View source for Johnny Chan

{{Short description|American poker player (born 1957)}}
{{pp|small=yes}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{About|the poker player|the actor|Johnny Chan (actor)}}
{{redirect|Chen Jinhai|the lawyer|Adrian Tan}}

{{Infobox poker player 
|name        = Johnny Chan
|nickname    = Orient Express
|image       = Johnny Chan 2008.jpg
|caption     = Johnny Chan at the [[2008 World Series of Poker]]
|residence   = [[Las Vegas]], Nevada
|birth_date  = {{Birth year and age|1957}}
|birth_place = [[Guangzhou]], [[People's Republic of China|China]]
|death_date  = 
|death_place =
|wsop bracelet count = 10
|wsop final tables   = 27
|wsop money finishes = 45
|wsop main event best finish rank = Winner
|wsop main event best finish year = 1987
|wsop main event best finish year 2 = 1988
|wsop main event best finish year 3 = 
|wsop main event best finish year 4 =
|wpt titles         = 0
|wpt final tables   = 0
|wpt money finishes = 6
|ept titles         = 
|ept final tables   = 
|ept money finishes =
|updated            = 2014-01-24
}}
{{Chinese|title=Johnny Chan|t=陳金海|s=陈金海|p=Chén Jīnhǎi|j=Can4 Gam1hoi2|t2=陳強尼|s2=陈强尼|p2=Chén Qiángní}}
'''Johnny Chan''' ({{zh|t=陳金海}};<ref group="Note">He has another Chinese name "Chen Qiangni" ({{zh|t=陳強尼|s=陈强尼|p=Chén Qiángní|first=t}}) which is also commonly used by Chinese-language media. It is a transliteration of "Johnny Chan" (as "Chen" for "Chan", "Qiangni" for "Johnny") rather than his Chinese birth name.</ref> (born 1957) is an American professional [[poker]] player. He has won 10 [[World Series of Poker]] [[World Series of Poker bracelet|bracelets]], including the [[1987 World Series of Poker|1987]] and [[1988 World Series of Poker|1988]] World Series of Poker main events consecutively.

==Early life==
Chan moved with his family in 1962 from Guangzhou to [[Hong Kong]], then in 1968 to [[Phoenix, Arizona]], and later in 1973 to [[Houston]], [[Texas]], where his family owned restaurants. He started playing cards with the staff of the restaurant.

When he was 21, Chan dropped out of the [[University of Houston]], where he was majoring in hotel and restaurant management, and moved to [[Las Vegas]] to become a professional gambler.

However, his first live casino experience was before his 21st birthday. During a visit in Las Vegas at the age of 16, Chan managed to buy in for a cash game, allegedly turning $500 into $20,000 in one night, before losing the whole $20,000 the next day.<ref>{{Cite web |date=July 17, 2020 |title=Johnny Chan's Life: Biggest Profits, Losses and Net Worth |url=http://somuchpoker.com/johnny-chans-life-biggest-profits-losses-private-life-net-worth/ |access-date=September 21, 2020 |website=Somuchpoker |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Poker tournaments==

===World Series of Poker===
Chan won his first WSOP bracelet in 1985 in a Limit Hold'em event.<ref>{{Cite web |title=16th World Series of Poker - WSOP 1985, Limit Hold'em |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=8047 |access-date=April 22, 2024 |website=[[The Hendon Mob Poker Database]] |language=en}}</ref> Chan won the [[World Series of Poker]] (WSOP) in [[1987 World Series of Poker|1987]] and [[1988 World Series of Poker|1988]] becoming the first foreign national to win the main event.<ref name="Krier">{{Cite web |last=Krier |first=Beth Ann |date=May 15, 1989 |title=Could Three Consecutive World Titles Bring Even More Luck to Poker Ace Johnny Chan? : Big Deal |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-05-15-vw-233-story.html |access-date=November 29, 2023 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=18th World Series of Poker - WSOP 1987, No Limit Hold'em World Championship |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=8035 |access-date=April 21, 2024 |website=[[The Hendon Mob Poker Database]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=19th World Series of Poker - WSOP 1988, No Limit Hold'em World Championship |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=8023 |access-date=April 21, 2024 |website=[[The Hendon Mob Poker Database]] |language=en}}</ref> A videotape of the 1988 WSOP final heads-up match is featured in the 1998 movie ''[[Rounders (film)|Rounders]]'', in which Chan makes a cameo appearance. He almost won a third consecutive title, but finished as the runner-up in [[1989 World Series of Poker|1989]] to [[Phil Hellmuth]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=20th World Series of Poker - WSOP 1989, No Limit Hold'em World Championship |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=8011 |access-date=April 22, 2024 |website=[[The Hendon Mob Poker Database]] |language=en}}</ref> He is the last player to win back-to-back WSOP Main Events.

