The Poker World Finds Twitter

Twitter recently announced a tool that lets you go back in time and find your very first tweet. So I decided to play around with it a bit and dig up the first tweets from the poker world.

As I was thinking of how to present these first tweets, it made sense to list them chronologically. It seems to tell an interesting tale when looked at that way. Of the 77 accounts I looked up, 45 (nearly 59%) posted their first tweet in 2009. And of the 45 people who graced us with their first tweet in 2009, nearly 78% did so between March and June.

Anyway, here we go . . .

2007

2007-07-20-bradwillis

Poker Blogger Extraordinaire, Brad Willis, was the first to grace us with his 140 character missives. You can follow him at @BradWillis

2008

2008-04-01-billrini

I thought my first tweet should be something thought provoking. Mission Accomplished! Follow me at @billrini

2008-04-23-taopauly

Hard to argue with Dr. Pauly’s wisdom. Follow Pauly at @taopauly

2008-07-20-lizlieu

Considering how few people were on Twitter back in 2008, I’m sure the problem has only gotten worse. Follow Liz at @LizLieu

2008-11-26-mariaho

Sounds like a fine way to spend a rainy day. Follow Maria at @MariaHo

2008-12-17-phil_hellmuth

Phil Hellmuth seems to be one of the first “big” poker pros to invite stalkers into his world. Follow Phil at @phil_hellmuth

2009

2009-01-30-wsop

What the heck is a “twitterati”? Follow WSOP at @WSOP

2009-02-02-pokernews

Glad to see that they were aiming high with their level of poker journalism right out of the gate. Follow PokerNews at @PokerNews

2009-02-19-jesswelman

Jess’ new book, “The Amazing World of Snail Watching” is due in Amazon Summer 2055. Follow Jess at @JessWelman

2009-02-26-annette_15

Annette wastes no time pimping her blog. Follow Annette at @annette_15

2009-03-01-dwpoker

Reflect away, my man. Follow David at @dwpoker

2009-03-08-barrygreenstein

How times have changed. Follow Barry at @barrygreenstein

2009-03-13-annieduke

I’m guessing it was Joan and Melissa Rivers. Follow Annie at @annieduke

2009-03-14-allenkessler

Pretty sure his second tweet was critiquing the tournament structure at Bay 101. Follow Allen at @allenkessler

2009-03-17-joesebok

Happier times. Follow Joe at @joesebok

2009-03-21-jvfricke

Snap? That’s very freaky and weird. Follow Jimmy at @jvfricke

2009-03-26-realkidpoker

Not surprisingly, Daniel’s tweets still ride this emotional high. Follow Daniel at @realkidpoker

2009-03-27-vanessarousso

Bring your paintbrushes and follow Vanesssa at @vanessarousso

2009-03-29-andy_bloch

Probably the least embarrassing thing said at 12am via SMS, ever. Follow Andy at @Andy_Bloch

2009-03-30-olegsmith

I’m guessing wagering was involved? Follow Gavin at @olegsmith

2009-04-02-themouthmatusow

I’m so disappointed Mike’s first post wasn’t a rant. Follow Mike at @TheMouthMatusow

2009-04-06-kevmath

KevMath being the fountain of knowledge even in his first post. Follow KevMath at @KevMath

2009-04-09-howardlederer

Really? So many good jokes here. Fill in your own.

2009-04-16-savagepoker

And he hasn’t quit tweeting about golf since. Follow Matt at @SavagePoker

2009-04-16-texdolly

Well, let’s just say Doyle doesn’t tweet about Doyle’s Room much anymore. Follow the godfather of poker at @TexDolly

2009-04-20-justinbonomo

Speaks about himself in the third-person. Follow Justin at @JustinBonomo

2009-04-24-philivey

I’m not sure the answer to that question is any clearer today as it was when he originally asked it. Follow Phil @PhilIvey

2009-04-27-shaundeeb

In poker lingo, that’s a brag post. Strong way to start off one’s Twitter presence. Follow Shaun @shaundeeb

2009-05-01-calvinayre

Do you ever really know someone on Twitter? Me thinks not but if you would like to get to know Calvin, or at least the Twitter version of Calvin, follow him at @CalvinAyre

2009-05-02-wsoptd

I don’t know why I picture Jack throwing on body armor. Follow Jack at @WSOPTD

2009-05-06-realjenharman

There could be worse reasons to use Daniel. Follow Jen at @RealJenHarman

2009-05-08-dave_behr

Props for using his first tweet to give someone else some love. Follow Dave at @Dave_Behr

2009-05-10-lance_bradley

Lance obviously confused Twitter with Craig’s List. Follow Lance at @Lance_Bradley

2009-05-13-cmoneymaker

140 characters is barely enough to handle everything Chris Moneymaker is up to. Follow Chris at @CMONEYMAKER

2009-05-16-howardstutz

Nothing’s changed. Follow Howard at @HowardStutz

2009-05-18-fulltiltpoker

And 697 days until Full Tilt’s ponzi scheme would come crumbling down.

