Though it might seem like a startlingly obvious fact, it often surprises me how much we are affected by our surroundings. Something as mundane as the weather can play a critical role in how well we function in life, as well as directly impact the choices we make. When contemplating the validity of my hypothesis, I would invite you to consider the case of Russ Hamilton.

A native of Detroit, Russ discovered at a certain point in his life that he absolutely could not stand to live in a cold-whether climate any longer. Thus, he packed up his belongings, waved goodbye forever to the Motor City and headed straight to Las Vegas, Nevada. It did not take long, once he had established residency in his new home town, to master a wide range of the most dominant gambling games. In particular, he took a real shine to poker.

Yet, at the time of his big move, Russ probably could not have imagined that in the year of 1994, he would win the main event at the World Series of Poker and would end up $1,000,000 richer for daring to dream. However, that highlight is far from being the end of the Russ Hamilton story. When it comes to the World Series of Poker, this champion has racked up an impressive eight finishes in the money and an additional two money finishes on the World Poker Tour.

While it may be true that good things come in small packages, this is clearly not the case with Russ Hamilton. He is a large man, often dwarfing his opponents and thus has earned the nickname from his fans: "Big Russ." Yet, as gratifying as it must be to hear that name chanted as he sits down at the table, Russ Hamilton does not go out of his way to participate in poker tournaments. In general, he only plays in the bigger matches that take place in his home town of Vegas. Also, since he already has a WSOP championship title under his belt, he is not driven by an insatiable urge to experience another championship. This sense of satisfaction has led to a somewhat more conservative style of betting and it is not uncommon for Russ to make an offer to his other players by which they can split the pot money and not have to make such substantial financial risks in the tournament.

Despite this more relaxed approach to the game in his current years, "Big Russ" continues to stand tall as a giant in the world of professional poker and will no doubt be making his sizable presence known at future WSOP events.