Tony G
| Tony G | |
|---|---|
 Tony G at the 2008 World Series of Poker | |
| Nickname(s) |
The Mouth from Down Under The Australian Airbag |
| Residence | Kaunas, Lithuania |
| Born | December 17, 1973 |
| World Series of Poker | |
| Bracelet(s) | None |
| Money finish(es) | 15 |
| Highest ITM Main Event finish | None |
| World Poker Tour | |
| Title(s) | None |
| Final table(s) | 2 |
| Money finish(es) | 4 |
Antanas Guoga (born December 17, 1973 in Kaunas, Lithuania), more commonly known as Tony G, is a Lithuanian-Australian businessman, professional poker player and philanthropist. As a child, he was the Rubik's Cube champion of Lithuania before moving to Melbourne, Australia at the age of 11. He has played poker since the age of 18, and is known for his outlandish table talk and frequent intimidation of his opponents. As a result of this verbal intimidation, he has often been able to coax players into playing hands that they would not normally play. He had a fifth-place finish in the World Poker Tour Grand Prix de Paris 2003. He finished in the money twice at the 2004 World Series of Poker in Seven-card stud and Pot Limit Texas hold 'em tournaments and three months later earned his then biggest tournament money finish in the WPT Grand Prix de Paris 2004, where his second place finish to England's Surinder Sunar earned him $414,478. He finished on the bubble later in the same month at the WPT 2004 Mirage Poker Showdown. On August 7, 2005 he won the $5,000 No Limit Hold-Em Main Event of the European Poker Championships, earning £260,000 ($456,822.) Later in 2005 he made the final table of the World Speed Poker Open.
In 2006 he won the WPT Bad Boys of Poker II event when his outdrew Mike Matusow's on a board of . He wore a kimono throughout the event to promote poker in Japan. Also in 2006 he finished second to Yosh Nakano while representing Australia in the inaugural Intercontinental Poker Championship, taking down $150,000. True to his reputation, Tony G launched many verbal assaults against his opponents, most notably when he eliminated Russian Ralph Perry in fourth place. Tony G started to provoke Perry when he was deciding how to play his hand before the flop. When Perry called Tony G's all-in with a worse hand, Tony G proceeded to ridicule and lecture him. Tony's comments were so scathing that it prompted commentator Gabe Kaplan to quip "I think Tony G is speaking more like a Lithuanian than an Australian" and "Tony G could singlehandedly reignite the Cold War".[1] Guoga was more respectful of some players, such as Doyle Brunson when he called Doyle his idol after eliminating him.
In November 2006, he won the Asian Poker Tour event held in Singapore, walking away with $451,700 half of which he indicated he will give to Asian and Australian charities to be nominated by Betfair.[2] In February 2007, he appeared on the NBC television program Poker After Dark, coming in third place behind winner Phil Ivey. In November of the same year, he won a tournament in Moscow, earning $205,000. Often suggesting to his opponents that he has the "Big Heart", in his blog he stays true to this assertion. Tony claims that he left all of his prize money with the officials to give to Russian orphanages, having been inspired to do so by Barry Greenstein's habit of donating all his poker tournament winnings to charity.[3] In January 2008, Tony received the Shining World Leadership Award in Melbourne Australia.[4] As of 2011, his total live tournament winnings exceed $4,000,000.[5] His 14 cashes at the WSOP account for $429,897 of those winnings.[6] Guoga is also the principal owner of a network of high traffic poker information sites, including Pokernews.com, Pokeraffiliateworld.com and Pokerworks.com.[7]
In 2009 he began selling shares of himself on ChipMeUp, a poker staking section of PokerNews.[8]
On February 23, 2010 in Vilnius Tony G established the Lithuanian Poker Federation.[9]
Tony G is currently a major sponsor of the Lithuanian Basketball Federation. When the country's national team failed to directly qualify for the 2010 FIBA World Championship in Turkey and had to apply for a wild-card entry, he paid a large share of the required application fee of €500,000. The team was chosen for the tournament, and won the bronze medal with TONYBET on their jerseys.[10] He was the national basketball team's manager from 2010 till 2012 and is currently the vice-president of the Lithuanian Basketball Federation.
Notes
- ↑ Tony G's Blog: Intercontinental Poker Championship
- ↑ Betfair Asian Poker Tour: Tony Guoga wins Betfair Asian Poker Tour Main Event
- ↑ Tony G's blog: 2007 Moscow Millions Main Event
- ↑ Mr. Tony Guoga - An Accomplished Poker Player with a Big Heart
- ↑ Hendon Mob tournament results: Antanas Guoga
- ↑ World Series of Poker Earnings, worldseriesofpoker.com
- ↑ PokerNews Search and Traffic Analysis
- ↑ Player Profile - TonyG
- ↑ Federation
- ↑ Winn, Luke (August 15, 2011). "Lithuania Calling". Sports Illustrated 115 (6): 52–56.