The Poker Princess
Erica Schoenberg is the face of a new breed of poker players. Beautiful, successful and talented, this former blackjack professional is now looking to make heads turn at the WSOP–and not for the obvious reason.
There is an undeniable movement in the landscape of poker, which is pushing the game even further into the stratosphere of public acceptance. Players like Erica Schoenberg wholly embody this new mantra of the ‘poker high life’. A former model and blackjack professional, Schoenberg is the perfect example of this new breed of player.
Young and glamorous, Schoenberg has just been signed as the face of uber-chic gambling operator Mansion, after her surprise 16th-place finish at the WPT Five Star Poker Classic at the Bellagio. We spoke with the bubbly and cheerful ‘Poker Princess’ about her success at the WPT event, her new role as spokesmodel for Mansion, and learn of her love for vintage rock band T-shirts.
How did you first fall in love with gambling?
I fell in love with gambling at an early age. I guess you could say it was before I was before I was born because my parents met at the track (laughs). Naturally, I was raised around the race track and the ponies, so probably as early as I can remember.
At what point did you decide to take gambling seriously by joining the ‘MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) Blackjack Team’?
I was living in Los Angeles doing a little bit of modelling and acting when GSN (The Game Show Network) contacted me about appearing on one of their blackjack shows. During filming, I came in contact for the first time with the original members of the MIT Blackjack Team. They put me in touch with a contact in LA to teach and mentor me, so that I could get onto one of the teams.
Speaking with former MIT player Andy Bloch (Issue #1), his account of things suggested that you were all taking casinos to the cleaners…
It’s definitely not as easy as it sounds. There are times when it seems that casinos are just giving their money to you, but on the whole it was not easy. I wasn’t on the same team as Andy, but it was still an amazing experience. It was one of those things that you can’t ever imagine happening. It was just so surreal that it almost feels like you’re on a covert mission. You’ve got hand signals, and other sorts of sneaky ways to signal to each other. You always feel like you’re a bit of a spy. Of course, then there’s the allure of the money and the gambling. Overall, it was great, and really exciting.
Andy also spoke of the different roles played by the members of any particular team. What was your role?
I was a spotter (the person who would call in the big bettor). I would stand behind the tables and back count the shoes as they came out. Essentially, I was spending a lot of time loitering in the blackjack pits, which ended up not working for me. In the end, I don’t think the casinos wondered whether I was counting, but why on Earth I was just hanging out in the area (laughs).
Was that the main reason you drifted into poker?
I moved into poker mainly because the team disbanded, and we simply weren’t playing blackjack any more. I tried to keep the blackjack flame alive with my mentor, but without the support of a team, it’s far tougher to make big money. All this was transpiring just at the beginning of the poker boom, and growing up in a household of gamblers, I felt very comfortable with the transition to poker. Again, GSN asked me to appear on a poker show against players who were much better than me, such as Mike Mizrachi and David Williams. After that experience I was a little bit frustrated because I had done so poorly, but it forced me into learning to play better poker.
Do you think that your blackjack expertise has affected your poker style?
I think having a little bit of card sense and a familiarity with different kinds of gambling helped me. I think blackjack taught me not fear putting big money on the table. My boyfriend always tells me what a big asset this is, because a lot of women are afraid to pull the trigger and put the money in the middle.
Do you prefer poker now, or do you still dabble in blackjack?
I haven’t played blackjack in a very long time. I definitely prefer poker these days, and since I don’t really have the time or a team to play with, it’s better for me to play tournament blackjack–something I’ve been doing occasionally for a couple of different shows.
I believe one of those shows is the soon-to-be-launched Ultimate Blackjack Tour. How was the experience of playing this new tournament format?
It was great. Basically, it gets together the best poker players and the best blackjack players in a really exciting format. I’m really, really pumped about it.
Do you think you’ve got what it takes to perform well?
Oh yeah! Are you kidding me? (laughs)
Tell us about your brilliant performance in the Five-Star Classic at the Bellagio…
That was absolutely amazing, and certainly the best performance of my poker career. To be perfectly honest, the whole experience was kind of surreal, because it was a long tournament–six or seven days total–and I played for five of them, which is my biggest effort to date.
Did your performance come as a surprise to you?
You know, the only surprise for me was that I finished 16th rather than making the final table. I felt so confident during the tournament, so I was actually a little disappointed.
