Daniel Chan

Daniel "Johnny" Chan was born in China and moved to the United States in 1968 with his family, settling first in Arizona before relocating to Houston, Texas, where his family owned a restaurant. Following family tradition, Chan enrolled at the University of Houston, but at age 21 he decided to pursue poker professionally and moved to Las Vegas. He took various temporary jobs to build his bankroll before making his mark on the tournament scene.

Chan's first major breakthrough came in 1981 when he won Bob Stupak's American Cup, eliminating 13 of his 16 opponents in just over half an hour. This dominant performance earned him the nickname "The Orient Express." He won his first WSOP bracelet in 1985 in the $1,000 Limit Hold'em event, taking home $171,000.

Chan's greatest achievements came at the WSOP Main Event. In 1987, he won the $10,000 No-Limit Hold'em Main Event, defeating a field of 152 players to claim $625,000. He repeated as champion in 1988, winning $700,000 against 167 entrants, becoming the last player to win back-to-back Main Events. In 1989, he nearly achieved a three-peat, finishing runner-up to Phil Hellmuth after a legendary heads-up battle.

Chan continued to add WSOP bracelets throughout the 1990s and 2000s, winning in a variety of games including Seven Card Stud, 2-7 Draw Lowball, Pot-Limit Omaha, and No-Limit Hold'em. In 2005, he became the first player to reach 10 WSOP bracelets, a milestone later matched by Doyle Brunson and eventually surpassed by Hellmuth.

Beyond the WSOP, Chan has amassed over $8.7 million in career live tournament earnings. His largest single cash came in February 2005, when he finished second in the Poker Superstars Invitational Tournament for $750,000. In 2002, he was inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame, cementing his legacy as one of the game's all-time greats.

In 2021, Chan opened a poker room in Texas called Johnny Chan's 88 Social, though the venue closed by December of that year.

Chan gained mainstream fame with his cameo in the 1998 film "Rounders," where he played himself in a memorable scene against Matt Damon's character. His success helped popularize poker globally and inspired a generation of players. Chan remains a respected figure in the poker community, known for his aggressive style and remarkable consistency at the highest levels of the game.