Chan added bracelets with victories at the WSOP in 1994, 1997, 2000, and 2002.<ref>{{Cite web |title=25th World Series of Poker - WSOP 1994, Seven-Card Stud |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=7905 |access-date=April 22, 2024 |website=[[The Hendon Mob Poker Database]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=28th World Series of Poker - WSOP 1997, No Limit Deuce to Seven Draw |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=7814 |access-date=April 22, 2024 |website=[[The Hendon Mob Poker Database]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=31st World Series of Poker - WSOP 2000, Pot Limit Omaha |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=1974 |access-date=April 22, 2024 |website=[[The Hendon Mob Poker Database]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=33rd World Series of Poker - WSOP 2002, No Limit Hold'em - Gold Bracelet Match Play |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=4396 |access-date=April 22, 2024 |website=[[The Hendon Mob Poker Database]] |language=en}}</ref>

In 2003, Chan won his eighth and ninth bracelets in Pot Limit Omaha and No Limit Hold'em events, both with a $5,000 buy-in.<ref>{{Cite web |title=34th World Series of Poker - WSOP 2003, No Limit Hold'em |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=5532 |access-date=April 22, 2024 |website=[[The Hendon Mob Poker Database]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=34th World Series of Poker - WSOP 2003, Pot Limit Omaha |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=5541 |access-date=April 22, 2024 |website=[[The Hendon Mob Poker Database]] |language=en}}</ref>

In [[2005 World Series of Poker|2005]], Chan became the first player to win ten World Series of Poker bracelets, defeating [[Phil Laak]] in a $2,500 Pot Limit [[Texas hold 'em]] event.<ref>{{Cite web |title=36th World Series of Poker - WSOP 2005, Pot Limit Hold'em |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=8809 |access-date=April 22, 2024 |website=[[The Hendon Mob Poker Database]] |language=en}}</ref> He is currently tied with [[Doyle Brunson]] and [[Erik Seidel]] for third place with 10 [[World Series of Poker]] bracelets, behind [[Phil Ivey]] (11) and [[Phil Hellmuth]] (17). He was inducted into the [[Poker Hall of Fame]] in 2002.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Poker Hall of Fame |url=http://www.pokerpages.com/pokerinfo/hallofame/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090125045458/http://www.pokerpages.com/pokerinfo/hallofame/ |archive-date=January 25, 2009 |website=PokerPages.com}}</ref>

In [[2008 World Series of Poker|2008]], Chan cashed for the first time in the Main Event since [[1992 World Series of Poker|1992]], earning $32,166 for his 329th-place finish.<ref>{{Cite web |title=39th World Series of Poker - WSOP 2008, World Championship No Limit Hold'em: Hendon Mob Poker Database |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=29730 |access-date=July 31, 2021 |website=[[The Hendon Mob Poker Database]] |language=en}}</ref>

In [[2010 World Series of Poker|2010]], Chan cashed in the Main Event taking 156th place for $57,102.<ref>{{Cite web |title=41st World Series of Poker - WSOP 2010, World Championship - No Limit Hold'em |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=40145 |access-date=April 22, 2024 |website=[[The Hendon Mob Poker Database]] |language=en}}</ref>

