That's what I call serious concentration (27.07.10)

Brent Wilkes should exploit a gap in the market - for poker players' benefit

Just how good are you at blanking everything out and concentrating fully upon your poker?

The level of concentration necessary to be successful is startling as you need to keep a constant eye on how play progresses and how individuals react to winning as well as to defeat. If you’re having problems away from the table and they begin to prey on your mind, it’s invariably curtains for your game.

Of course, there are short cuts to achieving a level of focus few other pursuits require. Switching on an mp3 player or donning those mirrored lens shades are two of the most popular – and effective, but there’s no substitute for heading to the felt with a clear mind.

So imagine you had been convicted for bribing a government official and received a 12-year prison sentence. That’s bad enough, but assume you’ve been free on bail for more than two years, pending an appeal against your sentence. Seems you would have your plate pretty full eh? And probably not much time to partake of a few hands of poker.

Not Mr Brent Wilkes, a 56 year-old former defence contractor who was convicted of conspiracy, bribery, money laundering and wire fraud in 2007. Mr Wilkes was freed from prison in February 2008 pending an appeal, which finally got under way on Monday.

During a court hearing in California on Monday, it was revealed that Wilkes had obviously decided to dispense with his troubles and engage in some profitable downtime activity instead.

It transpires that Mr Wilkes had taken himself to a two-day poker event at Harrah's Rincon Casino. He paid his $300 buy-in (the US federal government has a money judgment against him for $636,116) and proceeded to win the tournament and scoop the $10,090 first prize.

Brent’s lawyer said there was nothing improper about her client playing and winning at poker and that federal probation authorities are aware of his activities. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Forge, who helped prosecute Wilkes, agreed there was nothing wrong with him playing but said his winnings might be eligible to be seized by the federal government.

I get the impression that Brent Wilkes wouldn’t actually care that much if Uncle Sam did confiscate his ten grand. He now describes himself as a "former executive consultant who is now retired and is spending much of his time writing and playing poker." I think he should write a book about how to properly concentrate when you’re playing poker.

If this guy can trouser $10k in the knowledge that: a) his winnings are likely to be confiscated and b) at least a decade in the can remains a very real possibility, poker players everywhere would like to know how he does it.