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Johnny Chan was born in Canton, China where he was
raised until the age of six when he immigrated to
America with his family. Chan attended schools in
Phoenix and Houston but had trouble learning English and
getting used to American culture. Chan's parents owned a
restaurant where he worked growing up. He enjoyed
spending his free time practicing at the local bowling
alley. It was here that he discovered his life's work.
At the age
of 16 Chan realized that his potential was limited in
Houston and took a trip to Las Vegas. His very first
night there he sat illegally with $500 and walked away
with over $20,000. He lost all of it the following
night.
Chan spent a
few more years working on his game in Houston before he
made the permanent move to Las Vegas. “Johnny was a
hot-headed kid with some talent. But he didn’t know when
to keep his temper under control or know when to quit
playing,” Doyle Brunson once said.
After being
an avid smoker for years Chan decided to quit. In an
effort to detour the smell of cigarettes at the poker
table he brought a ripe orange with him when he played.
The orange quickly became Chan's trademark.
It wasn't
long before Chan ironed out all the kinks in his game
and was top notch. He won the main event at the World
Series of Poker in 1987 and then successfully defended
his title in 1988. He was the last man in history to win
the main event in sequential years. He almost won it for
a third straight year in 1989 but Phil Helmuth Jr. got
in the way and Chan took second.
Chan has
been an icon in the poker world ever since. He is
arguably the most successful, recognizable, and
decorated player on the planet and everything he touches
seems to turn to gold. |
