Noel Furlong - Professional Poker Player

Updated 2008/2009
Noel Furlong is more of a business man than a poker player. His original name is J.J. Furlong, born in 1937 in Dublin, Ireland. He operates a 100 million dollar a year business from Ireland. One would be surprised to know that he finished 6th when he entered the World Series of Poker for the first time. He could not contribute much towards the game till 1999 when he won the whole thing. The prize money in 1999 was $ one million. There are a lot of interesting things about Noel Furlong, but most of the things about him are not related to Poker.

Noel plays poker in the satellite events and tournaments, not necessarily for fun only. Some people even believe that he does not even know how to play a cash game. What makes him a successful poker player is his aggressiveness. Another important quality in him which qualifies him as a great poker player is his ability to read people. This gives him a cutting edge over other poker players. Though he does not know much about the game, he still is a successful player.

Terry Rogers was the person who got Noel into the game of Poker. He insisted Furlong to join the game of Poker by buying him tickets for the World Series of Poker. One reason why Rogers insisted on Noel joining the game was that he was interested in introducing the game in Ireland. Noel is a well known person in Ireland and it would have been easier to convince people to play the game using Noel’s fame. Even Noel got the benefit of winning the 1999 WSOP.

It was very clear from the game that Noel did not have much knowledge about the game and that he is not a professional player. He was dealt pocket 5s, and just limped in. Alan Goehring who was his opponent was dealt 6s and he decided to check. The flop was Qs Qc 5s, Furlong had flopped a full house. But he checked instead of betting. The next turn was 2s. Furlong bet this time and Goehring checked and then Furlong moved all in. Goehring called. Goehring needed a queen or a 6 to suck out, but the river was 8s. Furlong just played a small pocket pair, and then checking a full house managed to win the 1999 WSOP. The way he won the game was never taught in a Poker book, but it surely proved that his way of winning was unorthodox.

Noel Furlong is an example of the most dangerous players in the history of Poker. The best thing about him is that he only knows the basic rules of the game which are enough for him to win the game. He is deadly for other players only because of his ability to read through the people. He has always proven that he has been lucky in any game of poker. He has been such a powerful force on the table, other players normally like to give him way. Though Noel may feel that he plays the game for fun, he is skilled enough to win the World Series of Poker. His total prize money from Poker tournaments till 2008 happens to be $1,100,000.

Because of his involvement in his business he generally participates only in the WSOP and other tournaments in Ireland and Western Europe. He is particularly active in the Irish open Poker tournaments and Irish winter tournaments.