Johnny “Orient Express” Chan was the first Asian to be inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame (2002). He has won nine gold bracelets, an honor that is only held by two other players: Doyle Brunson and Phil Helmuth Jr. His greatest distinction, however, is winning back to back world championships in 1987 and 1988, something only one other player, Doyle Brunson, was able to do. He almost won it a third time in 1989, but ended up coming in second to Phil Helmuth Jr.

Chan is originally from Canton, China, but has moved around quite a bit since then. In 1962, he and his family moved to Hong Kong. Then in 1968, he moved to Phoenix, Arizona, and then to Houston, Texas, in 1973. At the age of 21, Chan dropped out of college at the University of Houston to become a professional gambler in Las Vegas.

Fun Facts and Finishes

• Johnny is known for keeping an orange in front of him during tournaments. Some say it is for luck, but Johnny is quoted as saying that he likes the smell and that it combats the smell of cigarette smoke that is common at many tournaments.
• In 2003, Johnny won the 34th annual WSOP’s $5,000 No Limit Hold ‘em and $5,000 Pot Limit Hold ‘em just days apart for a total winning of more than $382k.
• Johnny is also a savvy businessman, owning a fast-food restaurant in the Las Vegas Stratosphere Hotel and consulting for casinos and game makers.