Before making it big in Hollywood, Ben Affleck appeared in small feature films like Kevin Smith's "Mallrats" in 1995 and "Chasing Amy" in 1997. After a few years, Ben and his best friend Matt Damon, won an Academy Award for the screenplay of Good Will Hunting which Ben is the co-writer.It was not only Ben’s movies that were bombing, his success at the poker table was also about to explode. Unlike most other celebrity poker players, Ben Affleck has had professional poker teachers train him to be a skilled poker player.
Tutored by Annie Duke, Ben has been smashing the poker table than he has at the theaters, he latterly won 1st place and $356,400 in the $10,000 buy-in tournament at the Commerce Casino.
Ben won by riding some well timed pairs to victory. Before finishing the match heads-up against Stan Goldstein, he had to get through a couple other obstacles: namely Chuck Pacheco.
Ben also beat fellow star Tobey Maguire and nearly 90 other poker players to win nearly $300,000. The actor went home with the money after winning the Commerce Casino's tournament in California. It qualifies him for a seat at the World Poker Tour Championship.
Ben and Matt Damon teamed up for a good cause, the 2nd Annual Ante Up For Africa Texas Hold'em Poker Tournament at the Rio Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas last July 2008 and they took time out of their lives to help the less fortunate.
Last August 2008, Ben had a democratic convention plan for poker where in he renowned more than one political party. Among his official duties are performing at a round table event for SeaChange Ideas Forum, packing food for the needy and playing poker to benefit paralyzed veterans.
Together with pros Andy Bloch and Barry Greenstein, he sits down and play poker at the Ballpark, with the proceeds going toward the Paralyzed Veterans of America.
Some Hollywood celebrities such as Paul Rudd, Jessica Alba, Oprah Winfrey, Anne Hathaway, Sarah Silverman,Montel Williams and Seth Meyers are also expected to ante-up at the VIP tournament sponsored by the Poker Players Alliance. The tournament held at the Club Level section of Coors Field, with a new Washington lobbying outfit that works to protect the right to play poker.
Where Ben Affleck won and outlasted over 100 other players in a 6 hour tournament that ended around 4 a.m. In the morning. With the results inconsequential Ben is holding an Ace-10 and chopped the pot, the organizers would say the key to the event was the $100,000 that was raised for the Paralyzed Veterans of America. He also beat the 2 professional poker players, including Andy Bloch, who won more than $1,000,000 million with a second-place finish in the 2005 World Series of Poker.
Ben also appeared at the first poker reality TV show, Celebrity Poker Showdown, but unfortunately, he did not take home the jackpot.
