Poker Pro, Claudia Crawford won the first tournament down on the Coast at the IP Poker Classic in May 2008. There were 117 people in the tournament. She lives in Long Beach Mississippi, and calls the Mississippi Coast her local stomping grounds. Look for Claudia to break out in the near future.  She specializes in Pot-Limit Omaha, but also enjoys some high limit No-Limit Hold-em Cash games.

Matt "Cub" Culberson

Hot off the heels of his 1st place finish at the World Poker Open in Tunica for over $70,000, Matt "Cub" Culberson was "Smoking Hot" in Biloxi at the Beau Rivage. He cashed in 3 of the preliminary events and capped it off with a 1st place in the $500.00 buy-in Sunday for over $12,000. Several sites have him listed at living in different cities in the South, but it is safe to say that he will be roaming the Gulf Coast from New Orleans to Hattiesburg giving them hell at the tables.  He also took down another 2nd at the lastest Bayou Classic at Harrahs.

Read Goondingy (Big Smooth) testament to Cub here: Cub Wins, Cub Wins

Jeremy Gauber has booked a win close to $250,000 on Pokerstars and went deep in the 2008 WSOP Main Event taking 58th place.  The Chemist lived in Thibodaux and grew up in Lockport. He is now living in River Ridge. We hope to sit down and chat with him soon.  We here at GCP just cannot help but celebrate when a local player makes it happen!!!  He's also involved in the MTTBacking site linked on our front page.  Check it out.

Gulf Coast Poker.NET's Da Rock has been money in the bank at the IPs series of tournaments for the last two years.  Darrell made a stellar run thru the IP Poker Classic November 2007. He cashed in 3 of the preliminary tournaments including a 2nd place finish for $4100.00. In the main event he cashed again taking down 12th for $3600. Most of you will recognize him as a dealer at Harrah's and from dealing TV final tables.  In 2008, at the IP he final tabled the main event to go with a second place finish the day before.  Check out his blog Da Rock of Aces to get some of the IP's King's insight. 

The "Poker Monkey"  Will Souther

With winnings over $150,000 Will has cashed an impressive 31 times according to Poker Pages.  This year may be his best as he's already booked 13 of them.  He's gotten four second places and is on the cusp of a major breakthrough.  His table patter makes him one of the most recognizable figures on the scene.  Read all about his exploits in his blog here:

THE POKER MONKEY

Fred Berger

Six first place finishes, 32 cashes, and 3/4 of a million in winnings.  What's there to say about Slidell's Fred Berger that the stats don't tell you?   He's known as a gentleman on and off the felt.  Berger's hobby, he's the owner of a Mardi Gras company, has an earned him a lot of respect on the tournament circuit and one WSOP bracelet.  He's as cool as the other side of the pillow and he's most comfortable once the announcement has been made, "Congratulations you are all in the money."  

Derek is a local pool and poker player who plays mostly MTTs online and is as adept at stick as he is at poker.  Derek is a featured blogger on GCP.Net.  A family man who's making it happen on the grind, we think he'll bring another interesting viewpoint to the site. 

Here's a link to his own introduction POOL AND POKER PLAYER.

Albertville Alabama's Gabe Costner continued his hot run with 4th place at the Bayou Classic Main Event to go with his recent first place in the IP Classic 2008 Main Event.  Gabe finished 5th recently at a WPT final table that included Hoyt Corkins and Freddie Deeb for his biggest cash but topping the IP's field is his first main event first place finish--which I guess we should of said first.

Gabe's live tournament earnings are now over a 1/4 of a million.

Matt Graham

Former New Orleans native, Matt won his first World Series of Poker bracelet this year in No Limit Hold 'Em.  He's also gone deep in several tournaments since.  He had 15 cashes and 200k to his name before the bracelt win.  He goes by the online moniker of mattg1983.

Matt is a lion on the felt. 

Clint Schafer

The building supply manager from Baton Rouge has been on a bit of a roll.  With earnings of almost $575,000, Schafer went to the world series main event with a belief he could replicate his previous successes, including a sixth place at the Bayou Classic, and he almost did.  He outlasted all the Gulf Coast players just missing the cut off for the final 27.  Clint has a ton of respect in the tournament poker world and is destined for big things. 

Jason Gladden

Local Poker pro Jason Gladden won the PLO tourney at the Harrah's New Orleans Bayou Poker Challenge. Jason is a former student of USM, and has lived in many places on the Gulf Coast.

He is a great guy, and a world class poker player. He has cashed in several big tournaments as is known on the coast as a tough ...High Limit Cash Game player

Dr. Dell Walker

To get his first win, the Good Doctor, nipped Matt "Cub" Culberson by spiking a miracle 9 on the turn on the final hand of the first event of the 2008 Bayou Classic, Dell turned his pocket 9s into a set and prevailed over the top pair of queens for Cub. 

Dr. Dell is an orthopedic surgeon who practices in Houma, Louisiana.  It is the first tournament win and cash for the Harrrahs regular.

