John Kabbaj

John Kabbaj (born 19 June 1973 in Birmingham, Warwickshire) is an English professional poker player. Known by the nickname "Large", he is often referred to as the unofficial fifth member of The Hendon Mob. As of 2024, his total live tournament earnings exceed $2,968,438, placing him among the top British poker players. He holds two World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelets and has a reputation for aggressive, creative play.

Kabbaj left school at age 16 and worked as a builder before taking a job at Heathrow Airport. He discovered poker in his teens and turned professional in 1995 after winning his first major tournament, the Main Event of the 1995 Christmas Cracker in London. He defeated a field that included Dave Gardner and Ram Vaswani, earning £14,750.

Kabbaj's first WSOP cash came in 1999, finishing 9th in a $3,000 pot-limit hold'em event. In 2004, he was runner-up in the $3,000 no-limit hold'em tournament, winning $260,520. His first WSOP bracelet came in 2009 when he won the $10,000 World Championship Pot-Limit Hold'em for $633,335. The victory was marred by a controversy over the playing of the Sex Pistols' version of "God Save the Queen" instead of the traditional anthem. He won his second bracelet in 2014 in the $2,500 Omaha/Seven Card Stud Hi/Lo event, earning $267,327 after defeating Thomas Keller heads-up.

Beyond the WSOP, Kabbaj made the final table of the first European Poker Tour (EPT) event in Barcelona in 2004. He has also appeared on the television series Late Night Poker and has won tournaments in London and Moscow. In the 2010 WSOP Main Event, he finished 281st. More recently, he cashed in multiple WSOP events in 2023 and 2024, including a 1,026th-place finish in the 2024 Main Event.

Kabbaj is known for an aggressive style, using position and stack size to apply pressure. He reads opponents well and adapts to table dynamics, often mixing up his play to keep opponents off balance. His nickname "Large" reflects his commanding presence at the table.

After a difficult two-year period where he lost everything, Kabbaj relocated to Austria, living in the mountains, lost weight, and rebuilt his life. He stated that his 2014 bracelet win was a turning point after "the worst two years of my life." He continues to play both live and online events.