Welcome Poker 7/16/07: Victoria Pratt
Buff Babe Collects Cash at WSOP Event
Victoria Pratt can handle a variety of positions.
One of the stars of the ABC series Day Break and a former fitness model, Pratt has also made mark in the poker world. In July 2006, playing as a member of Hollywood Poker's All-Star Team, also known as the Diamonds, she won $2,053 and finished 72nd in the 2006 World Series of Poker Ladies' Championship.
"Going into the tournament, I didn't know what to expect," Pratt, who grew up in Canada, said. "I was surprised by how long it took. Fourteen hours is a bit much. It was a little crazy."
Other members of the All-Star Team were Anne Heche, Kelly Hu, Ricki Lake, Mimi Rogers, Jean Smart and Mena Suvari.
Despite her impressive showing with the Diamonds, Pratt, who devoted 25 percent of her winnings to St. Jude's, still won't flash her poker swagger.
"I'm sure there are others that would argue that I'm not a good player," Pratt laughed. "I think I have an ability to concentrate. My years spent as a student certainly help me. I also think I've gotten a little smarter. I'm a lot more willing to fold than I used to be. You don't win an award for sticking it out."
Losing, like winning, is in the cards. "I handle losing the same way I handle winning," Pratt said. "When I win, I don't want to make someone feel terrible. And when I lose, I don't want to make someone feel terrible for winning. You have to be gracious. That's something I learned from my parents."
Forever the student, Pratt, who graduated summa cum laude in kinesiology from Toronto's York University, does what is necessary to improve her game. "You know what? I do read books on poker," she said. "The more you soak up, the better you'll become. If you play, it's just smart to read up on poker. Like I said, I'm a student at heart."
Weekly stops in Las Vegas, however, are not part of her educational strategy.
"I like Las Vegas," Pratt said. "When we went in for the ladies' tournament, we were put up in the Bellagio! It's so much larger than life. It's a city of excess, and that can get confusing sometimes. People throw money around like it doesn't matter. It can be dangerous, but I do enjoy it."
Polishing her skills with fellow celebrities Hu and Daisy Fuentes is in the game plan. In fact, Victoria plays in a weekly home game with Daisy.
"Daisy's hilarious," Pratt said. "She's got a good poker face. She's actually kind of a serious person and she always wants to know what you've got. Daisy's a good player and she loves it.
"Kelly's hysterical, she's so fun. And she's got a good game. Sometimes, she's so good it's scary.
The actress learned the game from Lou Diamond Phillips while they were working of a film in Canada, and feels patience and concentration are the keys to winning. "Don't be too impulsive and kind of play tight," she says. "Don't waste all your chips on a crap hand, and pay attention."
Fitness has helped her mold a shapely, sultry presence. It's a look that should leave viewers glued, and in some cases stuck, to the couch, and Pratt, definitely a rising star on network television.
Victoria won the Marcus Allen Charity tournament in 2005. Who knows, maybe that's the start of something big. Perhaps she'll be a crossover star, TV and poker.
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