Poker, especially the World Series of Poker, brings together people from all different walks of life. There's professional players and amateurs, celebrities and athletes, men and women — all of whom love the game, some for competition, some for fun, and some for both.
One such athlete that has returned to play the WSOP Main Event this year is Eric Stocz, former professional football player.
Born in 1974 in Ohio, Stocz was drafted as a tight end by the NFL's Detroit Lions in 1996. He played with them for three years before leaving the game and seeking out other interests to occupy his time. One of those interests turned out to be poker, and he has built up $193,238 in live tournament earnings.
After scoring his first live cash in 2008 at a Heartland Poker Tour event, Stocz went on to win the HPT $1,500 Main Event in Mount Pleasant for more than $117,000 in May of 2010. Since that win, he's added several in-the-money finishes to his résumé, including a 2011 WSOP Main Event run that saw him cash for $30,974.
Stocz is playing the Main Event for the fourth time this year and has already worked his way up to about 50,000 in chips.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
50,000 |
and Ho continued for 950. The player in the hijack called, Peters raised to 2,750, Ho folded and the player in the hijack called to see the 
turn, which both players checked. The 
river completed the board and the player in the hijack check-called 5,600 from Peters who showed 
for a set of fours, winning the pot and upping his stack to about 32,000.
![[user270022]](/img/avatars/avatar.svg){kind=avatar}
on the felt and there were three checks over to Jaka. He fired at the pot for 700 and the small blind quickly tossed out a call. The big blind and the original limper folded, leaving Jaka and the small blind heads up to the turn.
hit the river. Two more checks allowed Jaka to roll over a winning 
for a pair of tens. He took down the pot and now has about 18,000 in chips.
, Dan Smith fired 1,000 into the middle. His lone opponent came over the top for 3,000 total, sending Smith into the tank.
for a full house of queens full of aces. Smith mucked his hand and watched as the chips were pushed to the other end of the table. His stack now sits at 12,100.
. It was checked again and the player in late position bet 5,000. It folded to Frankland who moved all in for not much more and was shrug-called.
and he split the pot against his opponents 
. A few paltry chips went to Frankland's stack.
over the top of a raise and a couple of callers, then the chips went flying into the middle on an 
flop, only for Grospellier's opponent to show 
