Johnny "The Orient Express" Chan Profile

Johnny Chan may be poker's most well known name. A true rags to riches story, Johnny Chan was born in Canton, China and moved to Phoenix, Arizona in 1968. They later moved to Houston where his family owned some restaurants. He was expected to continue in the family business, but poker took him on a life detour. He started playing in the early 80s and hasn't looked back since. When he started playing poker, he also was an avid bowler. He used to hide some of his poker escapades by saying he was at the bowling alley.

He is a legend in the poker world for winning ten World Series of Poker gold bracelets, tied for second place along with Doyle Brunson. But more impressively is that two bracelets were from back to back Championship events in 1987 and 1988. Amazingly he almost won in 1989 too, but finished second to Phil Hellmuth, who currently has 11 WSOP bracelets. He is not only known by poker players, but also by moviegoers for playing himself in the movie Rounders, in which he is called the best poker player in the world.

The movie contained footage of Chan's victory against Erik Seidel in the 1988 World Series. Chan, nicknamed "The Orient Express", flopped a straight and got Erik to move all in with a pair of queens. Chan has an interesting ritual of keeping an orange in front of him during tournaments - Johnny claims the aroma combats the cigarette smoke.

Chan has had so many money finishes in his poker career that we have chosen to only list his wins including his 10 WSOP bracelet wins and his WSOP money finishes.

Player Stats 2010: 156th place WSOP Main Event
2010: Winner $50,000 World Team Poker Inaugural Event
2009: 8th place WSOP $10,000 Heads Up Championship
2009: Winner $20,000 Poker After Dark Week 5 Dream Team Table III
2008: 329th place WSOP Main Event
2008: 4th place WSOP $5,000 Pot Limit Omaha
2008: 13th place WSOP $10,000 World Championship Mixed Event
2008: Winner $20,000 Poker After Dark Week 6 “International”
2008: Winner $20,000 Poker After Dark Week 4 World Champions
2007: 20th place WSOP $1,500 Pot Limit Omaha
2007: 18th place WSOP $5,000 Seven Card Stud
2007: 31st place WSOP $5,000 Mixed Hold’em (Limit/No Limit)
2007: Winner $20,000 Poker After Dark Week 3
2006: Winner Poker Superstars Invitational Tournament Season 3 Quarter Finals
2006: 7th place WSOP $1,500 Seven Card Stud
2006: 84th place WSOP $2,000 No Limit Hold’em
2006: Winner Poker Superstars Invitational Tournament Season 3 Final 16
2005: Winner Poker Superstars Invitational Tournament Season 2 Semi Final
2005: Winner WSOP $2,500 Pot Limit Omaha
2004: 29th place WSOP $3,000 No Limit Hold’em
2003: 19th place WSOP $3,000 Pot Limit Hold’em
2003: Winner WSOP $5,000 No Limit Holdem
2003: Winner WSOP $5,000 Pot Limit Hold’em
2002: 3rd place WSOP $3,000 No Limit Hold’em
2002: 8th place WSOP $5,000 Pot Limit Omaha
2002: 2nd place WSOP $1,500 No Limit Hold’em
2002: 5th place WSOP $2,000 Pot Limit Hold’em
2002: Winner $2,500 Gold Bracelet Match Play - The event was a series of heads up matches between previous bracelet winners and the final two players were Chan and Phil Hellmuth Jr. This time Chan was victorious.
2001: 2nd place WSOP $3,000 No Limit Hold’em
2001: 14th place WSOP $1,500 Pot Limit Omaha
2000: 11th place WSOP $3,000 No Limit Hold’em
2000: Winner WSOP $1,500 Omaha Pot Limit
1998: 2nd place WSOP $1,500 Omaha Pot Limit
1997: Winner WSOP $5,000 Deuce to Seven Draw
1997: 20th place WSOP $2,000 No Limit Hold’em
1997: 9th place WSOP $1,500 Pot Limit Omaha
1996: 4th place WSOP $5,000 Limit Hold’em
1995: 44th place WSOP Main Event
1995: 2nd place WSOP $5,000 Deuce to Seven Draw
1995: 23rd place WSOP $1,500 No Limit Hold’em
1994: 9th place WSOP $1,500 Pot Limit Hold’em
1994: 17th place WSOP $1,500 Limit Omaha
1994: Winner WSOP $1,500 7 Card Stud
1992: 7th place WSOP Main Event
1992: 6th place WSOP $1,500 Pot Limit Hold’em
1991: 18th place WSOP $1,500 No Limit Hold’em
1989: 2nd place WSOP Main Event
1988: Winner WSOP Main Event
1988: 3rd place WSOP $5,000 Deuce to Seven Draw
1987: Winner WSOP Main Event
1985: Winner WSOP $1,000 Limit Hold’em
1983: 4th place WSOP $2,500 Match Play

When I did the research on his wins; I was impressed with the variety of games he has won. This validates what many say, that he is one of the best all around poker players. He was inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame in 2002.