Johnny Chan Poker Legend
- Born: 1957
- Birthplace: Guangzhou (Canton), China
- Resides: Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
Poker legend Johnny Chan moved to the US in 1968, having
left his native Guangzhou for Hong Kong in 1962. In 1978, at the age of 21,
Chan moved to Las Vegas to become a professional gambler.
World Series of Poker Johnny Chan
Johnny Chan rocketed to stardom in the late 1980s, after he won consecutive World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event titles in 1987 and 1988.
He is the last person to win back-to-back WSOP Main Event titles; the only other living player to achieve this feat is Doyle Brunson. Considering the ever-swelling numbers attracted to the World Series, many people believe this will never be done again.
Chan very nearly achieved the unthinkable in 1989, when he just missed out on a third Main Event title in a row, finishing 2nd to Phil Hellmuth.
In 2005, Chan made history again by becoming the first player to win 10 WSOP bracelets over his career. He is currently tied for second on the All-Time WSOP Bracelet Winners list - with Brunson, behind Hellmuth, who has won 11 bracelets.
Other Poker Tournaments
Chan won the $400 000 first prize at Poker Superstars II in 2005, having finished 2nd in the inaugural Poker Superstars earlier in the year. He also reached the semi-finals in the third installment.
Chan has the most wins on NBC's Poker After Dark, winning three out of his four appearances and finishing second in the other. His latest victory came in March 2008.
As of 2008, his total live tournament earnings exceed $6,300,000.
Johnny Chan Poker Trivia
- Chan is known for keeping a "lucky" orange in front of him on the table. After his second WSOP Main Event victory, other players also began bringing fruit to the table! Chan only did it for the aroma, which counteracted cigarette smoke at the table
- He made a cameo appearance in the movie Rounders, which featured his heads-up victory over Erik Seidel in the 1988 WSOP Main Event
- In 2002, at the age of 45, Johnny Chan was inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame
- Jerry Buss, owner of the Los Angeles Lakers and also an avid poker player, promised Chan an NBA championship ring if he could win his third Main Event in a row.