LPA: Tell us about your family? Are you married..
CM: Yes! I'm happily married to Guy Starkman, who is the COO of Jerry's Famous Deli, a restaurant chain in California and Florida. We have 3 beautiful children Nicholas, (5) our son and Sabrina and Sierra, our twin daughters who will be 3 this July. Nicholas was born via IVF and the twins via a surrogate! We no longer have pets in the house anymore because of Nicholas' allergies..but his favorite is Monkey, our cat, who now lives with my brother and his wife.

LPA: Where did you grow up?
CM: I grew up in Woodland Hills, Calif and now we live in the Valley. I love it here.

LPA: How did you learn to play poker?
CM: I actually honed my Poker skills by playing with my friend Cyndy Violette. I played just for fun from the time I was in high school but it wasn't until Cyndy tutored me that I had the confidence to play in public.

LPA: What are you most proud of as a poker accomplishment.
CM: Without a doubt, being the Last celebrity standing at the 2006 WSOP special celebrity charity game.

LPA: Can you describe your “type of play”, aggressive, tight, loose, etc…
CM: OMG! My type of play is really loose and aggressive. I like to bluff and have went all in with some really lame cards...and won!

LPA: What is your strategy for a final table....
CM: Well, since I have never reached a final table (except for that 2006 WSOP celebrity win) I'm not sure I have a strategy. I really play more for the fun of it and am not the hard-core type of player (or as skilled) like Shannon Elizabeth or Jennifer Tilly.

LPA: What kinds of players are you concerned about most?
CM: The ones I either can't read or charm at the table! For some reason I have an easier time against the guys than the girls!

LPA: Can you give us some advice as to your strategy for playing in a tournament setting
CM: Again, my tourney play really has been limited to charity and celebrity events and my strategy is always to bluff when I think I can get away with it. I also always play as aggressively as the table will let me.

LPA: Can you tell us how important the following elements are to YOUR game?
LPA: Tells?
CM: I rely on them a lot. I feel I am pretty good at reading other players.

LPA: Psychology?
CM: I'm not much for psychological tricks. I pretty much play my game the same way (aggressive) no mater what.

LPA: Knowing your opponent?
CM: Again, I know this would really help me with my game, but I pretty much just follow my own game plan regardless of who is at the table.
LPA: Anything else you view as critical?
CM: Stay loose and have fun at the table. This isn't life or death, here!

LPA: What adjustments, if any, have you made in your game that you can attribute
to increased cashes
CM: Trying to lay down more bad hands that eventually are going to cost me chips and other opportunities to last longer in the game.

LPA: If you could give just one tip about how to win at No Limit Holdem what
would it be?....
CM: Always try to keep your opponent confused by varying your style from time to time. Bluffing at the right times can help you do this. The less of a read they get on you the better.

LPA: How often do you play?
CM: With my busy schedule not nearly as often as I use to or would like to. Maybe just a couple times a month at this point.

LPA: Where do you enjoy playing most often?
CM: My two favorite places to play are the Taj Mahal in Atlantic City and the Luxor in Vegas.

LPA: Which do you enjoy most Cash games or Tournaments?
CM: Definitely cash games. Again, tournaments are too regimented and move too slow for me.

LPA: What advice do you have for anyone just starting out?
CM: Get Cyndy Violette as a teacher!

LPA: What was it like playing in your first live tournament?
CM: That was a WPT tournament at the Commerce. It was live and on TV! I think in that tournament I was more concerned with how I looked than how I played...

LPA: Do you play on the Internet?
CM: Very Little. It's really hard to read people and especially hard to try to "charm" them through the computer!!

LPA: What do you think the future of Ladies Poker is?
CM: Very Bright. Both the quantity and quality of women poker players has increased dramatically the past few years and as long as folks like ESPN and GSN are around it will continue to flourish.

LPA: Where do you see yourself in the world of poker in 5 years?
CM: I still see myself as a casual player and I love the charity and celebrity events the most. I'm really not into it to earn a living, I just love the game and the atmosphere that surrounds it..and of course the people.

LPA: Who has been the biggest influence in your game? Why?
CM: Absolutely, Cyndy Violette. She is not only a great player, but a great person who is independent and strong and a terrific role model for all women everywhere.

LPA: Can you tell us why you became a member of the LPA?
CM: I think it's important to empower women of all careers and the LPA does just that. The LPA's time has come and I am proud to be part of it.

LPA: Is there anything you would like to tell women poker players out there?
CM: Yes. We have proven to be as good if not better than men in virtually everything we set our minds to. Poker is no different. Use what God gave you, from your brains to your femininity ..and believe that you are the best - because of course, you are!

Cindy Margolis

by Crissy Wilson

Photos courtesy of CindyMargolis.com