(CBS) Four years ago Chris Moneymaker was a Tennessee accountant. These days, he's a household name after winning the World Series of Poker on his first try.

Since Moneymaker won that $2.5 million prize, the game of poker has absolutely exploded. He stopped by The Early Show on Friday to talk about the game and share some tips.

When Moneymaker won as an amateur, it brought lots of people into online poker. Just a few years ago, Moneymaker says there were 839 players at the World Series of Poker; he estimates that this year, there will be more than 8,000 players at the main event.

The World Series prize money is nothing to sneeze at either — a whopping $12 million.

Moneymaker believes that online players can eventually join the "big boys" at the table and play. "It's definitely true. Poker's a game you can sit there and you can learn really quickly. It takes a long time to master, but you can learn quick enough to get out there and play," he says.

To share some tips, Moneymaker played a hand with co-anchors Harry Smith and Hannah Storm. Click here to watch his poker lesson.

© MMVII, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Back To Top