2009-05-19-uscphildo

Don’t we all. Follow Phil at @USCphildo

2009-05-20-donkeybomber

You already did! Follow Tom at @DonkeyBomber

2009-05-20-marcelluske

I think Marcel thought you had to use the entire 140 characters. Seems to be padding with those commas. Follow,,,,Marcel,,,,at,,,,@MarcelLuske

2009-05-25-erik_seidel

Action is still open. Follow Erik at @Erik_Seidel

2009-05-29-haley_hintze

Pretty sure the Ultimate Bet and Absolute folks would like to stack a few more dead bodies on top of Haley. Follow Haley at @Haley_Hintze

2009-05-31-pokerkat

Not entirely unpredictable. Follow Kathy at @PokerKat

2009-06-01-thescottynguyen

A guest tweet on the first tweet. Your first one is supposed to be special. Follow Scotty at @TheScottyNguyen

2009-06-02-freddy_deeb

Tweeting = Rest. Follow Freddy at @Freddy_Deeb

2009-06-18-luckboxjuanda

Which is John Juanda’s way of saying the rest of the people he follows on Twitter better step up their game. Follow John at @LuckBoxJuanda

2009-06-18-venessaselbst

Twitter, better than voice mail. Follow Vanessa at @VanessaSelbst

2009-06-23-elkypoker

Okay. Thanks. Follow Elky at @ElkyPoker

2009-08-06-humbertoshark

Hi back, Humberto. Follow Humberto at @HumbertoShark

2009-08-14-jasonmercier

Apparently PokerStars created Twitter. Follow Jason at @JasonMercier

2009-11-18-magicantonio

Because no Antonio impersonator would ever think of that. Follow Antionio at @MagicAntonio

2009-12-02-andrew_robl

Say Hello back to Andrew at @Andrew_Robl

2010

2010-01-07-fossilman

Be very afraid. Follow Great @FossilMan

2010-03-12-noahjschwartz

Roger that. Follow Noah at @NoahJSchwartz

2010-04-18-phillaak

Deep thoughts. Follow Phil at @PhilLaak

2010-04-21-daniel_shak

Just like that. Follow Daniel at @Daniel_Shak

2010-05-11-danblizerian

And she would probably make sex to you too. Follow Dan at @DanBilzerian

2010-06-01-edogpoker

I don’t even want to know what that’s about. Good deep! Follow Erick at @EdogPoker

2010-06-28-tomdwan

Yes, you do. You have yourself a Twitter. Follow Tom at @TomDwan

2010-07-09-pliska007

Using your first tweet to congratulate someone else on their first tweet? Twitter Buddies For Life! Follow Adam at @pliska007

2010-07-15-itsjohnnychan

It’s Johnny Chan! Enough said. Follow Johnny at @ItsJohnnyChan

2010-08-03-mitchgarber

Very proud of the new WSOP commercial. Follow Mitch at @MitchGarber

2010-08-09-ijilaw

A tweet is not the same thing as a web page. Follow Ian J. Imrich at @ijilaw

2010-08-15-josephhachem

Joe almost sounds giddy. Good for him. Follow Joe at @JosephHachem

2010-08-29-agentmarco

Approval. We don’t need no stinkin’ approvals. Follow Marco at @AgentMarco

2010-09-21-reynoldsxo

I’m liking this for a new Twitter ad campaign, “Feeling Fresh with Twitter.” Follow William at @Reynoldsxo

2010-10-04-bond_18

Looks like Tony signed up to please the corporate overlords. Follow Tony at @Bond_18

2011

2011-01-18-patrik_antonius

A commercial plug right out of the gates. Follow Patrick at @Patrick_Antonius

2011-03-02-gus_hansen

Wow, a mixed social media post. Very clever. Check out Gus at @Gus_Hansen

2011-03-07-carlosmertensen

Gratitude. Follow Carlos at @CarlosMortensen

2011-05-21-sethpalansky

Mike check. Mike check. Follow Seth at @SethPalansky

2011-07-08-realjamiegold

I posted 24. Follow Jamie at @RealJamieGold

2012

2012-02-06-opreport

Chris Grove comes out shooting. Follow Chris (and Online Poker Report) at @OPReport

2012-05-31-jctran23

Twitter can take some getting used to. BTW, he’s still actively tweeting today. Follow JC at @JCTran23

2012-11-06-flushdrawpoker

The bombs keep coming. Follow FlushDrawPoker at @FlushDrawPoker

2013

2013-05-29-wsopcom

We can all use some good news, right? Follow WSOPcom (the online poker arm of WSOP) at @WSOPcom

2013-05-31-wsopsuitd

Despite being late to the party by a few years, Ty Stewart has been keeping the troops entertained. Follow Ty at @wsopSUITD

2013-07-03-jtillathekilla2

The only person on the list later to the party than Ty is Jennifer Tilly. She’s also got the distinction of being the first to post a photo in her inaugural tweet. Follow Jennifer at @Jtillathekilla