John Nelson

John Nelson started playing poker at age six or seven, taught by his grandmother Lewandowski. He played casually in high school but took the game seriously in college, where he discovered online poker. Nelson earned a degree in psychology from Heidelberg University and later pursued a master's in counseling at Ohio University.

Nelson's breakout win came in March 2012 at Hollywood Casino's Tri-State Poker Championship in Lawrenceburg, Indiana. He defeated 229 players in the $1,600 Main Event to take home $81,353. Just 12 days earlier, he won a World Series of Poker Circuit undercard event in Atlantic City for nearly $20,000. In December 2011, he cashed three times at the Doyle Brunson Five Diamond World Poker Classic in Las Vegas, finishing first, 21st, and second for combined winnings of $102,171.

Nelson has recorded 22 WSOP cashes, including a win in a WSOP Circuit event at Harrah's Cherokee in 2017 ($38,560) and a 17th-place finish in a 2024 WSOP Circuit Seniors event. His total live earnings exceed $381,000 according to WSOP.com, with overall career earnings listed at $656,979.

Known for his patient, decision-oriented approach, Nelson emphasizes making correct, difficult decisions over chasing results. He combines loose-aggressive and tight-aggressive styles, with strong post-flop reading abilities and position play.

Nelson has worked as a behavior technician and counselor, including a role at an alternative education school. He has stated that poker was never a long-term career goal, and he plans to eventually settle into a counseling career. His LinkedIn profile also lists a period living abroad in Malta, Canada, and Australia while playing poker.