Johnny Chan
Still considered to be one
of the top professional tournament and cash game players
in the world, the “Orient Express” sports a swagger that
can be backed up by his abilities at the table. He was
essentially the first Asian breakout poker player and is
the self-proclaimed role model for Asians on the current
poker circuit. Despite his 10 WSOP bracelets (a number
matched only by fellow poker legend
Doyle Brunson), he
may be best known by non-poker players for his cameo
appearance in the poker movie Rounders, starring Ed
Norton and Matt Damon.
Chan boasts one of the best showings ever at the World
Series of Poker Main Event, winning back-to-back titles
in 1987 and ’88 while sporting those oversized ‘80s
sunglasses. His trap set for Erik Seidel during heads-up
play in the ’88 Championship is predominantly featured
in Rounders. He almost made poker history by winning 3
titles in a row but was edged by then-24-year-old Phil
Hellmuth in ’89. Other major accomplishments include
winning the second version of the Poker Superstars
Invitational in 2005, beating out a couple dozen of the
best poker players in the world.
Seen most often in the ‘80s and ‘90s in his designer
track suits, Chan mostly sports flamboyant (costly) and colorful shirts at the table. He certainly
isn’t a frugal character and won’t shy away from
spending his winnings on frivolous pleasures. “The
Orient Express” is also famous for keeping his lucky
orange next to him at the table, but the reasoning
didn’t stem from superstition. Back in the smoke-filled
and less glitzy days of the poker room, Chan would keep
the orange at hand and use its fragrance to break the
persistently unpleasant vapors that would envelop
non-smoking poker players.
Johnny Chan and his family emigrated from Hong Kong, and
China before that, to Houston, Texas as a child. After
struggling to learn English and help his father with the
family restaurant business, Chan made it to the
University of Houston. The call of Vegas soon cut his
academic career short, and instead Chan took a beating
at the Blackjack and poker tables. Learning from players
like Doyle Brunson and Chip Reese at the high-stakes
tables, Johnny Chan finally honed his skills and won his
first WSOP bracelet in 1985. He’s never looked back and
continues to use his observant and aggressive style to
be successful in both cash games and tournaments.
Mostly, he’s a friendly and outgoing character that
appeals to audiences and fellow players. You can catch
him playing in the largest and most exclusive cash games
in Vegas, captured recently by GSN’s High Stakes Poker.
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