New Poker Pair: Erick Lindgren and Erica Schoenberg

Not all the interesting news in the world of poker occurs at the tables or in the halls of government.  Sometimes, it is simply people themselves that catch our attention.  Case in point: the budding romance between Team Full Tilt member Erick Lindgren and fellow pro Erica Schoenberg.

Our friends over at PokerListings.com were the first to provide the evidence to the general poker public.  At the WPT L.A. Poker Classic, Lindgren was spotted “railing Erica as she played deep in the LAPC main event,” was the first to console her after she busted out, and most notably, they were seen kissing.

Schoenberg, a model turned poker pro, had previously formed half of one of poker’s power couples, as she was once engaged to recent PartyPoker Premier League IV champion and “High Stakes Poker” fixture David Benyamine.  Their relationship was one of the central themes of the September 6th, 2009 episode of G4TV’s “2 Months, 2 Million,” a show in which four online poker pros – Dani Stern, Jay Rosenkrantz, Brian Roberts, and Emil Patel – lived together in Las Vegas and attempted to win $2 million playing poker in two months.  Rosenkrantz, one of the founders of the poker coaching site DeucesCracked.com, had once played Benyamine online when, to his disappointment, Benyamine left for a higher stakes table.  Upset about the apparent “hit and run,” Rosenkrantz berated Benyamine in the chat box, calling him a “fish.”  Schoenberg then proceeded to stand by her man, calling Rosenkrantz “just a typical NL a**-clown” in her blog.

In the “2 Months, 2 Million” episode, Rosenkrantz saw Schoenberg at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Pool and reached out to mend fences.  The two let bygones be bygones and Schoenberg set up a time for the two men to play heads-up online.  Benyamine ended up winning $60,000 from Rosenkrantz.

The details behind the Schoenberg/Benyamine break-up are not known, but their relationship was rumored to have ended in October.

Schoenberg’s new companion is no step down at the poker tables.  Lindgren has won two World Poker Tour (WPT) titles and was named WPT Player of the Year in 2004.  In 2008, he finally earned his first World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet, capping a fantastic WSOP in which he made three final tables, cashed five times, and was named 2008 Player of the Year.  On the live tournament circuit, Lindgren ranks 22nd on the all-time money list.

Schoenberg, while perhaps best known for being one of the most attractive poker players in the industry, is no slouch on the felts, either.  Even though she is relatively new to the game, she has three six-figure tournament cashes.  The first was for a 16th place at the 2006 $25,000 WPT Championship ($117,165) followed by a victory in the $2,500 No Limit Hold’em event at the 2007 Mandalay Bay Poker Championship ($105,875).  Her largest cash to date is $261,646, earned by placing third in a $1,500 No Limit Hold’em event at the 2007 WSOP.