In the high-stakes world of poker, where a mere flicker of an eye can betray your hand, encountering a celebrity at your table can be quite disconcerting. However, for poker players, spotting a Hollywood star or a World Cup winner on the other side of your hand is just part of the job. The mental challenge and the chance to win big bucks often attract sports personalities and celebrities to the poker tables. While these stars are primarily known for their achievements in their respective fields, many have also proven their prowess in poker. Any top athlete and pop star will never be able to re-create the buzz of scoring the winning goal, performing a concert in front of thousands or winning a major competition, but a high-stakes poker game comes pretty close. Yet, the experience of playing against them is also tricky for even the best professional poker players in the world. This is how some of PokerStars' top players have managed to compete against other famous faces. Sam Grafton As England's fifth highest-earning poker player with a staggering €14.5million in winnings, Grafton is renowned for his unflappable demeanour. However, even the die-hard Arsenal fan might have been tempted to let his poker face slip when he found himself facing off against Brazilian World Cup winner and Real Madrid legend Ronaldo at a poker table in the Bahamas. Although Ronaldo didn't display any football tricks, he applied the same strategic thinking that made him a goal-scoring machine to his poker game. Reflecting on his experience against the icon, Grafton said: "As a huge football fan some of the most memorable hands I ever played came against football stars I grew up watching. "In the Bahamas I played with Ronaldo, the great R9. I flopped four-of-a-kind against him and got paid off one hand. However, he had the last laugh making three aces against my three threes and taking all my chips. "He was a gentleman away from the table and we spent a night drinking 'Godfathers' together at one of the resort bars. I also played with Gerard Pique recently in Las Vegas. "I support Arsenal so I was eager to get one over on a Manchester United player. The characteristics, like determination and stubbornness, that made him a top defender, also shine through in his poker game. "We traded some blows at the table and finished the session with a hand shake and a hug. As you'd expect from sportsmen!". Barny Boatman He's a legend in the poker world, but there was a time when Barny Boatman wasn't the centre of attention at the table. As an original member of the Hendon Mob poker group, Boatman became the oldest winner of an event on the European Poker Tour when he scooped €1.1m at the EPT Paris Main Event last year. Yet, it was a particular encounter with the late cricket superstar Shane Warne that stands out as one of his most memorable moments. Unbeknownst to Boatman at the time, a bet he placed with the Aussie icon would later inspire a new poker tournament. Looking back on that game, he said: "The late Aussie cricketer Shane Warne loved poker and was hugely competitive. Following a friendly disagreement about whether the Aussies could give the Brits a good game we agreed on a heads-up challenge between four of us (the original Hendon Mob) and four of them. "We won, and as a forfeit Shane had to publicly barbecue his team captain's hat. That's how the 'Poker Ashes' came about." Jennifer Shahade Jennifer Shahade is known for being a famous chess grand master. As she was plotting her next move, the first ever female Chess US junior champion saw a mysterious, but yet, gregarious figure. Explaining the situation, she said: "Playing the European Poker Tour in Monte Carlo a few years ago, I saw a guy from afar wearing the brightest neon green pant suit I'd ever seen. "Normally poker guys wear grey, blue and black hoodies, so I chuckled to myself and thought how I'd love a version in my own size. Then he turned around, and I noticed he was also decked out in gold jewellery. "He walked to my table and started playing good poker, almost immediately winning a huge pot with jacks: it was Neymar. It was a pretty moderate stakes tournament. "It doesn't matter. Poker isn't always about money. It's about winning and champion athletes really get this spirit. I've also played with Steve Martin and NBA players like Joel Embiid. "I think one thing that attracts celebs to poker is that they get treated pretty normally at the table. Someone may ask for a selfie but after that we are all after the same thing: each others chips." Nick Walsh As a prominent and instantly recognisable figure in the world of poker, Nick Walsh has witnessed nearly everything during his time in the game. Despite being a seasoned pro poker player, streamer, and commentator who's learned to expect the unexpected, he didn't foresee playing at the same virtual table with some of Hollywood's elite. Reflecting on what was certainly an eventful day, he recounted: "Early in my role as a Poker Stars ambassador we had the unique opportunity to take part in PokerStars' online celebrity poker event called 'Stars CALL for Action'. "We had the chance to play alongside the likes of Hank Azaria, Amy Schumer, Don Cheadle, Brian Koppelman, Michael Cera, Ed Norton, David Schwimmer, Jason Alexander, Brad Garret, and Bryan Cranston. "Being eliminated from the poker tournament by Bryan Cranston [Walter White from Breaking Bad] was something I never thought I could lay claim to!"