Is Your Car a Tell?
We’ve been bothering our favorite poker players
with impertinent
questions about their flashy vehicles. Here’s
what we discovered about their rides and their personalities…
Doyle Brunson
We know for a fact that Texas Dolly loves his Lincoln
almost as much as he loves ice-cream Sundaes, and has
refused to drive anything else for several decades.
Like Doyle, it’s big, fast and as smooth as silk
- a powerful ride for the man who brought power poker
to the masses, and an elegant and stately king of the
road for an elegantly and stately old road gambler.
Tell: Old school patience will hurt you; power play
will finish you off.
Phil Laak
Phil’s beloved 1968 (Convertible) Cadillac Coupe
DeVille is currently broken down in the Bellagio car
park. “It needs to go to the car doctor, big time,”
he told us ruefully. “It kinda got sick and stopped
working there on my last visit. How pure is that?”
Should the Cadillac’s illness prove terminal,
Phil covets an ‘old but good condition’
black ext/int Lincoln. “…With suicide doors,”
he explains. “Like the one they drove around in
The Matrix.” So what does the Unanbomber’s
car tell us about the man? Kinda crazy looking, ramshackle,
but cool. Spends too much time at the casino. Like Phil,
it has a removable hood. Unlike Phil, however, it is
currently a non-runner runner.
Tell: Wild play. Will put you on Tilt faster than your
mother-in-law.
Josh Arieh
“Always wanted a sports car,” confides Josh
of his 2005 Corvette.
Why the 2005 Corvette? It’s fast.
Yeh, but why that particular car? ‘Cause
it’s fast.
What do you like most about it? It’s
fast.
Ok, I give up.
Josh is a man who knows how to change gears at the
table, but is happiest going into overdrive. Flashy,
razor-sharp, domineering and ...er…fast, this
suits our man Josh all round.
Tell: Aggressive. He’s going to hit the table
at 100mph
Annie Duke
Annie drives a hybrid Toyota Prius. Naturally less macho
than the boy’s cars, like Annie, it looks fantastic,
is kind to the environment and always delivers an impeccable
performance. It doesn’t look mean, but a Prius
recently broke the hybrid land-speed record. Annie through
and through.
Tell: Beware. Packs a hidden punch
Samy Farha
“I picked this car because it’s as fast
as my play,” barks Samy of his Mercedes SL500/2004
convertible. “And I’ve never been late to
a poker game.” It’s clear this maverick
high-stakes Omaha master appreciates the finer things
in life and just can’t resist some super-fast
action.
Tell: Solid and fast; playing for the money.
Antonio Esfandiari
The Lexus SUV is a tough, aggressive machine –
not unlike Antonio at the table. It’s intimidating
when it’s standing still, and of course the ladies
love it. Antonio has his loaded with all the toys, bells
and whistles, and, if we know the Magician, this particular
SUV has tricks up its tailpipe that other SUV’s
haven’t even thought of yet!
Tell: Aggressive expect to be put all-in.
