Johnny Chan - Poker Player

Biography

Johnny Chan (born in 1957) is a legendary and highly respected Chinese American professional poker player. Chan is known for his excellent poker strategy and wins. He has 10 World Series of Poker bracelets to his credit, including two back-to-back wins at the 1987 and 1988 WSOP Main Events. In 2002, Chan was inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame in appreciation for his exceptional poker skills. He remains an inspiration for many poker players.

Background

Johnny Chan was born in Guangzhou, China. In 1962, his family moved to Hong Kong and then to Phoenix, USA, in 1968. In 1973, Chan moved to Houston, Texas, where his family owned restaurants. His interests changed at the age of 16 when he visited Las Vegas, Nevada.

Chan had little interest in education, so at 21, he dropped out of the University of Houston, where he studied hotel and restaurant management. He showed much interest in gambling and eventually moved to Las Vegas to realize his dream of becoming a professional player. Besides his passion for poker, Chan also has a franchise of a fast-food joint in the Las Vegas Stratosphere Hotel.  He also worked as a consultant in many casinos and has written a few columns for Card Player magazine. He appeared in the 2006 and 2011 GSN series High Stakes Poker seasons. It is his dream to have his casino someday. Chan started his online poker page in 2007 but closed it in 2008 because it could not sustain competition.

Poker Career

Johnny Chan has achieved great success in the poker world. In 1982, he earned the nickname “The Orient Express” after massive success in Bob Stupak's 1981 American Cup poker tournament, defeating all nine players impressively in less than an hour.

He won the World Series of Poker (WSOP) championship event in 1987 and 1988 consecutively. He could not complete his hat trick in 1989 and finished second against Phil Hellmuth.

Interestingly, Jerry Buss, owner of the Los Angeles Lakers and an ardent poker player, promised to present Chan with an NBA championship ring if he could win the championship three times in a row.

In 2002, Johnny Chan was inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame. In 2005, he made history by becoming the first poker player to win ten World Series of Poker titles in a Texas Hold'em event, competing against Phil Laak.

In February 2005, Chan participated in the $400,000 Poker Superstars Invitational Tournament, finishing second place to Gus Hansen. He also participated in the popular Poker Superstars II in 2005, competing against 22 skilled players to reach the finals. Johnny Chan ruled the tournament by defeating Todd Brunson and winning the prize of $400,000. In Poker Superstars III, he reappeared but was defeated by Todd Brunson in the semi-finals.

Chan has also displayed excellence on NBC’s late-night show Poker After Dark by achieving maximum victories in the $20,000 buy-in winner-takes-all tournament.

WSOP Bracelets

Quick Facts

Birth Year: 1957

Place of Birth: Guangzhou, China

Nationality: American

Profession: Poker Player

Net Worth: $10 Million

Frequently Asked Questions

How many WSOP Bracelets has Johnny Chan won in his poker career?

Johnny Chan won 10 World Series of Poker Bracelets in his poker career.

What are the most memorable poker wins of his career?

The most memorable win of his career was when he won the WSOP Championship two times consecutively, in 1987 and 1988.

Has Johnny Chan ever been inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame?

Johnny Chan was inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame in 2002.

What is Johnny Chan's Net Worth?

Johnny Chan's Net Worth is $10 million.