My Favorite Cigar
Shaun Deeb • Poker Pro
Romeo y Julieta Belicoso
Poker pro Shaun Deeb would have dug the game’s golden age. “I would have fit in great: the long sessions, the ball busting, the prop bets, the cigar smoking,” says the 35-year-old. He enjoys when his opponents smoke a cigar, because of the tells. “If they slam out smoke, it means one thing. If they exhale slowly, it’s something else. And if somebody does not take a puff, why are they afraid to breathe?”
Deeb, who’s earned more than $20 million at the tables, currently favors Romeo y Julieta Belicosos, smoked after serious dinners, or with friends at the pool. While en route to a nearby game, however, he might opt for an ACID Kuba Kuba: “They’re perfect for 30-minute rides in the car.”
Following stressful, high-stakes action, cigars are non-negotiable. “Whether I am high emotionally—after a big win—or super down, cigars bring me back to the center.” The mental swings are not always for obvious reasons. “It’s weird, but, for me, winning a tiny amount when I should have won more feels like getting kicked while I’m down. Losing less than I should have . . . That’s a time when cigars can feel celebratory.”
