When Eli curiousgeorge77Elart (pictured) is not busy running his Biker Retail Apparel Shop in Lodi, New Jersey, he has his computer fired up and playing regulated online poker. He plays under the screen name UrMyAtmTodayonWSOP.comand Ultimate Poker. Elart had wins in the WSOP.com $10,000 Guarantee in December for $2,800 and in the WSOP.com Weekend Warm-Up $5,000 Guarantee on March 8, pocketing $2,555. Visit PocketFives’ New Jersey poker community for the latest news and discussion from New Jersey players.

PocketFives: When did you start playing poker and why was it appealing?

Eli Elart: I started to play cards at eight years old. I used to sit around the table while my aunts, uncles, parents, and grandparents played 14-Card Rummy. Whenever someone got up to use the bathroom, it was my chance to shine. I grew an interest in poker pretty much like everyone else after Chris Moneymaker won the WSOP Main Event. I hopped online and lost a bit of money until I learned how to play. I found the math and statistical aspects of the game to be intriguing. I am now learning more of the mind games.

PocketFives: What are your favorite New Jersey online poker sitesto play and why?

Eli Elart: My favorite sites to play are WSOP.com and Ultimate Poker, in that order. I like the software on WSOP.com, the tournament selection, and, mostly, the payouts. I like Ultimate Poker for the $5,000 Guarantee nightly and the Sunday $20,000 Guarantee, which always has an overlay. The software is terrible, but the overlays and customer service are outstanding and I hope the software will eventually follow suit.

PocketFives: How many hours do you dedicate to poker each week?

Eli Elart: I don’t really dedicate a specified amount of time to poker; I just play when I have time. I have a full-time job being self-employed. I would say, on average, I play between 10 and 20 hours per week. During the winter, I get to play way more.

PocketFives: To what do you attribute your success playing online poker?

Eli Elart: I attribute my success playing online poker to time spent on the tables. The fields are also way softer. I also recently decided to spend some of my winnings on coaching. I have had two lessons so far with Mike Gags30Gagliano. I look forward to investing more time and money in coaching because I believe it’s an inexpensive way to get the most information in a short period of time. I have also signed up to watch training videos on the PocketFives Training section of the website. Last but not least, I have learned to be more aggressive and play less of an ABC poker game.

Want the latest poker headlines and interviews? Follow PocketFives on Twitterand Like PocketFives on Facebook. You can also subscribe to our RSS feed.