Betting Poker Strategy

Cheryl's Mad about the Game

Cheryl just can't curb her enthusiasm for poker.

Cheryl Hines, who plays Larry David's wife on the hit HBO series Curb Your Enthusiasm, has become a huge fan of the game. David, who also co-created the mega-hit Seinfeld, plays poker, but Cheryl says they don't have time for cards on the set. She made up for that between takes of her last movie, RV, where Cheryl had a regular game with the cast and crew. Robin Williams, co-star of the film, didn't play, but hung around to watch and provide his special brand of improvised commentary.

There was no home game at the Hines house or street-corner kids to teach her in Tallahassee, Florida, where she grew up. It was her friend, Sarah Hall, who showed her the ropes. At first, the pair would go to L.A.'s Commerce Casino to play blackjack all afternoon. Cheryl was always intrigued when she passed the Texas hold'em tables, but didn't have a clue about the game until Sarah encouraged her to sit down one day. Her first advice was simple. "Sarah told me, 'If you have a good blackjack hand, that's not a bad start for poker, aces, face cards, 10s.' She knew I'd understand that. What she was really telling me was to play the high cards."

While Sarah gave her an introduction to the game, it was Andrew Newman, executive producer of Celebrity Poker Showdown, who taught her about strategy. He knew Cheryl was a novice, and before she went on, he invited her to his office, where they played poker for four hours. Every guest on the show also gets Phil Gordon's Little Green Book, which she said was helpful. Cheryl appeared on the show three times and even won a table playing against Alex Trebek, host of Jeopardy!, Michael Vartan (Alias) and Anthony Anderson (Hustle & Flow). The most fun she had was with Dennis Rodman. She recalls, "We had a great time. It was so much fun and so crazy. Dennis had never played before but he ended up winning. It was difficult because he called every hand and was getting great cards. It goes to show you that hold'em has a lot to do with luck. The pros know that, too. I was playing a charity tournament next to Chris Moneymaker. When I sat down I said, 'I can't believe I have to play against you.' He said, 'We get the same cards that you do.' It was helpful because he's right, and I outlasted him at that table."

In fact, Cheryl Hines has done very well at charity tournaments where she plays for United Cerebral Palsy. However, Lady Luck was not with her at the Commerce Casino World Poker Tour Invitational where her table included top pro Daniel Negreanu. Cheryl was out in the first round when she went all-in with a full house, jacks and threes. The winner had a higher full house, which he spiked on the river. But she took it in stride.

Cheryl is not intimidated by playing poker in a man's world. She hasn't developed that male aggressiveness many women pros feel you need to compete. "When I play, a lot of the time the entertainment side is just as important as the playing and winning, especially in a televised tournament. They want celebs to be fun to watch. I would probably have a different attitude if I were playing 10 hours a day, every day, for a living like Annie Duke. It would be more serious to me. I love to watch Jennifer Tilly. She's good and so passionate about poker. She's great. It's a bold move to give up an acting career. I got to play a fun game with Jennifer, Phil Laak, Josh Arieh, The Grinder (Michael Mizrachi), Shannon Elizabeth and Willie Garson. It was a lot of fun. Josh won but I came in third!"

What advice does she have for a new player? "Don't worry too much about how many chips you have and what other people have. Some people, when their chips are getting low, make desperate moves. I've been really down and come back and won the tournament."

How does Cheryl pull herself out of a losing streak? She plays online for $5 a tournament until she wins, and then she feels better.