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YOU need to prepare to be good at poker

You need to think about your strategy - just what will your nickname be when you make it big?

The Poker Anorak takes look at some nicknames already out there, and the story behind them:

PHIL "POKER BRAT" HELLMUTH JR.

The clue is the word "brat". Hellmuth thrives on getting right up his opponents' noses, something he achieves with room to spare.

MIKE "THE MOUTH" MATUSOW

Talkative. Like to talk. Like to talk a lot. Mike is American by design and is, therefore, the kind of person who feels a need to talk to strangers in lifts.

HOWARD "THE PROFESSOR" LEDERER

Says Howard: "I am often asked how I handle the pressure of playing for such big money. I could give the standard answer of 'You have to forget the money and just think about the chips as units'. This is certainly true. But, those units are worth a lot of money and forgetting about the money and prestige that comes with winning is easier said than done.

He's not a real professor, just like to think of himself as an intellectual.

ANTONIO "THE MAGICIAN" ESFANDIARI

Magick. Esfandiari was a professional magician.

DOYLE "TEXAS DOLLY" BRUNSON

Brunson is from Texas. See the hat? He used to be introduced at tournaments as "Texas Doyle". But one announcer struggled with the words and called him "Texas Dolly".

PHIL "UNABOMBER" LAAK

Ted Kaczynski was the Unabomber, America's letter bomb-sender supreme. Kaczynski was pictured on wanted posters wearing sunglasses and a hooded sweatshirt. Laak dresses in such a fashion.

JOHNNY "THE ORIENT EXPRESS" CHAN

He's from Hong Kong, which is in the Orient. The Orient Express is a train.

PHIL "POISON" IVEY

That's more like it. If poker were darts...

GUS "THE GREAT DANE" HANSEN

He's from Denmark, and looks a bit like a big dog.
for bullfighter-is an iconic symbol.

CHRIS "JESUS FERGUSON

Long beard. Long hair. Heels the lame. Walks on water, allegedly.

David "Devilfish" Ulliot

He's scary is Dave, like a devilish fish.

What's your poker nickname?

• Poker