Michael Reisman

Michael “Skull Mike” Reisman is a poker-stream director, producer, commentator and live player. Born in Texas and adopted shortly after birth, Reisman grew up on Long Island, attended college in Arizona and lived in California before eventually returning to Texas.

Reisman first learned poker through small family games with his late grandmother when he was about 13 or 14, although he did not begin taking the game seriously until his early twenties. He later became an early Lodge regular and developed a distinctive role combining live play with commentary, production and behind-the-scenes game coordination.

The “Skull Mike” nickname originated after a dealer accidentally mucked Reisman’s unprotected cards. While vacationing in the Caribbean, he found a gold skull paperweight and began using it as a card protector; after associating it with a successful tournament, he dubbed it his lucky skull. Friends subsequently gave him skull-themed card protectors, clothing and jewelry, transforming the incident into his recognizable poker persona.

His broadcasting career began when Slick Rick invited him onto a podcast and their immediate chemistry led to Reisman joining The Lodge livestream despite having no previous commentary experience. Reisman later became responsible for curating stream lineups, balancing established personalities with newcomers while treating each broadcast as both entertainment and a showcase for The Lodge.