Chan's last recorded cash dates back to 2019, when he had a fairly deep run in the WSOP Main Event, eventually busting in 560th place.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Peckaitis |first=Tadas |title=What Ever Happened To Johnny Chan? |url=https://www.casino.org/blog/what-ever-happened-to-johnny-chan/ |access-date=April 9, 2021 |website=Casino.org|date=April 9, 2021 }}</ref>

====World Series of Poker Bracelets====
{| class = "wikitable"
!Year
!Tournament
!Prize (US$)
|-
|[[1985 World Series of Poker|1985]]
|$1,000 Limit Hold'em
|$171,000
|-
|[[1987 World Series of Poker|1987]]
|$10,000 No Limit Hold'em World Championship
|$625,000
|-
|[[1988 World Series of Poker|1988]]
|$10,000 No Limit Hold'em World Championship
|$700,000
|-
|[[1994 World Series of Poker|1994]]
|$1,500 Seven Card Stud
|$135,600
|-
|[[1997 World Series of Poker|1997]]
|$5,000 Deuce to Seven Draw
|$164,250
|-
|[[2000 World Series of Poker|2000]]
|$1,500 Pot Limit Omaha
|$178,800
|-
|[[2002 World Series of Poker|2002]]
|$2,500 No Limit Hold'em Gold Bracelet Match Play
|$34,000
|-
|[[2003 World Series of Poker|2003]]
|$5,000 No Limit Hold'em
|$224,400
|-
|[[2003 World Series of Poker|2003]]
|2003|$5,000 Pot Limit Omaha
|$158,100
|-
|[[2005 World Series of Poker|2005]]
|$2,500 Pot Limit Hold'em
|$303,025
|}

===Poker Superstars===
Chan competed in the $400,000 [[Poker Superstars Invitational Tournament]] in February 2005. He came back from having $20,000 chips out of $3,200,000 in play to finish in second place to [[Gus Hansen]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Poker Superstars Invitational Tournament, Grand Final |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=15494 |access-date=April 21, 2024 |website=[[The Hendon Mob Poker Database]] |language=en}}</ref> Chan later competed in [[Poker_Superstars_Invitational_Tournament#Season_2|Poker Superstars II]] during the summer of 2005. He defeated 22 players to make it to the finals. He defeated [[Todd Brunson]] in the finals after three matches to win the $400,000 first prize.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Poker Superstars Invitational Tournament Season 2, Grand Final |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=16775 |access-date=April 22, 2024 |website=[[The Hendon Mob Poker Database]] |language=en}}</ref> Chan appeared in [[Poker_Superstars_Invitational_Tournament#Season_3|Poker Superstars III]] where he made it as far as the semi-finals but was defeated by [[Todd Brunson]] after three matches.

=== Poker After Dark ===
On [[NBC]]'s late-night show ''[[Poker After Dark]]'', a six-person $20,000 buy-in winner-takes-all tournament, Johnny Chan has the most victories to date with four wins in six appearances. He came in second and fifth when he did not win.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Poker After Dark (PAD) Season IV, Week 2 - Nets vs Vets |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=32771 |access-date=April 22, 2024 |website=[[The Hendon Mob Poker Database]] |language=en}}</ref>

His appearances in which he made it to heads-up were:

*WSOP Champions — originally aired January 15–20, 2007 — Won heads-up against [[Chris Moneymaker]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Poker After Dark (PAD) Season I, Week 3 - WSOP Champions |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=26377 |access-date=April 22, 2024 |website=[[The Hendon Mob Poker Database]] |language=en}}</ref>
*Champions Week — originally aired June 11–16, 2007 — Lost heads-up against [[Joe Hachem]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Poker After Dark (PAD) Season II, Week 1 - Champions Week |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=27852 |access-date=April 22, 2024 |website=[[The Hendon Mob Poker Database]] |language=en}}</ref>
*World Champions — originally aired February 11–16, 2008 — Won heads-up against [[Phil Hellmuth]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Poker After Dark (PAD) Season III, Week 4 - World Champions |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=31141 |access-date=April 22, 2024 |website=[[The Hendon Mob Poker Database]] |language=en}}</ref>
*International — originally aired February 25 – March 1, 2008 — Won heads-up against [[Patrik Antonius]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Poker After Dark (PAD) Season III, Week 6 - International |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=31236 |access-date=April 22, 2024 |website=[[The Hendon Mob Poker Database]] |language=en}}</ref>
*Dream Table III — originally aired March 23–27, 2009 — Won heads-up against [[Jennifer Tilly]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Poker After Dark (PAD) Season V, Week 2 - Dream Table III |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=34938 |access-date=December 6, 2023 |website=[[The Hendon Mob Poker Database]] |language=en}}</ref>