Obviously Mansion Poker weren’t as disappointed with your performance, with their signing of you as a ‘spokesmodel’. How apt is that title?
As I mentioned earlier, I’ve done a little bit of modelling in my younger days. As such, I guess believe that the term is right, because I embody different types of gambling, and it’s also about the lifestyle, and about Mansion as a brand.
On the topic, I know that at one stage you were going by the moniker ‘Blackjack Babe’…
Not my favourite (laughs).
What would you prefer now?
I’ve recently been dubbed ‘The Poker Princess’, which I much prefer!
Since signing with Mansion, what has changed in your life?
I’m now getting to play the biggest and best tournaments in the world. Also, being involved with the great team at Mansion has enabled me to better my game, and put myself out there. For instance, the Five Star Classic wouldn’t have happened if it wasn’t for them. Sure, I might have been able to win my way into the tournament via a satellite, but I was certainly in no position to pay a $25,000 buy-in at that point, so it was very helpful. It’s turned out to be the catalyst for me to kick my poker career into a higher gear.
I read once that your favourite place to play is your bedroom. What do you enjoy about online play?
When I do play online, I tend to become a recluse and get lazy. After all, it’s really nice to sit around in your bathrobe and go to work (laughs). Lately though, I’ve been playing so much more live, but Mansion have just launched their poker software, which I’m playing more and more. For me, playing well online gives me confidence, and it’s nice to not have people looking at you.
But you’re a spokesmodel now… you should be used to having people looking at you!
I am, but it doesn’t mean I have to like it! (laughs).
When you manage to drag yourself out of your bathrobe, which casinos do you prefer?
The Bellagio is my favourite, because that’s where I spend a lot of my spare time. The Wynn is also great, but the Bellagio is where I’ve had the most success.
What is the best part of living the poker ‘high life’?
The best part is the flexibility to combine something that I love with travel, which I also love, and gambling. It’s a combination that fits my ideal lifestyle perfectly. Some people don’t like to be in casinos, but I do. I feel very comfortable in casinos and card rooms; after all, it’s my office. It’s much better than being stuck in a cubicle somewhere. (Ed's note: Thanks for reminding us Erica!)
Where is the best place you’ve travelled?
For poker, I’d have to say the Bahamas. I’ve yet to play Monte Carlo though, so ask me again in a year. For purely travelling, I really like Europe, especially Paris.
And what about for shopping?
My favourite shopping city is probably Los Angeles, because I know where to go there. I lived in LA for five years and I love it. New York runs a very close second, and Paris runs an even closer third.
Who are your favourite designers?
I love Chanel, and Dolce & Gabbana. I’m also an old school kind of girl; I love jeans and a rock band T-shirt.
In that case, who makes your favourite jeans, and more importantly, what is the ultimate rock band T-shirt?
My ultimate rock T-shirt is Pink Floyd, because I wore that during the Five Star World Poker Classic at the Bellagio. Though, at the WSOP, I might switch to my Jimi Hendrix T-shirt. As for my favourite jeans, they have to be from Paige Premium Denim or Hudson.
What is the most extravagant item of clothing that you own?
Probably, a Dolce and Gabbana dress that I wore to a Mansion Speed Poker tournament. It’s gorgeous, only one of two ever made, and it’s stunning.
After you’ve decided what to wear, what events will you play at the 2006 WSOP?
I’m going to play as many as I can: the Main Event, the Ladies Event, along with the first and second events. I’m going to play a lot.
What do you think of your chances?
I’ll lay good odds that I’ll walk away with a bracelet. If I can’t do it in the Ladies Event, then I’m going to be gunning for some of the others. That would be huge for me.
After the 2006 WSOP, what are you looking forward to most in the near future?
I’m really looking forward to the WPT event in Paris. In fact, I’m going to Prague for a commercial for Mansion and then I’m off to Paris. I’m so excited.
And what about further down the line? What does Mansion have in store for you?
We’ve got a couple of European tournaments coming up, including Amsterdam and Monaco. I’m just really excited about playing more in Europe. Mansion has a lot planned for me because all I want to do is play, play, play.
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Posted by MVP2008 – 17 May 2008, 3:14 AM
Well, if she already is such a good player now...can you imagine how could she will be once she gets to be a bit older? Few people her age can play even a fraction as well as she can, so that's a major accomplishment.