 Johnny
Chan is one of the most
recognizable names and faces
in the world of poker. Known
as “The
Orient Express”,
Johnny holds an amazing
10 World Series of Poker
bracelets, putting him in
a class with notable professionals
Doyle Brunson and Phil Hellmuth,
the only other players to
hold bracelets numbering
in the double digits. Since
his first WSOP win in 1985,
he has been dominating tables
with his aggressive style
and making a name for himself
as one of the most respected
and revered players to ever
have graced the felt. Chan’s
success story is an impressive
feat, taking him from immigrant
child to multi-millionaire
celebrity.
Chan was born in Canton,
China in 1957. His family
relocated to Hong Kong in
1963, and from there immigrated
to America in 1968. His
life as an American began
in Phoenix, Arizona, where
his family resided until
moving to Houston, Texas.
It was here that his family
opened a Chinese restaurant,
named Hoe Sai Gai, where
Johnny worked developing
his poker game, he regularly
played chess and bowled,
excelling at each of these
games and occasionally winning
money.
He learned the game from
the restaurant employees
and regulars, who would
play at the tables after
the restaurant had closed
for the night. His poker
skills were quickly apparent,
winning week after week,
at an incredibly young age,
until the other players
informed him they were ending
the regular poker games.
Stumbling upon the regular
players back at the tables
on the usual night, he realized
that they just wanted him
gone.
In 1978, at the age of
21, he left college to move
to Las Vegas and pursue
a career as a professional
poker player. In 1982, he
seemed to have an epiphany
that would change his life
as a poker player forever.
He gave up a four-pack-a-day
cigarette habit, bringing
an orange to the table to
distract himself from the
smell of other player’s
smoke. This orange has since
become a trademark and good
luck charm for him. During
this year,he also had his
first large tournament win,
at the America’s Cup
Tournament. He plowed through
the majority of the players
at the final tables in record
time, earning his nickname, “Orient
Express” from the
tournament’s announcer.
Over the next few years,
he would continue his winning
streak and further creating
a name for himself throughout
the tournament circuits.
Winning his first World
Series of Poker bracelet
in 1985 was the first step
on his way to becoming a
record holder for wins in
this tournament series.
His back-to-back main event
wins in 1987 and 1988 made
him the only player in the
history of the WSOP to win
main event bracelets in
consecutive years.
He won his tenth bracelet
in 2005, sharing the honor
with Doyle Brunson as world
record holder for WSOP bracelets
won, until Phil Hellmuth
took that title with his
11th bracelet in 2007. Besides
his WSOP wins, Chan has
taken his share of the pot
in countless other tournaments
over the years, on his way
to becoming the most recognizable
player in the professional
poker world. He was inducted
into the Poker Hall of Fame
in 2002.
Johnny
Chan - Tournament
Wins
- $ 20,000 Week 2 – 2008
Nets vs. Vets Poker After
Dark IV - 5th
- $ 10,000 World Championship
No Limit Hold'em – 2008
WSOP - 329th
- $ 32,166
$ 5,000 Pot Limit Omaha – 2008
WSOP - 4th $ 246,874
- $ 10,000 World Championship
Mixed Event – 2008 WSOP
- 13th $ 27,072
- $ 20,000 Week 6 - 2008 "International" Poker
After Dark III - 1st $
120,000
- $ 20,000 Week 4 - 2008 "World Champions" Poker
After Dark III - 1st $
120,000
- $ 1,500 Pot Limit Omaha – 2007
WSOP - 20th $ 5,504
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