Poker is a highly thought-provoking game. It requires aspiring winners to use their brains every step of the way. Over the many years of its existence, the game has been played by many prominent individuals who used their brains not only to win the game, but also to produce highly fascinating poker quotes.

Interestingly enough some of these prominent men were ardent poker supporters, while others opposed the game with all their might. Their opinions regarding the game, whether positive or negative, are highly reflected in the poker quotes they produced:

1. 'The only bad luck for a good gambler is bad health. Any other setbacks are temporary aggravation.'

-Benny Binion, a well known American casino operator and a poker enthusiast. Binion is considered the founding father of tournament poker.

2. 'If you're a competitive person and you commit yourself to something, you have no choice but to endure.'

-Vince Burgio, an American poker professional. Burgio boasts 21 money finishes and is the proud owner of one World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelets.

3. 'Avoid people with gold teeth who want to play cards.'

-George Carlin, an American stand-up comedian and author. In 2001, Carlin was given a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 15th Annual American Comedy awards.

4. 'Aces are larger than life and greater than mountains.'

-Mike Caro, a highly prominent poker pro. Caro is a pioneer poker theorist and author of several poker books. Among his more popular works is 'Caro's Fundamental Secrets of Winning Poker.'

5. 'Sir, I really like poker. Every hand has its different problems.'

-Henry Fonda, playing Wyatt Earp in 'My Darling Clementine.' Fonda was an acclaimed Academy Award-winning film and stage actor. He appeared in such Hollywood classics as 'The Ox-Bow Incident' and '12 Angry Men.'

6. 'Poker is the only game for a grown man. Then, your hand is against every man's, and every man's hand is against yours. Who ever made a fortune by teamwork?'

-Somerset Maugham, an English playwright and novelist. He was one of the most popular writers of his time and, and reportedly the highest paid one during the 1930's.

7. 'To be a poker champion, you must have a strong bladder.'

-Jack McClelland, a prominent Canadian publisher. Numerous current heads of Canadian publishing businesses got their start at McClelland and Stewart while Jack McClelland was the company's president.

8. 'I must complain the cards are ill shuffled till I have a good hand.

-Jonathan Swift (1728), an Irish cleric, satirist and political pamphleteer. Among his greatest works are such popular writings as 'Gulliver's Travels' and 'A Modest Proposal.'

9. 'A card player should learn that once the money is in the pot, it isn't his any longer.'

-Herbert Yardley (1957), an American cryptologist. Yardley was also an avid poker fan and, in 1957, published a book, 'The Education of a Poker Player.'

10. 'Learning to play two pairs is worth about as much as a college education, and about as costly.'

-Mark Twain, an American humanist, satirist and writer. Twain is most known for authoring two highly popular novels, 'Adventures of Huckleberry Finn' and 'The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.'