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The
great poker movie Rounders got so many little details
right, with none better than its loving portrait of
Johnny Chan. In 2 pivotal scenes, Chan showed up playing
himself – the coolest cat in the room and the best
poker player in the world. It was a delicious bit of
casting, for this is a role that Chan has occupied on
the real poker scene, year in and year out.
Biggest
Poker Accomplishment:
Won 2 consecutive World Championships, in 1988 and 1989,
and then proceeded to finish 2nd in 1990.
This 1-1-2 run is probably the greatest feat in WSOP
history. Chan also owns 10 WSOP bracelets, tying him
with Doyle Brunson for the most ever.
Playing
Style: A
tricky, trapping player. Chan likes to slowplay his big
hands, letting his opponents bet out and hang
themselves. This is a dangerous game to play, but Chan
has a keen ability for reading other players.
Strengths:
Unrivalled
experience on poker’s grandest stage. Johnny has
probably seen more hands at the WSOP final tables than
any other player. He is not a man who will get nervous
or intimidated under the bright lights.
Weaknesses:
Johnny’s large family and busy cash game schedule has
taken away from his tournament play in recent years. As
a result, he has often played impatient poker, as if he
has somewhere else to be.
Tournament
Winnings: Just
over $5 million to date.
The
Bottom Line: It
is now commonplace for players to bring good luck charms
to the table. In fact, they are as common as iPods and
sunglasses. But Johnny was one of the first to start
this practice, with his ever-present orange. What is the
significance of the beloved piece of fruit? In the old
days, poker rooms used to be teeming in cigarette smoke.
Johnny, a staunch non-smoker, found sniffing the orange
helped him cope with the smoke swirling overhead.
Rank
(out of 10): 9
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