Jean-Robert Bellande

Jean-Robert Bellande was born on September 17, 1970, in Long Island, New York, to parents who emigrated from Haiti. When he was five, his family moved to Taiwan, where his mother worked as a Christian missionary, and he spent the next thirteen years in an expatriate community. He later returned to the United States, earning a Bachelor of Arts in marketing from Azusa Pacific University. Bellande is fluent in French, English, and Mandarin, and currently resides in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Early Success

Bellande first gained public exposure at a World Series of Poker (WSOP) circuit event in March 2005, where he finished 3rd for $210,900, notable for his aggressive table banter. A week later, he defeated John Phan to win the 2005 Winnin' o' the Green tournament for $148,000. He also appeared in the WPT Bad Boys of Poker II invitational event.

WSOP Journey and Bracelet Win

Bellande came close to his first WSOP bracelet in 2008, finishing runner-up to Matt Graham in the $1,500 Limit Hold'em Shootout for $173,564. He also placed 442nd in the 2008 Main Event. In 2011, he finished 65th in the Main Event, his best result in that tournament. At the 2015 WSOP, he placed 2nd in the $50,000 Players Championship for $784,828. Finally, in 2018, Bellande won his first WSOP bracelet in Event #58: $5,000 No-Limit Hold'em Six-Handed, earning $616,302. He celebrated the victory with a $400 bottle of wine.

High-Stakes Cash Games and Televised Appearances

Bellande is a regular on televised cash games such as High Stakes Poker and Poker After Dark, known for his willingness to gamble and entertaining table talk. His tournament earnings, while notable, represent only a portion of his poker activity, as he has consistently played high-stakes cash games for decades.

Major Score in 2026

In 2026, Bellande recorded the largest tournament score of his career, winning $1,500,000 after taking down the $100,000 High Roller at the Onyx High Roller Series in Cyprus.

Beyond poker, Bellande was a contestant on the reality TV show Survivor: China in 2007, as a member of the Fei Long tribe. He was known for his conflict with Courtney Yates and various gaffes, ultimately being voted out 9th and becoming a jury member. He cast his vote for Todd Herzog, who won the season.

Bellande married Veronica Llamas in 2018 in a beach wedding in Punta De Mita, Mexico. The couple has three children: twins Axel and Bella (born 2019) and a son Maxwell (born 2021). He is active on social media under the handle @BrokeLivingJRB, a nickname that reflects his early reputation for running poorly in high-stakes games.

Bellande is known for an aggressive and creative style, often using bluffs and semi-bluffs to pressure opponents. His high-variance approach has led to dramatic swings, earning him the nickname "Action Bob" and the "Broke Living" persona. Despite financial ups and downs, he remains a resilient figure in poker's toughest games.