Phil Ivey might be one of (if not the) best poker player in the game who’s had some iconic hands, like the quad ace he played against Sam Greenwood’s nut flush once, but even he isn’t known for having a player partner sweating every move from the rail. While poker is often seen as a lone wolf’s game, the felt has actually produced more than a few iconic couples. Whether they met grinding low-stakes or clashing on championship tables, some of poker’s most talked-about pairs prove that love and high-stakes pressure can go hand in hand. From power marriages forged in online legends to Hollywood-meets-Vegas romances and chart-topping tournament wins, these couples are cashing in big on the game and each other. With shared bankrolls, shared bad beats, and sometimes even shared final tables, these poker power duos have become some of the most recognisable faces in the industry. Here’s a look at three poker couples who are absolutely crushing it, in the game and life:
Chris Moorman & Katie Lindsay: Online Royalty Meets Power Partnership
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Chris Moorman isn’t a mere online grinder; he’s an icon. Dubbed a “living legend” in poker circles, the Englishman has racked up two WSOP bracelets, finished runner-up in the 2011 WSOP Europe Main Event for a cool $1.06 million (£790,000), and remains one of the most successful online tournament players in history. But his most impressive win? Arguably, teaming up in life (and at the tables) with fellow poker pro Katie Lindsay. Lindsay is a force in her own right, with over $468,000 (£349,000) in live tournament earnings. In one particularly surreal moment, the couple faced off heads-up at the final table of the 2021 WSOP Circuit January Super Series Event. Moorman took the win – but let’s be honest, it was a win for both.
Their chemistry off the table has translated seamlessly onto the virtual felt. Both are signed as Team Pros with Americas Cardroom, making history as the site’s first husband-and-wife duo to rep the brand. They’ve joined an already diverse crew known for pushing inclusivity and big-time tourneys like the Venom. Lindsay herself praises the online poker site for its unbeatable prize pools. “Any given Sunday, you could play for six figures!” she said in a statement. Moorman plans to livestream their deep runs on the Americas Cardroom Twitch Channel, bringing fans even closer to their day-to-day poker lifestyle.
Jennifer Tilly & Phil Laak: Hollywood Glamour With A Side Of Mad Genius
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Jennifer Tilly was already a household name thanks to films like Bride of Chucky and her unmistakable voice on The Simpsons, but she’s made an even bigger name for herself in poker. In 2005, she scooped her first World Series of Poker bracelet and a tidy $158,625 (£118,000). Since then, she’s clocked up over $1 million (£745,000) in poker winnings, all while delivering lines sharper than a razor’s edge. But this poker love story began way back in 2004, when Tilly fell for one of the game’s most eccentric and beloved characters: Phil Laak. Nicknamed “The Unabomber” thanks to his hoodie-and-sunglasses look, Laak’s mad scientist approach to poker (complete with crazy prop bets and unpredictable reads) couldn’t be more different from Tilly’s calm confidence.
Yet somehow, it works. The duo has been inseparable for over two decades, living in Los Angeles and frequently turning up at poker events together. What makes them iconic is the way they blur the lines between showbiz and serious poker. Tilly brings a glitzy, tongue-in-cheek sass to the poker world, while Laak keeps things wild and offbeat. Together, they’ve created a lane of their own in the poker universe, one where celebrity, genius, and genuine chemistry collide.
Alex & Kristen Foxen: From Rivals To Ring-Wearers
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Alex and Kristen Foxen’s story reads like a poker rom-com: two competitors who went from duking it out on the felt to becoming one of the game’s most intimidating power couples. If you’re into stats, these two are a dream team. Alex has earned over $28 million (£20,870,000) in live tournament cashes, and Kristen isn’t far behind, with more than $7 million (£5,200,000) to her name. But before they were married, they were fierce rivals. In fact, Kristen once knocked Alex out of a major tournament and then went on to win it. Talk about making an impression.
They’ve since flipped the script from competitors to collaborators. The Foxens are known for their elite-level game theory, killer instincts, and straight-up domination at high-roller events worldwide. Whether it’s crushing the competition at the WPT or making deep runs at the WSOP, they often end up playing the same events, which, if you’ve ever been in a tournament couple, you know is both a blessing and a curse. Their relationship has become a fan-favourite among poker die-hards. Not only because of their stacked résumés, but also because of their support for one another in such a hyper-competitive world. They’ve been open about navigating the ups and downs of professional poker life – the travel, the swings, the endless hotel rooms – and doing it all together.
Poker & Partnership: A Winning Hand
The idea of poker as a solo pursuit is becoming more myth than reality. Whether it’s the shared grind of online tourneys, the thrill of live final tables, or just having someone to vent to after a brutal bad beat, these iconic couples prove that poker can absolutely be a team sport. From Americas Cardroom pros to Hollywood renegades and GTO-trained titans, the poker world is full of dynamic duos rewriting the rules of love and competition. One thing’s for sure: the next time you watch a final table, look a little closer. You might just be witnessing the next great poker love story unfold.
