Phil Laak

Phil Laak, 'The Unabomber' is a well known poker pro players. He is also known for his humor. Learn more about him here.

Phil Laak Biography

Highly recognisable at the table, almost always wearing his trademark hooded sweatshirt and sunglasses, ‘The Unabomber’ Phil Laak is widely regarded as one of the strongest cash-game players around. Laak’s now famous nickname was given to him due to the resemblance he bears when wearing these items to the forensic sketch of Theodore Kaczynski, who was then known as ‘The Unabomber.'

Born in Dublin in 1972 but relocating to Boston at an early age, Laak graduated from the University of Massachusetts with a degree in engineering. From there he went into many different jobs, including working as an engineer, a repo man, a gardener and a real estate investor. Laak also made a decent living as a world-class backgammon player, before discovering poker in 1999.

Despite being primarily known as a cash game player, Laak has also enjoyed success in tournament poker as well. Laak has won one World Poker Tour event and final-tabled three others, along with four World Series of Poker final tables, and a bracelet at the WSOP Europe in the £2,650 6-handed No-Limit Hold ‘em event which banked him £170,802.

Laak has proven to be a popular player on televised poker shows, known for his fun personality and table antics as much as his solid play. It is not uncommon to see Laak doing press-ups, standing behind the dealer for a first look at the board, or joking with the other players at the table.

Laak also currently co-hosts the TV show ‘I Bet You’ with fellow poker pro and best friend Antonio Esfandiari, with the two betting each other on almost anything. Laak is dating fellow pro and actress Jennifer Tilly, who credits her boyfriend with greatly improving her game.

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Poker Night in America - S4 Ep 15 - "Upstuck"

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Bluffs Gone Wrong - A Collection Of Bad Bluffs!

Good players don't always make good bluffs! In this complimation of bluffs gone wrong including hands from Tom Dwan, Phil Laak, Vi...

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Tom Dwan Gets Paid Off By Phil Laak

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Poker Night in America - S4 Ep 8 - "Aces That Fly"

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National Heads-Up Championship - Laak Schooled by Ivey

Phil Ivey gives Phil Laak a schooling in this hand from their heads-up match at the National Heads-Up Championship filmed at Caesa...

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Poker Night in America - S4 Ep 7 - "Psychic Flow"

Poker Night In America - Season 4 Episode 7The poker from Las Vegas continues apace, and Phil Laak channels the psychic energy of ...

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Poker Night in America - S4 Ep 5 - The Big Four - Part 1

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Laak Loses His Mind

Phil Laak has long been known for his eccentricity, but as we are about to see, sometimes he just takes things a little too far.

DeepStack AI To Take On Top Pros

The software, named DeepStack, apparently defeated players from the International Federation of Poker, including such luminaries as Phil Laak.

Phil Laak Punished On The River

Crazy hand from the recent Poker Night in America show featuring Phil Laak and David Silverman, with Phil Hellmuth being a surprisingly quiet participant given the action.

Poker’s (Un)Happiest Couples!

Mercier and Barbour are far from being the first poker-pro marriage, so let’s look at some of the others and how pledging undying love worked out when the green felt was the common bond.

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​Since the US presidential campaign started, the Twitter Wars have gone to a whole new level. Most of the poker professionals in America joined the dispute.

Poker's Toughest Bluffs

The pros do it better, so let’s look at three well-executed bluffs featured in this very interesting 52 minute video.

Pro Poker Player Signature Accessories

Some poker players are as well-known for their accessories as they are for the tournaments they have won and the money they have earned. Here are a few of the best known examples.

Esfandiari And Laak Go Way Back

They’ve made many TV shows together and they’ve played against each other at countless poker tables, in a variety of environments, from the most dangerous underground poker venues to WSOP in Las Vegas and WPT across the USA.

Top 3 Funniest Players

In intense situations, people need to blow off steam. When there is great risk, humor and silliness act as a social defense mechanism.

Live Poker Events, 8 years ago

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