Dave Stann News Biography

When we first read ‘Hollywood' Dave Stann's resume, we thought it was a joke. That's not to say that his 70 TV appearances, membership in MENSA, an Honors BFA Theater degree, best-selling book and countless blackjack wins didn't impress us. Believe us, we were floored.

We just assumed that the undisputed Bad Boy of Blackjack was better suited to terms like double down and hit me, not raise and all in.

But as we dug a little deeper, we realized that this rising star could be poker's next big thing. In 2007, ‘Hollywood' Dave Stann was recognized by a major online poker strategy website as a Top Ten player in the under $1k buy-in category. That same year he went on to win nearly a quarter of a million dollars playing poker. In 2008, Stann cashed at the World Series of Poker, finished strong in a Caesars Palace circuit event, and claimed back-to-back third place finishes at the Bicycle Casino.

Like we said, impressed. So how exactly did the one-time member of an elite team of international card counters transition from cleaning up at the Blackjack tables to making poker his game?

Annie Duke had something to do with it. In 2006, Stann dedicated six months of his life to mastering the art of poker by trading blackjack and poker lessons with the #1 female poker player and UltimateBet's Cardroom Consultant.

Read on to get the whole story.

What is your Poker name? (ie: The Poker Brat) 'Hollywood' Dave Stann, undisputed bad boy of blackjack

What is your online player name?
HollywoodDave

How old are you?
I live in LA so I'm not allowed to say…

Where do you live now?
Hollywood, California

What level of education did you achieve?
Honors BFA Theater degree, Kent State University. MENSA member since teenage years.

Did you train for another career?
I spent years in the theater before moving to LA for film/TV.

What did you do before you became a professional poker player?
Years playing high-stakes blackjack on an international team, as well as one of the world's best tournament blackjack players.

What made you want to get into Blackjack?
I came to LA after graduating theater school to find acting work and discovered very quickly that working in restaurants and bartending really sucks! So I picked up some books on card counting and soon found I could make more money taking weekend trips to Vegas than I could at my other survival jobs.

When and where did you play your first game of poker?
In 2004 and the Commerce Casino.

How did you become a professional poker pro?
I traded blackjack & poker lessons with Annie Duke in 2006.

Do you think with your strong math background that the transition from Blackjack to Poker was easier for you?
For sure. People play ‘instinct' and ‘feel' all the time in poker, when in reality those are just mathematical approximations of a perfect play. Doesn't mean I don't factor in my reads of other players or use a psychological approach when it's called for. I definitely do. But having the math to back it up only helps the equation.

When did you first realize you could be good at poker?
When I took Annie Duke's training and made $250k the first year that I seriously played.

Do you model your game after any other pros – past or present? WWAD - What Would Annie Do?
During the first season on the Best Damn Poker Show you were a player on Annie's team. Tell us about your role on Season 2's show.
This time around I got to host the show, which was a blast. To date I've done about 70 episodes of gambling television, most of it about blackjack. So any chance I get to flex my acting muscles while combining my love for poker on camera is a good thing.

What style of play do you use at the table?
Tight aggressive…with a little bit of bad boy psychology thrown in to boot.

Which of your poker skills do you rate as the most important?
Mathematical analysis combined with ability to read & send reverse tells

What top three tips would you give to amateur poker players hoping to make it as a poker professional?
It's all about bankroll management!

What is the best game of poker you have ever been involved in and why?
I love No Limit Hold'em tourneys but I can play HORSE forever – especially with opponents who aren't as good in one or two of the five games.

What routine do you follow before a big poker game?
Sometimes, I look at the field before I sit and visualize the answer to ‘why do I have a better chance of winning than everyone else in this room?'

Being added to such a growing talented team at UB with the likes of Annie Duke and Phil Hellmuth, what does it mean to you?
It's a real sense of accomplishment for me. I've spent years perfecting my game, both on and off camera, so to join a team of pros with such integrity is another milestone on my journey to be the best I can be in this industry. I've been fascinated with games my whole life & couldn't be happier to find a home with a site that offers the best of both worlds, blackjack AND poker!

Where can players find you playing on UB?
Usually at the PLO8 tables and any tournament I can get my hands on. I love mixed games so HORSE events are a particular favorite of mine.

What is your favorite tournament on UB?
Clearly the Sunday 200k – the bigger the prizepool, the better.

What car do you drive / would you love to own?
Black Mazerati with a ‘Hamlet' license plate

What's next for Hollywood Dave?
More television, more books, and more high jinks - I've got a couple great projects in motion right now that I should be able to announce soon. Since I live here in LA, there are always great television ideas buzzing around for blackjack, poker and beyond. And after writing my first book, 'Hollywood Blackjack,' I've gotten the itch to do another, this time more of an expose of my international exploits. I love to travel and will continue to do so, as long as there is a game to find. But at the end of the day I am an artist first and foremost, so look for me to make a couple more million soon & dump it into my first independent film.