent twice and which Lindgren refused to repay, coupled with a serious gambling problem which saw lengthy spells in rehab, hastened the end of their marriage.
Now an Ambassador for the Sands Poker Room, Schoenberg still plays poker regularly while Lindgren is still trying to recover from his multiple bankruptcies and financial woes.
2. Jennifer Harman and Marco Traniello
Married: 2000
Children: Two
Divorced: 2013
Jennifer Harman has long been considered by far the best female player in poker ever, at least until Vanessa Selbst broke onto the scene, and in this ‘poker coupling’ she was definitely the one who wore the trousers.
Her tournament earnings of $2.7million are dwarfed by her cash game prowess over the years – a regular in the biggest games in Vegas for many years – and it was at the Bellagio (in the parking lot of all places) that she first met hairdresser Marco Traniello. A whirlwind romance later, they were wed and even appeared on ESPN as the happiest couple in town.
Traniello even managed to get his own Full Tilt contract, and amassed over $700,000 proving he was a very good player himself, but when Black Friday hit the happy couple had lost a very lucrative part of their income, with a subsequent house sale sparking rumors of financial trouble. With Harman still playing the biggest games against the biggest players, however, it’s unlikely there was much to be read into this.
Anyway, nothing lasts forever as they say, and 13 years and twin boys later, Harman revealed on Twitter that she and Traniello were divorced – and still, or again, single a couple of years later apparently when she tweeted:
'I’m looking for a 95 year old billionaire. If anyone is interested, please DM me. Hahaha I’m drunk.”
(Photo: Cardplayer.com)
3. Chad Brown and Vanessa Rousso
Married: 2009
Children: None
Divorced: 2012
Possibly the most photogenic couple in the history of the game, actor Chad Brown and multi-talented Rousso were both ingrained in the top-class poker scene when they met in 2006.
“Not a bad day for me. I won a quarter of a million dollars and met my future fiancée. Does it get any better than that?” stated Rousso, having just final tabled the WPT $25K at the Bellagio, finishing 7th while Brown went out in 9th spot.
According to Bankrollmob.com:
'The couple got engaged back in 2008 and in 2009 they tied the knot. When they married they became the first couple to be sponsored by the same poker team - Team Poker Pro. Both have earned around $3.5 million from live-tournaments during their careers.'
On January 12th, 2012, Vanessa Rousso announced on Twitter that their marriage was over, one year after Brown was ‘diagnosed with liposarcoma and had a ten-pound tumor removed from his abdomen’. Shortly before his death in 2014, the World Series of Poker honored Brown’s achievements in poker by awarding him an honorary bracelet.
Rousso is still an active professional poker player, and has since found love with her long-time girlfriend Melissa Ouellet, their engagement being announced last year as Rousso left the Celebrity Big Brother house.
4. Kara Scott and Giovanni Rizzo
Married: 2014
Children: None
Divorced: No!
Kara Scott is the well-known host of numerous poker TV shows, but she can also play a fair game of poker herself – 2nd in the 2009 Irish Open for €312,600 being her biggest win to-date.
Her better half since their wedding in 2014…
I do have a pretty good excuse for being late to WSOP this year though ... pic.twitter.com/JC4F1dYsVm
— Kara Scott (@KaraOTR) May 31, 2014
… Giovanni Rizzo is best-known as a cash game player in his native Italy and proved that romance is certainly not dead when the duo got engaged ‘in Venice, Italy at the exact same spot where they shared their first kiss’, according to Gambol.com.
Rizzo has also done his fair share of TV poker work, and their shared interests in poker and media seems to be working out well, although Scott still has to fight off her admirers from time-to-time. Back in 2009, Norman Chad infamously referred to her repeatedly as Kara Scott Chad, the commentator smitten by the charms of Scott as she ran deep in the Main Event.
The multi-talented Canadian Scott signed for 888 this year as a brand ambassador, a role she once shared with husband Giovanni at Tilt Events. Perhaps they can buck the trend and live a long and happy life together in their new Slovenian home!
5. Phil Laak and Jenifer Tilly
Married: 2004
Children: None
Divorced: No!
One poker couple who seem to have little difficulty in overcoming whatever marital problems have beset our other couples is that of the indefatigable comedian Phil Unabomber’ Laak and actress-turned-poker pro Jennifer Tilly – mainly because they have never actually tied the knot officially!
Their 12 year relationship almost never began when Tilly asked for Laak’s number and then…didn’t call! He finally relented and asked for hers and romance was soon in the air.
Laak is one of the easiest-going of all the top names in poker, regularly seen laughing and joking in TV’s biggest games, but beneath that comedic exterior is a very sharp poker mind - $3.5million in tournament earnings proving he knows his way round the green felt.
Likewise Tilly, despite receiving huge criticism and embarrassment from her famous televised ‘Full House Fold’ in NBC’s 2007 ‘Poker After Dark’ series, has close to $1million in cashes, which – though not exactly world-class – is a very decent share of the poker spoils.
Still together after 12 years? It would seem do if today’s tweet from the ‘UnaBomber with his UnaBombshell’ is anything to go by!
Relaxing at Council Oak Steak House. @HardRockHolly@shrpopic.twitter.com/q4B8rnFV4S
— Phil Laak (@PhilLaak) November 29, 2016