CELEBRITY POKER TV

Phil 'Unabomber' Laak: The Media Charmer

The 'Unabomber' got his nickname from wearing a hooded shirt and dark shades during tournaments. Gus 'The Great Dane' Hansen, who's another great pro, gave Phil Laak the trademark shirt. Laak's trademark is further emphasized when he's playing with large hands; he draws the hood on his head and pulls the strings to hide his face.

The media just loves Laak's eccentric character and his 'clowning around' have drawn both enjoyment and disdain from the audience and his opponents. One instance is during the World Series of Poker when he played opposite Johnny Chan; he paused for a break and did some sit-ups. There are times that Laak would rant during a game. Nevertheless, he is a skilled and experienced professional and there's no doubt about his abilities in the sport.

Among Laak's tournament wins include: 1st place at the 2004 World Poker Tour Invitational; two other final tables at the World Poker Tour namely 6th place at the Battle of Champions and also 6th place at the 2005 Five Diamond World Poker Classic. Laak has earned over $ 500,000 worth of tournament winnings as of 2005.

Phil Laak was born in Ireland in 1972 and he was raised in Massachusetts in the city of Wellesley. He started playing poker when he was seven while on a camping trip with his family. He realized that winning on gambling can give some sort of supremacy. Laak graduated from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. He worked several jobs such as an engineer and real estate investor, before engaging in open poker in the state of California.

Laak lived in the Bay Area for quite a while with Antonio Esfandiari, who is also a popular poker player. They played at tournaments and traveled most of the time. In the 2004 World Poker Tour Invitational, Laak won first place while Esfandiari got sixth place.

The 'Unabomber's' girlfriend is 'the Unabombshell', actress Jennifer Tilly. They met at the tournaments tables when Tilly was still a newbie. In the 2005 World Series of Poker, Tilly won her first bracelet at the $ 1000 buy-in Ladies' No-Limit Championship; while Laak finished 2nd place in the $ 2500 Pot-Limit Hold'em event against Johnny Chan.

Laak enjoys playing poker as a part-time profession and the ability to do what he loves freely is part of his life's priorities. Nowadays, the 'Unabomber' lives in San Francisco and Los Angeles.