Johnny Chan (Orient(al) Express)

Johnny Chan is among the most respected players in poker history. Crushing the circuit for nearly a decade, Johnny Chan dodged victories and was part of the game's explosion in the early 2000s.

Born in 1957 in Guangzhou, China, Johnny Chan moved around a lot in his youth. First to Hong Kong in 1962, then to the United States at the age of eleven, before settling in Houston, where his family set up several restaurants. It was with the staff of these establishments that he began to play cards. His skill and technique, absolutely unrivalled at the time, enabled him to build up a bankroll. At the age of 21, he dropped out of the University of Houston and moved to Las Vegas to become a professional gambler

WSOP legend

A Cash Game specialist for many years, Johnny Chan revealed himself at the WSOP, a festival with which he would maintain a long 'love' affair. Winner of his first $1,000 tournament in 1985 for $171,000, Johnny Chan was propelled onto the international stage by winning the 1987 Main Event for $625,000. The first foreign player to win the world's most prestigious tournament, the Chinese-American didn't stop there: he did it again the following year, completing an improbable double to add $700,000 to his total winnings. He is the last player to have achieved this famous double.

Not really the type to travel to every casino in the world, Johnny Chan primarily shaved the American circuit. For twenty years, he collected final tables and titles in Las Vegas, notably at the WSOP, where he racked up a string of victories. In 2005, he became the first player to reach 10 WSOP bracelets, beating Phil Laak in heads-up play in the $2,500 Pot Limit Texas Hold'Em. In 2002, he was already making his entry into the Poker Hall of Fame.

Chan the businessman

Accumulating more than eight million dollars in his career, Johnny Chan continues to appear on the tables in Las Vegas, Macau or the Bahamas, albeit more or less exceptionally. He is also concentrating on his entrepreneurial activity. Like his parents, Johnny Chan owns his own fast food franchise, Stratosphere. He is also a consultant to a number of casinos and is planning to open his own establishment. The poker player and businessman is also an amateur actor, appearing in the cast of the film Rounders as well as Poker King, where he plays himself.