Tim "TK" Miles

Finished 2nd at the Bayou Classic.  This guy is a machine and tearing up the local big buy-in tournaments.  Laid back and in the zone, he'll attack you like that's no tomorrow when he knows he's got an edge.  The most decorated and accomplished tournament player the last year on the Gulf Coast.  TK was the Rounder of the Year last year.  Say hello when he sits down but say good bye to your chips, especially the big ones.  Read Gene D's analysis of the 2008 Bayou Classic final table here

Ray "Big Smoove" or "Goondingy" Belvin

In semi-retirement, as a proud new father and husband, Big Smoove is known for mixing it up in the cash games in New Orleans.  A first-class tournament player who is not only an up and comer, he's overdue for his big hit.  We know when the domestic life allows for a little more poker he'll make his mark again.  His aggression is relentless but you better have a hand when you make your stand as he always seems to have the nuts..  Ray mostly just teaches poker now, and though his client list includes famous professional athletes, he assures us he'll be back on the felt running through players like he used to do as a D-1 tight end.  Read his blog here:

Charles Chan

Charles is a former dealer at the Grand and now hails from Panama City Florida.  He is an accomplished player on the coast.  He has four first place finishes and almost 90k in lifetime earnings.  His biggest win was for over 22k at the L.A. Poker classic.  Charles has six cashes in 2008, including two first places in the IP's spring classic. 

Little has a modest career earnings totaling over three million dollars.  A Pensacola native and one of the most successful "internet" players who has transitioned to live tournaments Little has two WPT titles.  He is a member and founder of the Ship It Holla Ballers, who believe in shipping it, hollering, and balling.  He's a pretty good player you might have heard of.  He also teaches on an online training site.  Not sure if he'll give you tips on being a balla, but he might if you ask nicely.

Tex is knocking on the door.  Tex pulled out a win in one of the Mega's to secure his seat at this years Bayou Classic Main Event. Tex has several cashes in big tournaments and a couple of final tables to his name. His first main event was in Tunica several years ago when it was actually $10,000 to get in the main event.  He is a savage on the "internets", and though he doesn't give out his handle he is constantly "ker-rushing lunchboxes" live and online.  The Tiltin Texan is now blogging at:  The Tiltin' Texan

Matt Bryant

Louisiana's own, local dealer and Houma legend made a 4 way deal at the Final Table in the 2nd Chance Tourney at the Gold Strike for $4,500.  It is one of his many recent cashes for Matt. Each player got a bigger chunk than the payout called for and  then they played for the rest.

 Matt is a terror on the felt who consistently books winners and boldly takes on any cash game.  Like his idol Stu Unger Matt will fire one, two, and three bullets without a second thought.   Read his blog at: Pobody's Nerfect

Shannon Shorr

This kid knows how to win.  Tuscaloosa, Alabama's pride is just as successful online as he is in live tournament play.  We look for a lot from Shannon in the future and he is truly one of the Gulf Coast's brightest stars.  41 cashes to the tune of 2.5 million plus and only 23!  He just missed winning a bracelet at the 2008 World Series but we expect him to have multiple ones before his career is over. 

"Captain" Tom Franklin

Gulfport, MS's Tom Franklin is most recognizable by his signature cap.  You'll also find him on final tables.  He's gotten over 80 cashes to his name and a little over 2.5 million in tournament winnings.  Captain Tom has a bracelet and five first places finishes.  He's the proud parent of five children, and recently took first place at the IP Classic. 

"Rodney Shows AKA "Coach"

A former division one football and basketball referee, with 22 years experience in Conference USA and other leagues, Coach now focus on poker and his successful real estate company in Hattiesburg, MS.  As a poker player he's won over 70k in the last year and half, with multiple top five finishes.  He most recently placed third in the IP Classic's main event.  Rodney Shows nothing and is a steely eyed competitor on the local circuit as he is as capable of spotting a bluff as he was an offside call in his old career.

"Hoyt "The Alabama Cowboy" Corkins

GCP.Net's second favorite pro from Alabama behind the kid Shannon Shorr, Hoyt has done it all.  He's had several notable clashes with the poker brat on TV and won a paltry 3.8 million.  He had five cashes at this years World Series including a 4th place finish for 80 large. 

Hoyt doesn't stray too far Vegas these days, though he did recently and got robbed, but is still a Gulf Coast icon on the poker scene.  He's one of a small handful of players with a WPT title and a WSOP bracelet. 

""Action Austin" Martin Tyson

The former owner and operator of an international poker and gambling website Action Austin Martin has several final tables to his name.  His reputation for successfully playing cash games in Austin and live tournaments on the Gulf Coast precedes him.  He is tough as nails on the felt and has been known to look so deeply into his opponents that he can tell them what they had for lunch.  Austin Martin's blog returns the favor and gives you a window into his soul and just maybe he'll tell you what he ate for lunch too. 

Tim "Ragin Cajun" Hebert

Lafayette Poker pro Tim "Ragin Cajun" Hebert follows up his 1st place finish in last years 2007 Circuit Event at Harrah's in New Orleans with a 1st place in the Spring Break Poker Classic that concluded at the Beau Rivage.

Tim is a dangerous player with a deadly sense of timing and phenomenal reading skills.