John Edward Monnette

John Edward Monnette was born on February 16, 1982, in Palmdale, California, and later graduated from the University of California, San Diego. He grew up playing limit hold'em and spent time on the Southern California live poker circuit before turning professional. During his early twenties he earned the nickname "Angry John" because he would berate dealers and make his frustrations known across the room, but he eventually channeled that energy into becoming a disciplined, methodical mixed-game player. He now resides in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Monnette's first WSOP cash came in 2005, and he quickly became a regular at the series, posting multiple final-table finishes, including a runner-up result in 2009. His breakthrough came in 2011 when he won Event #23: $2,500 8-Game, defeating 2009 WSOP Main Event November Niner Eric Buchman heads-up to collect $278,144, more than double his previous largest live cash. A year later he won the $5,000 Seven Card Stud event for $190,826, topping a final table that included Jeff Lisandro and Bryn Kenney. That same year he finished runner-up to David "Bakes" Baker in the $10,000 H.O.R.S.E. for $279,206, the largest cash of his career, and added three other podium finishes, including a shootout event at WSOP Europe.

After collecting nine top-ten finishes between 2013 and 2016, Monnette won his third bracelet at the 2017 WSOP in the $10,000 No-Limit 2-7 Lowball Draw Championship for $256,610. In 2021 he outlasted FiveThirtyEight founder Nate Silver heads-up to win the $10,000 Limit Hold'em Championship for $245,680, his first bracelet in a hold'em event. His fifth bracelet came in 2023 in the $1,500 Limit 2-7 Triple Draw Lowball event for $145,863.

Here is a summary of Monnette's five WSOP bracelets:

Overall at the WSOP, Monnette has 26 final tables, 93 money finishes, and a best Main Event result of 155th place in 2009.

Prior to the Black Friday crackdown in 2011, Monnette was active online under the PokerStars screen name "jmonnett." He won a World Championship of Online Poker (WCOOP) title in 2010 in Event 27, a $320 Fixed-Limit Badugi tournament paying $19,250. He also captured a Spring Championship of Online Poker (SCOOP) title that year in Event 24 (High), a $1,050 buy-in 2-7 Triple Draw event worth $36,400. Those online results foreshadowed his live success in lowball and mixed-game disciplines.

Despite his early "Angry John" reputation, Monnette is widely respected as one of the best mixed-game players in the world. All five of his WSOP bracelets have come in different disciplines: eight-game, seven-card stud, no-limit 2-7 lowball draw, limit hold'em, and limit 2-7 triple draw. After winning his fifth bracelet, Monnette said: "It's kinda cool, yah. The no-limit deuce, I felt that was one of my better games, when I got that one, it was really cool, and then the hold 'em one was pretty awesome because I just grew up playing limit hold 'em... and then this one, 2-7 is a game I just played a ton like 15 years ago pre-Black Friday. It was kind of cool to get back to the roots." His technical approach and adaptability have made him a fixture in high-stakes mixed-game circles.

Monnette has also recorded six money finishes on the World Poker Tour, though he has not yet reached a WPT final table. His career live earnings are more than $4.2 million, with a best single payout of $279,206, and he ranks 529th on poker's all-time money list after crossing the $4 million milestone. His Global Poker Index ranking is 2,986.

Monnette remains active in the game's biggest mixed events. At the 2025 WSOP he placed 14th in the $25,000 High Roller H.O.R.S.E. for $53,571 and 20th in the $10,000 Limit 2-7 Lowball Triple Draw Championship for $20,000. In the 2026 WSOP he finished 10th in the $10,000 No-Limit 2-7 Lowball Draw Championship for $32,598, and also cashed in the $1,500 Big O and $1,500 No-Limit 2-7 Lowball events.

Monnette married Diana Cox in 2016. The couple has a daughter born in September 2019 and a son born in 2021. He remains based in Las Vegas, Nevada, with his family while continuing his tournament career.