===Other tournaments===
Chan won [[Bob Stupak]]'s 1981 American Cup poker tournament. He defeated all 9 other players at the final table in less than an hour.  As a result, Stupak gave Chan the nickname "the Orient Express".<ref name="Krier" />

Chan won the $10,000 No Limit Hold'em tournament at the America's Cup of Poker in consecutive years in 1982 and 1983.<ref>{{Cite web |title=America's Cup Of Poker 1982, No Limit Hold'em |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=25148 |access-date=April 22, 2024 |website=[[The Hendon Mob Poker Database]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=America's Cup Of Poker 1983, No Limit Hold'em |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=25150 |access-date=April 22, 2024 |website=[[The Hendon Mob Poker Database]] |language=en}}</ref>

Chan played in the 2004 and 2005 [[World Series of Poker Tournament of Champions]] events and the [[National Heads-Up Poker Championship]] in the same years.<ref>{{Cite web |title=World Series of Poker - WSOP Tournament of Champions 2004, No Limit Hold'em - Tournament of Champions |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=8564 |access-date=April 21, 2024 |website=[[The Hendon Mob Poker Database]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=World Series of Poker - WSOP Tournament of Champions 2005, Tournament of Champions - No Limit Hold'em |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=14994 |access-date=April 21, 2024 |website=[[The Hendon Mob Poker Database]] |language=en}}</ref>

As of 2023, his total live tournament winnings exceed $8,700,000.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Johnny Chan's profile on The Hendon Mob |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/player.php?a=r&n=44 |access-date=November 29, 2023 |website=[[The Hendon Mob Poker Database]] |language=en}}</ref> His 54 WSOP cashes account for $4,715,015 of those winnings.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Johnny Chan |url=https://www.wsop.com/players/profile/?playerid=262 |access-date=April 2, 2024 |website=WSOP.com}}</ref>

== Personal life ==
In addition to playing poker, Chan owns a fast-food franchise in the Las Vegas [[Stratosphere_Las_Vegas|Stratosphere Hotel]] and is a consultant for casinos and game makers.  Chan has written for ''Card Player'' magazine. He appeared in the first (2006) and 2011 seasons of the [[Game Show Network|GSN]] series ''[[High Stakes Poker]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cacovean |first=Alexandra |date=January 18, 2018 |title=High Stakes Poker TV Show Is Back... On YouTube |url=https://www.pokernews.com/news/2018/01/high-stakes-poker-is-back-on-youtube-29722.htm |access-date=April 22, 2024 |website=PokerNews.com |language=en}}</ref>

In 2005, Chan collaborated with Mark Karowe to release ''Play Poker Like Johnny Chan'' ({{ISBN|1-933074-48-5}}), an instructional book on several [[List of poker variants|different types of poker]].<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Chan |first1=Johnny |last2=Karowe |first2=Mark |date=January 1, 2005 |title=Play Poker Like Johnny Chan, Book One: Casino Poker |publisher=Top PLayer Media LLC |isbn=1933074485 |language=English}}</ref> On November 28, 2006, the follow-up titled: ''Million Dollar Hold'em: Winning Big in Limit Cash Games'' ({{ISBN|1-58042-200-4}}), which focuses on [[Betting (poker)|limit]] hold'em strategy, was released.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Chan |first1=Johnny |last2=Karowe |first2=Mark |date=November 28, 2006 |title=Million Dollar Hold'em: Limit Cash Games |publisher=Cardoza Publishing |isbn=1580422004 |language=English}}</ref>

