Chance Kornuth

Born in 1986 in Denver, Colorado, Chance Kornuth developed a passion for strategy games at a young age. He briefly studied civil engineering at the University of Colorado, leaving just one semester short of graduation to pursue poker full-time. This analytical foundation later became a hallmark of his playing and coaching style. He now resides in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Kornuth started playing online poker under the screen names 'Chances Cards' and 'BingShui,' quickly establishing himself as a winning player. His first major live breakthrough came in 2010 at the World Series of Poker, where he won Event #50: $5,000 Pot-Limit Omaha for $508,090 at just 24 years old. This victory marked the beginning of an impressive run in both online and live tournaments.

Kornuth has 22 WSOP final table appearances and 96 total cashes as of June 2025, with cumulative WSOP earnings exceeding $10 million. His four WSOP bracelets span multiple variants:

• 2010: $5,000 Pot-Limit Omaha — $508,090
• 2018 (Online): $3,200 WSOP.com Online No-Limit Hold'em High Roller — $341,599
• 2021: $10,000 Short Deck No-Limit Hold'em — $194,670
• 2024: $1,000 FLIP & GO No-Limit Hold'em Presented by GG — $155,446

His 2024 victory broke a string of near-misses, including a runner-up finish in the $50,000 No-Limit Hold'em High Roller earlier that year for $1,351,000, his career-best live cash.

Kornuth frequently competes in high-stakes events. In 2023, he finished fifth in the $250,000 Super High Roller at the WSOP for $1,202,318. Other major scores include:

• 1st place in the Bellagio Cup X (2014) — $526,224
• 1st place in the $25,000 Challenge at Aussie Millions (2016)
• 2nd place in the $25,000 Heads-Up Championship at WSOP (2022) — $721,144
• 4th place in the $100,000 High Roller at WSOP 2024 — $932,725
• 4th place in the $100,000 High Roller at WSOP 2023 — $833,854
• 10th place in the Triton Million Invitational (2024) — $985,000

He has also made deep runs in the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure and European Poker Tour events. As of 2025, his total live tournament earnings stand at over $19.9 million, placing him among the top 35 earners in U.S. history.

Kornuth has been a prominent online player under the alias 'BingShui,' winning a WSOP Online bracelet in 2018. In 2020, he took on Phil Galfond in the high-stakes Galfond Challenge, a heads-up pot-limit Omaha match. After multiple lead changes, Kornuth conceded, finishing down approximately $726,000. The decision to end the match early sparked debate in the poker community, with some viewing it as a prudent loss-cutting move while others questioned the timing.

In 2016, Kornuth founded Chip Leader Coaching, a training site dedicated to helping players improve their game. He produces strategy videos and articles emphasizing logic, reasoning, and systematic improvement. His coaching style has earned respect from both recreational and professional players, and the site has mentored hundreds of students to tournament success.

Kornuth is known for an aggressive, balanced style that applies constant pressure on opponents. He excels at preflop aggression and postflop decision-making, leveraging position and bet sizing to confuse opponents. His adaptability in deep-stacked and short-stacked situations makes him difficult to exploit. Analysts describe his approach as "socially observant and highly exploitative," combining deep theoretical knowledge with keen reads on opponents.

Estimates of Kornuth's net worth range from $10 million to $15 million, derived primarily from tournament earnings, coaching revenue, and high-stakes cash game play both online and live. With four WSOP bracelets, multiple seven-figure scores, and a thriving coaching business, Chance Kornuth remains a prominent figure in the poker world. His dedication to study and self-improvement serves as a model for aspiring players, solidifying his legacy as one of the most consistent and cerebral competitors of his generation.