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 Some people seem destined
to do one thing. Erica Schoenberg and card playing seem to be a perfect example.
Her parents met at the Santa Anita racetrack, eventually got married and moved to Akron, Ohio where Erica was born on March
25, 1978. With gambling in her genes, Erica was raised to think of it as a normal way of life. The family would play cards
and bet on almost anything. Before long, Erica found herself accompanying her father to the local racetrack. Using pocket
change or allowance from household chores as her bankroll, Erica began gambling on horses alongside her dad.
Although she was a natural with numbers, gambling and cards, Erica gravitated towards a more normal career. She went to
college and studied for a degree in theater, which would later serve her well on the green felt.
After graduating, she began a career in modeling along with being a professional beach-volleyball player. If this wasn’t
enough she has also made a living as a personal trainer and kickboxing instructor.
With all this under her belt at an early age, she still seemed pre-determined to satisfy an itch to apply her natural craft,
of card playing. Trying a blackjack tournament and turning her $25 dollars into $2,000, she found that money won is twice as
sweet as money earned. Having a fierce competitive spirit and the drive to be the best, she set out on her new profession.
Schoenberg was recruited and trained by members of the MIT Blackjack Team, the world famous group known for fleecing the Las Vegas casinos
out of millions, and was the subject of the book Bringing Down the House. Her ability grew rapidly, and in 2005 Schoenberg was one of
the top 40 blackjack players invited to play at the World Series of Blackjack, earning the nickname "Blackjack Babe".
While her card-playing career began with blackjack, Erica eventually came to poker prominence by participating in GSN's Poker Royale:
Young Bloods. Following that, she had her first tournament cash (16th place) at the World Poker Tour $25,000 Championship in 2006. Her striking
good looks and successful performance made an immediate impression. As a result, she was invited to the WPT Ladies Night Out and competed against
Jennifer Tilly,
Vanessa Rousso, and JJ Liu.
Along with being asked to participate in this invitational event, she eventually made a deal with
Full Tilt Poker, where her fiancé,
David Benyamine, is also a featured player.
Besides her 16th place finish at the championship WPT event, she finished first in 2007 at the $2500 No Limit event at the Mandalay Bay Poker Championship.
Erica Schoenberg: English,
Dutch,
German,
French,
Spanish |
