Wed, 03/23/2011 – 23:05 – PokerPages Staff

#5 Sam Trickett
Trickett who is seventh in the ProRank1 standings, has won $1,340,735 so far this year.  The Englishman has entered two tournaments during 2011, with $1,278,269 coming from his January victory in the Aussie Millions No Limit Hold’em 100,000 Challenge.
 
#4 Gregory Brooks
Brooks is also a one-hit wonder as far as earnings this year are concerned.  The $1,654,120 won during 2011 so far was all gained following his victory in the LA Poker Classic No Limit Hold’em Championship in February.  Brooks currently occupies 9th place in ProRank1.

#3 Eugene Katchalov
Sitting in third spot in the PokerPages ProRank1 standings, has boosted his bank balance by $1,689,920 so far during 2011.  Katchalov won the lion’s share of that money in his opening tournament of the year.  A first place finish in the PCA No Limit Hold’em Super High Roller on January 6 saw him pocket $1,500,000.

#2 David Gorr
Gorr has earned $1,676,418 from poker this year, and remarkably it was all won in one tournament.  Gorr, who currently is in 10th spot in ProRank 1, earned his mammoth winnings with a first place finish in the Aussie Millions Main Event – No Limit Hold’em in January.

#1 Erik Seidel
Seidel has already earned $1,759,971 in 2011 so far, even though the year is in only its third month.  Seidel, who is runaway leader in the ProRank1 standings, has been no slouch on the tournament poker circuit so far this year, having entered six.  His most lucrative appearance came in early March when victory in the NBC National Heads-up Poker Championship earned him $750,000.

Wed, 03/09/2011 – 01:15 – PokerPages Staff

NFL running back Emmitt Smith has joined the illustrious Friends of Full Tilt Poker roster.

The three time Super Bowl champion is now set to appear at numerous live events during the remainder of 2011.

Smith’s finest moment in poker came when he bested eight-time World Series of Poker bracelet winner Phil Ivey in heads-up play at a Celebrity Invitational Charity Tournament.

Smith won through to the 2010 WSOP Main Event with that performance though he failed to to progress past Day 1 at the Rio in Las Vegas after running a set of tens into trip jacks.

The 41 year-old admitted he had learned a great deal from the hand in the wake of his exit last year.

“I am learning more about the game. From that last hand, I learned a little bit but at the end of the day, it is what it is.”

“You have got to be able to get the cards. You have got to be able to understand when to bet, when not to bet. And then you just go from there.”

Smith joins Mekhi Phifer, Mario Andretti, Bruce Buffer, James Blake, Don Cheadle, Jim McManus and Matt Hughes on the Friends of Full Tilt list.

The Pro Football Hall of Famer made an appearance at the $25,000 National Heads Up Poker Championship at Caesars Palace at the weekend.

Smith bested Team PokerStars Pro David Williams in the first round before falling to Andrew Robl.