In 2007, Chan launched an [[online poker]] room, ChanPokerOnline.com.  It closed in August 2008.<ref>{{Cite web |title=ChanPokerOnline Closes Down: The End for the Johnny Chan Casino |url=http://casinosmack.com/blog/chanpoker-closes-down-the-end-for-the-johnny-chan-casino/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120713074114/http://casinosmack.com/blog/chanpoker-closes-down-the-end-for-the-johnny-chan-casino/ |archive-date=July 13, 2012 |publisher=Casino Smack}}</ref>

Chan is a former smoker who also does not drink alcohol.<ref>{{cite web|title=Johnny "Oriental Express" Chan|website=Poker.com|url=https://poker.com/poker-pros/johnny-chan/|access-date=29 May 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170728202950/http://www.poker.com/poker-pros/johnny-chan-poker-pro.htm|archive-date=28 July 2017}}</ref>

Chan wrote a regular article in the bi-monthly magazine ''[[Trader Monthly]]''.{{citation needed|date=May 2024}}

===In popular culture===
Johnny Chan portrayed himself in the 1998 film ''[[Rounders (film)|Rounders]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Seaton |first=Paul |date=March 16, 2020 |title=Johnny Chan - Rounders Movie Legend |url=https://www.pokergonews.com/articles/johnny-chan-rounders-movie-legend/ |access-date=July 28, 2021 |website=PokerGO News |language=en-US}}</ref> In a flashback scene, Chan is bluffed out of a pot by the main character Mike McDermott ([[Matt Damon]]).<ref>{{Cite web |last=Holloway |first=Chad |date=September 10, 2023 |title=Rounders 25th Anniversary: Johnny Chan Reflects on Cameo, Meeting Matt Damon & More |url=https://www.pokernews.com/news/2023/09/rounders-25th-anniversary-johnny-chan-44424.htm |access-date=April 22, 2024 |website=PokerNews.com |language=en}}</ref>

He also appeared in the 2009 [[Hong Kong]] movie ''[[Poker King]]'' as himself.<ref>{{Cite web |date=August 7, 2009 |title=Johnny Chan: Chinese Poker Movie "Can Easily Be Bigger Than Rounders." |url=http://www.bluffeurope.com/poker-news/en/Johnny-Chan-Chinese-Poker-Movie-Can-Easily-Be-Bigger-Than-Rounders-_5367.aspx |access-date=April 22, 2024 |website=BLUFF Europe}}</ref>

==Notes==
{{Reflist|group="Note"}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Johnny Chan (poker player)}}
*[http://goldsea.com/Personalities/Chanjohnny/chanjohnny.html Goldsea article and interview]
*[https://www.cardplayer.com/poker-players/2892-johnny-chan Card Player profile]
*[https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/player.php?a=r&n=44 Hendon Mob profile]
*[http://www.pokerlistings.com/poker-player_johnny-chan PokerListings profile]
*[https://www.pokernews.com/poker-players/johnny-chan/ PokerNews profile]
*[https://www.worldpokertour.com/player/johnny-chan/ WPT profile]
*[https://www.wsop.com/players/profile/?playerid=262 WSOP profile]

{{WSOP Main Event champions}}
{{Poker Superstars Winners}}
{{1980s WSOP Bracelet Winners}}
{{1990s WSOP Bracelet Winners}}
{{2000s WSOP Bracelet Winners}}
{{Poker Hall of Fame}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chan, Johnny}}
[[Category:1957 births]]
[[Category:Hong Kong emigrants to the United States]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Guangzhou]]
[[Category:People from Houston]]
[[Category:Poker players from the Las Vegas Valley]]
[[Category:Poker After Dark tournament winners]]
[[Category:Super Bowl of Poker event winners]]
[[Category:University of Houston alumni]]
[[Category:World Series of Poker bracelet winners]]
[[Category:World Series of Poker Main Event winners]]
[[Category:Poker Hall of Fame inductees]]