Chris Moneymaker

Hi Mr Moneymaker, if that really is your name

Hi Small Talk, and yes, that is my real name. Nobody believes me but it's true.

And is it also true that the mate who lent you cash so you could fly to the 2003 World Series of Poker event was named David Gamble?

Yes, Small Talk, everything you've read may be incredible but I promise you it's true.

How did the stars of the poker world react to being beaten by a total novice?

The pros really like all the new people playing poker because they love the dead money; but when the money wins they don't like that very much at all. Now, however, I think they're very pleased because of what my win did for the game; it's so popular it's become a feeding frenzy for the pros.

You still play online under your moniker Money008: do you enjoy reeling in this fish?

Yes, I enjoy that quite a lot! The beautiful thing about poker is that everybody thinks they can play. Although I have to say, it's become a lot harder for me since I won the world series because everyone wants to beat me. For example, bluffing is really tough now, because there's always someone who calls me on the off-chance that they'll then be able to say they read a world champion's bluff.

How seriously did you take poker before turning pro?

I used to sports gamble a lot and I was getting killed on that but then I found poker and really enjoyed it. But it was a hobby more than anything else. I played it every day but only on pretty small stakes.

Is there a poker equivalent of sledging, ie badmouthing opponents in an attempt to put them off?

You're not allowed say anything too offensive, but of course you can talk. Sometimes I won't talk at all but other times I'll be at a table where I think I can pull some information out of a guy by chatting to him so I will. But I never have a game plan going in, it just depends on how the table presents itself.

You gave some of your winnings away to charity, but what was the most extravagant thing you bought for yourself immediately after your big win?

I bought a new house and a new car.

So you live on a tropical island now?

No, no, it's still in the area where I grew up in the American South. I basically just upgraded a little.

What's the last CD you bought?

Coldplay. I like to listen to stuff that will mellow me out when I'm playing. Some places don't let you listen to music at the table but in the ones that do, I always like to stick my headphones on.

What's your favourite TV show?

I don't know, I watch very little TV.

How about the movies?

Yes, of course I go to the movies. My favourite movie right now is probably Hitch, a Will Smith thing.

What's your poison?

Canadian club and coke is a great drink. I'll have a few of them if I'm playing relatively low stakes. But when the stakes are high, I stick to water.

What's the craziest thing you've done while drunk?

After I won the World Series, I went to a strip club and spent $25,000.

Small Talk reckons that probably qualifies as being more extravagant than buying a car. Was it worth it?

Hmmm. It's probably not something I'd do on a regular basis!

What's your favourite food?

Pizza with pepperoni, sausage and mushrooms.

How did the dinosaurs become extinct?

[Matter of factly] A crater hit the Earth.

You're probably on the right track, Chris, but do you mean a crater or an asteroid?

A crater.

Are you sure?

[Embarrassed] Wait, wait, hold on! I mean an asteroid, of course.

Right then, cheese or chocolate?

Cheese.

What's your favourite type of biscuit?

We only have one kind of biscuit in the States ...

[Incredulous] Surely not!?

Well, the white-red biscuit is the only kind I know. But I don't know what they're called.

What's in your pockets right now?

[Roots though them one by one] Cash... cash... and more cash. Lots of cash!

Finally, can you tell us a joke?

I'm not sure I can find a clean one. Here, how about this one, since you're on the dinosaur gig: what do you call a lesbian dinosaur?

You've failed to find a clean one, haven't you?

Yes, talk to your editor and see if you can print this: Li [snip - Small Talk edit].