Johnny Chan - WSOP Winner

Updated 2008/2009
Doyle Brunson is the only personality who can be compared with Johnny Chan as far as WSOP titles are concerned. Both of them have 10 WSOP titles to their credit. He almost created history by winning two titles back to back in 1987 and 1988. Jerry Buss, the owner of the Loss Angeles Lakers got so impressed that he promised Johnny Chan an NBA Championship ring if he could make it for the third consecutive time. This is the man who as a child was teased for not being able to understand English.

In 1969 Chan moved from Honkong to United States, where it was decided that he would be continuing with his fathers business of running family restaurants. He had once been to Las Vegas at the age of 16, which could be the reason of his dropping out from college at the age of 21, to become a professional poker player. Chan could have easily made $30,000 a year with the hotel and restaurant management degree he had. As of now, his total earnings exceed $6,700,000. This included the prize money he collected during his first winning that goes back to 1985.

He is considered to be a living legend of a poker player and has also appeared in the movie Rounders in which his actual clipping is used. He is considered as the true genius of the game and is also known as the The Oriental express. One of his most spectacular games was in the 2005 Poker Superstars Invitational Tournament in which the total amount was $3.2 million and he was knocked down to a small amount of $20,000. However, he could make the loss and came second to Gus Hansen. He compensated for this by securing a first position the same very year in Superstars Invitational with prize money of $400,000.

Johnny also boasts of a great life style even away from the table. He owns a fast food franchisee is Stratosphere Hotel in Las Vegas, also writes for the Card Player magazine and appears in a TV channel known as GSN TV in High Stakes Poker. There are many websites on the internet in which he teaches the game to the people across the globe. His book Play Poker Like Johnny Chan, collaborated with Mark Karowe, talks about Johnny’s experience and what he has learned about the game. On November 28, 2006 he released a book titled Million Dollar Hold\'em: Winning Big in Limit Cash Games, which guides about the Hold’em strategy. Chan also launched an online poker room on his website chanpoker.com.

Chan is considered to be a versatile player as he has won games and titles in different game conditions and was entered into Poker Hall of Fame in 2002. The words of Chan on his website JohnnyChan.com go as follows, “I’m the best player in the Asian community. They’re all dreaming they’re going to be the Orient Express II.” They may even emulate his habit of having a “lucky” orange at the table. He says that he does it in order to cover the smell of alcohol and smoke since he is a non-smoker and a non-drinker.

Even after such a hectic life style, Johnny likes playing pool, swimming and tenpin bowling. He is also raising his six children like a responsible father. He is also working towards fulfilling his dream of opening a casino one day. His 10 bracelets have stretched from 1985 to 2005. He has won in No Limit Hold’em, Pot Limit Hold’em and in Pot Limit Omaha. Despite many attempts, Chan has failed to make a final table at the World Poker Table. In 2008, he has had two good wins at the Poker After Dark II tournament. In the WSOP in 2008, $ 5,000 Pot Limit Omaha he finished 4th earning himself $ 246,874.