L.A. Local Brent Hart Puts Family First at WPT L.A. Poker Classic

By Sean Chaffin

Already with the biggest tournament score of his career coming just about a month ago, local player and family man Brent Hart is among those remaining on Day 4 of the WPT L.A. Poker Classic. At the Venetian in February, Hart won a $1,100 Double Stack event for $43,595. That may be small compared to some of the wins of the names left in the field, which includes 10 WPT champions. But Hart it’s a sign of big things to come. He’s now hoping to leapfrog that with an even bigger run at Commerce Casino.

“It was a tournament where I was actually an average stack most of the day and caught one big pot and rode it on out,” he says. “I’m trying to keep it going. I’ve been running fairly well the last few months. I can’t complain.”

The 43-year-old grew up in the Los Angeles area and is a full-time Southern California poker player. He plays mostly tournaments but jumps in cash games as well, and now has almost $430,000 in live tournament winnings.

Hart attended the University of California-Berkeley and majored in political science. Plans then called for attending law school, but that was derailed after he began playing poker more and more.

Married with a 14-year-old daughter, Hart has to balance his time playing cards with being a husband and father. Is it challenging having a family and grinding it out at the poker tables for a living?

“It can be, but I have a lovely wife who is very understanding,” he says. “I have a daughter who is always my biggest advocate and always pulling for me every step of the way. They make it comfortable for me.” 

That may be the case but with others depending on him, watching the bankroll is always a consideration. He tries to keep things in perspective and remembers what’s most important.

“I do have a responsibility that comes first before poker,” he says. “Sometimes you sacrifice a bigger buy-in tournament for taking care of the bills. I’ve got to do what I’ve got to do.”

When not playing poker or spending time with his family, Hart is a big supporter of the L.A. (soon to be Las Vegas) Raiders. He bleeds silver and black, and has been wearing his lucky Raiders hat throughout the tournament.”

Hart has no plans to move to Vegas for his team, but spends quite a bit of time in Sin City. Here at the LAPC, he played his first championship in Season XIII and finished 37th for $26,780. In his second attempt, Anthony Zinno sent him to the rail.

Sitting on a shorter stack when players returned for Day 4, accumulating chips and surviving were the goals for Hart. He’s looking for the biggest cash of his career and like his Raiders, possibly a trip to Las Vegas for a final table appearance at HyperX Esports Arena at Luxor.

“I’m still here,” he said. “As long as I’m sitting at the table I’m confident. My stack is pretty short, but as long as I’m in the game I feel like I can win it.”

Sean Chaffin is a freelance writer in Crandall, Texas, and his work appears in numerous websites and publications. Follow him on Twitter @PokerTraditions.